Have you ever woken up with weird marks on your bedding? Or strange red itchy marks on your body? Or even little bugs right there in your bed? Bed Bugs!
Having an infestation of bed bugs does not mean that you are dirty. It simply means that, unfortunately, you have been in contact with the parasites and taken them home with you.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are nocturnal, wingless insects that feed on human blood. They have a flat oval body that is red/brown in colour, when fully grown they are about 4 to 7 mm long. Their eggs are also visible to the human eye, they will be white and about 1 mm long.
The bites resemble those of mosquitoes and although they don’t pose any direct health risks, can be quite annoying and itching them can lead to infection in some cases. Another way to identify bed bugs is having blood spots in your sheets – sometimes the fully engorged insects can be squashed if the victim rolls on to them during the night.
Another key identifier of a bed bug infestation is the dried excrement of the insects in cracks and crevices of mattresses, bed slats and frames, bedding etc. This will look like groups of dark spots or stains close to areas where humans sleep.
Where do bed bugs come from?
Bed bugs primarily picked up when travelling, to avoid this avoid placing luggage down straight away and always check in the crevices of hotel/motel beds, mattresses and bedding before settling in. If there are any signs of bed bugs or bites after your stay then avoid taking any luggage inside your home before dealing with the issue. Make sure to wash all clothing and luggage in hot water, vacuum out bags and dispose of the vacuum bag immediately in a plastic bag.
Always check second hand furniture, beds and/or mattresses before bringing them home with you and if you are using second hand bedding, soft toys or cushions then make sure to wash and dry it at a high temperature before use.
Common hiding places for bed bugs include:
- Mattresses, particularly along the seams
- Bedding such as sheets and blankets
- Beneath loosened edges of wallpaper
- Between the cracks of wooden floors
- In wall cracks or crevices
- Carpet
- Furniture, particularly in seams and cracks.
An easy way to check for bed bugs is with our BuggyBeds – Bed Bugs Glue Traps . These glue detection traps are thin and discrete, so can easily be slipped under mattresses and furniture to detect bed bugs before they get out of control.
If you find bed bugs in your home then don’t stress, because we have solutions for you!
Proven methods to kill bed bugs include heat, steam and insecticides.
Heat and Steam:
Bed Bugs and their eggs do not cope well with heat and die within 90 minutes at 48°C or immediately at 50°C. The Pestrol Bed Bug Steamer is an effective, easy and non-toxic way to treat and kill bed bugs.
Mattress and Pillow Protectors:
Get rid of existing bed bugs, or simply protect your family by using our Pestrol Bed Bug Pillow and Mattress Protectors – Available in 24cm and 33cm depths. The patent pending zip locking system is 100% effective in preventing bed bugs from breeding in your mattress.
Insecticides:
Natural Bed Bug Repellent Spray 710ml –
This product is made of non-toxic ingredients that are fast-acting, and produce immediate results on contact. The Bed Bug spray is safe to use around children and pets, and it won’t aggravate persons with respiratory conditions. Personal items and furniture are safe from damage, too, as our bed bug exterminating spray is stain-free and scent-free.
Efficacy studies conducted by a leading US entomologist prove 100% kill rate. The formula works by burning the outer shell of the bed bug, causing an immediate kill on contact.
We created our bed bug spray to be used during both preventative maintenance and in the event that bed bug extermination is necessary. Because it is non-toxic, it can be used during a regular cleaning routine to prevent a bed bug infestation without risk of overexposure and to exterminate bed bugs without having to evacuate a home.
Dust2Dust is a superfine permethrin insecticide dust for the long term control of ants, cockroaches, fleas, wasps, silverfish, bedbugs and other insects. Dust2Dust is a very fine, fluffy powder and will not clog your puffer. It is ready to use and requires no further dilution. Its lightness and small particle size mean it can easily penetrate cracks, crevices and cavities, and can be moved long distances with the use of hand or electric bellows. A useful product for insect control in electrical appliances.
Some other general suggestions to eliminate bedbugs include:
- Thoroughly wash, vacuum or clean all surfaces and bedding.
- Wash bedding and affected clothing where possible, using hot water. Dry in clothes drier on a hot setting.
- Vacuum mattresses, seal in dark plastic and leave outside in the hot sun for as long as possible.
- Steam clean carpets.
- The use of our Pestrol automated pest control dispensers.