Nothing is more violating than finding pests in your house, but even more so when you find them crawling around in your bed. The idea of bed bugs crawling into the crevices of your mattress and sofa cushions, waiting for someone to sit or lay down on them, is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. Read on to learn how to identify a bed bug infestation in your Salt Lake City home, as well as how to get rid of them.
Signs Of Bed Bugs In Your Home
Fortunately, if bed bugs have invaded your home, there will be some definitive signs that they are there, allowing you to reach out for help much sooner. Below are some of those signs:
- Musty odor: Often described as "offensive," bed bugs leave behind a foul, musty odor that secretes from their scent glands. You will smell this anywhere the bugs are hiding.
- Excrement: Wherever bed bugs are in your house, you will also find their feces. These are usually dark or rusty-looking spots, and you are more likely to find them on your mattress, sheets, and walls.
- Eggshells and shed skins: Bed bugs shed their skin as they grow, and finding these skins is a sure-fire sign bed bugs are in your home. Additionally, eggshells are also a sign that not only do you have a bed bug problem, but the problem is extensive, because they have had time to settle in and breed.
- Bloodstains: if you are finding bloodstains on your bedding, this could be a sign that bed bugs are present. This is your blood; a mess made while the insects were feeding on you.
Why Bed Bugs Bite While Your Sleeping
While they can be found anywhere in your Salt Lake City home that allows for them to hide safely, bed bugs are most likely to be found in your mattress because it provides them with the perfect feeding opportunity. As parasitic insects, bed bugs feed on blood and need a host to feed off. That’s where you come in. When you are sleeping, you are silent and not moving and your body temperature is elevated. This is the perfect chance for bed bugs to latch onto your skin and feed on your blood, allowing them to drink their fill without any interruptions for hours on end.
Bed Bugs Don't Just Invade Dirty Homes
Much like cockroaches, there is a myth that bed bugs only invade dirty homes. However, that is not the case. Bed bugs will invade any home they can get into that has the shelter and food access they are looking for. Below are some of the ways bed bugs get into your Salt Lake City home, clean or not:
- Furniture: If you are adding new furniture to your home, be sure to check the pieces before bringing them inside. Bed bugs are notorious for hiding in the crevices and cushions, giving them a free ride into a new home.
- Luggage: When traveling, be sure to keep your luggage off the floors. Set them on clean countertops and other places that are less likely to have bed bugs. Your bags and luggage are an easy way for bed bugs to spread and invade your home.
- Clothing: While this is a more unlikely method of human-assisted spread, bed bugs do sometimes hitch rides into your home by riding on your clothing. Be sure to wash them regularly on high heat.
The Best Bed Bug Control In Salt Lake City
Upon finding bed bugs in your home, it can be tempting to try any of the many DIY methods you can find online to try and get rid of them. However, these methods do not work. Bed bugs are incredibly difficult to get rid of, and the best thing you can do is call the experts at Pest Plus Pest Control. We have a decade of experience dealing with bed bug infestations, and our skilled technicians have the bed bug control tools required to permanently exterminate entire bed bug infestations from your Salt Lake City homes. Don’t let these insects ruin your sleep — call us today!