“Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Well, there is no reason for you to take this saying seriously, until one of them has bitten you hard. Bed bugs are a common problem in most homes, not necessarily due to poor sanitation. You never know, your bed too might have provided shelter to these annoying parasites. And if a probable bed bug outbreak at your home is what’s worrying you, then the best thing to do would be changing the mattress. But that doesn’t guarantee that your new mattress is going to be bed bug-free. Therefore, it’s important that you put bed bugs away forever using home remedies.
What causes bed bugs?
- Sleeping on your friend’s bed bug- ridden bed is a bit risky. When you reach home, these parasites will be happy to shift from your body to your bed.
- Frequently travelling to affected areas- places that are mostly congested and unhygienic, make your home prone to get infested.
- If you are moving to a new apartment that has been empty for a good long time, clean it well before you shift. Abandoned places are home to bed bugs.
- If you are travelling with a bedbug ridden fellow passenger, be sure they are stealthily making their way to your body.
- People, who don’t wash their curtains regularly, might have bedbugs in them. Think twice before drawing curtains at somebody else’s place, whose hygiene levels are not known to you.
- If you have an infested pet at home you love to be cozy with, you stand more chances of contracting these parasites from it.
- Things meant for public use like chairs installed in a theatre, cushioned stools in shops, common headphones in music shops etc. might carry bedbugs. It’s best to take a shower on getting home after you visit such a place.
- Bed bugs also come hiding in luggage.
What are symptoms of bed bug bite?
- The most common symptom of bed bug bite is swelling.
- There is redness as well. The centre gets a little darker red. This happens because of the bacteria present in the bug’s saliva.
- The swellings are generally arranged in a row. Sometimes they are also found in clusters. Pathologists call this the “breakfast, lunch and dinner” sign to imply their chronological feeding pattern.
- Bed bug bites eventually become blisters or hives.
- Generally, itchier than mosquito bites.
- Bed bugs possess glands that secrete a fluid having a strong odour. So if your swellings smell, know for sure what has caused them.
- Rashes caused due to bed bugs usually show up after an hour, but sometimes a couple of days pass by without the appearance of symptoms.
Home remedies to get rid of bed bugs
1. Sleep-time hygiene
Bed bugs are most comfortable in beds. And that’s obvious. So, it becomes all the more essential to make sure that your bed, including the mattress, the bed sheet, the pillows, the blanket and everything else attached to your bed are kept clean. While it’s not possible to wash heavy items like mattresses and blankets regularly, they should be encased with zipped covers for easy removal and washing.
2. Mattress matters
The most favorite hiding place of bed bugs is the seams of mattresses. They can be found crawling on them if looked at closely. This is certainly a creepy sight and should be prevented at all costs. What to do? Vacuum or steam-clean the mattresses. Make sure the vacuum cleaner reaches the areas that are most likely to be infested. Run the vacuum under the bed as well. This is the effective home remedy to get rid of bed bugs. Read More
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