How to check for bed bugs

how to check for bed bugs

1. How to Check for Bed Bugs
For anyone unfortunate enough to have bed bugs in their home, it's
essential that they know how to check for bed bugs in the correct
manner. Not only to find all the most obvious places that bed bugs
hide, but also to check all the less obvious places too.
For most people, the first indication that you have bed bugs is
usually because of bed bug bites. And because these bites always
occur whilst in bed, the bed is the very first place to check.
Bed bugs do not differentiate between clean and unclean homes, as
the presence of dirt or discarded food makes no difference to them.
They have no chewing mouthparts. Remember their only source of
food is blood.
Nevertheless, a cluttered home affords them many more places to
hide. If bedrooms are cluttered with clothes and other stuff lying
about, especially under the bed, then bed bugs are going to find an
abundance of hiding places.
So the first thing that needs to be done is to remove the clutter and
make some space. It's important to set up what l like to call a
'decontamination area'. This is an open space in the bedroom (or
other indfected area) with a large plastic sheet (preferably white) on
the floor. This is where you can examine individual items, and if any
bed bugs drop out they can be easily seen on the plastic sheet.
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At the start, because you will not be familiar the extent of the
infestation, you'll need to take away all infested and infestation-
prone bedding and garments, and put them on the plastic sheet for
examination. All of these items will need to be bagged and
laundered (120°F minimum) since most of these type of items
cannot be treated with sprays or other methods of de-infestation.
Another quite effective and efficient option is to place clothing, toys,
shoes, backpacks, etc. in a clothes dryer set at medium to high heat
for 10 to 20 minutes. This should kill all bed bug life stages and can
be done separately, or with your normal laundering.
Things that cannot be put in a washer or dryer can oftentimes be
de-infested by wrapping in plastic and placing them outdoors in a
hot, sunny location, a closed vehicle, etc. for at least 24 hours. If
this method is tried, packing less items in each bag makes it harder
for the bugs to find cooler places inside the bags to hide. Use a
thermometer if you can, and ensure that the internal temperature
reaches at least 120°F.
When all bedding and clothing and all the other items are removed,
including from wardrobes and other storage areas, its time to
inspect all bedroom furnishings including the bed, seats, wardrobes,
nightstands, and all wall the fixtures including the electrical sockets,
wall lighting, any hanging pictures and paintings, and even the
wallpaper, if there are loose sections.
Bed bugs can live in almost any crevice, crack or protected place.
The most usual location to find them is the bed. Bed bugs will often
hide within seams, tufts and crevices of the mattress, the box
spring, the bed frame and also the headboard. The headboard, if
secured to walls, should also be removed and thoroughly inspected.
A thorough inspection requires taking the bed apart, and standing
the individual pieces on their side, so that the upper and lower
surfaces can be examined. The most important things to look for
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are the bugs themselves, and also the light-brown molted skins of
the nymphs (young bed bugs). Dark spots of dried bed bug
excrement (digested blood) are often noticed along mattress seams
or wherever the bugs have stayed.
Usually when bed bug infestations grow bigger, the bugs tend to
move beyond beds into other locations. Upholstered chairs and
sofas should be examined above and beneath, especially seams,
tufts, skirts and crevices.
Night-stands and dressers should be emptied and examined inside
and out, then turned upside down to inspect the joinery underneath.
Oftentimes the bugs will be hiding in cracks, corners, and recesses.
Other places to find bed bugs include: along and under the edge of
wall-to-wall carpeting (especially behind beds and furniture), cracks
in wood molding, ceiling-wall junctures, behind wall-mounted picture
frames, mirrors, switch plates and outlets; under loose wallpaper,
amongst clothing and clutter stored in closets, and even inside
clocks, phones, televisions and smoke detectors.
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How to Check for Bed Bugs