As winter slowly gives way to spring now is the perfect time to refresh your home and eliminate any hidden threats lurking in its corners. Yes, we’re talking about bed bugs. These blood-sucking pests can invade your home and stress, sleepless nights, and financial woes.
When bed bugs stake their claim on a home they hide in clutter, fabric, and small crevices. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to inspect your home for signs of bed bug activity while reducing your risk of a large scale infestation.
We’ve put together a few simple spring cleaning tips to help keep your home free of bed bugs.
Remove the Clutter
Bed bugs love to hide in cluttered areas. An essential part of spring cleaning, especially if you want to discourage pests, is to declutter your space. Start by going through all the rooms in your home. Dispose of old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard boxes. These can become breeding grounds for bed bugs. Organize your belongings and store anything you plan to keep in plastic bins with tight fitting lids. This well help reduce any potential bed bug hiding places.
Vacuum Thoroughly and Often
Vacuuming is a simple and effective way to eliminate bed bugs and their eggs. Naturally, it’s important to vacuum regularly and to focus on high risk areas such as:
-
Mattresses
-
Box springs
-
Upholstered furniture
-
Along baseboards and carpet edges
-
Around bed frames and headboards
-
Along cracks and crevices in walls or furniture
For better results use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. After vacuuming immediately dispose of the vacuum bag or empty the canister into a sealed plastic bag and dispose of outside of your home.
Wash Bedding and Clothes
Regularly washing your clothes and bed linens goes without saying. But there are tips that can make your weekly wash more effective when it comes to battling bed bugs.
Heat is the bed bug’s enemy. Wash your sheets, pillowcases, blankets and clothes in hot water. Temperatures should reach at least 120º F. You should also dry your laundry on the highest heat setting you can. This will effectively kill any stray bed bugs as well as their eggs.
Steam Clean Carpets and Furniture
Washing clothing and linens is a good first step, but we also have to think about cleaning your furniture. Once again, heat will be an integral part of our plan.
Use a steam cleaner on carpets, couches, chairs and curtains. Give special attention to seams and folds where bed bugs are most likely to hide. The steam cleaner should reach at least 200º F for best results. Big box stores and supermarkets often rent steam cleaners for a reasonable price. This is a great option if you don’t own a steam cleaner or can’t borrow one from a friend.
Encase Your Mattress and Box Spring
Bed bugs earned their name honestly. While they can be found all throughout a home they are often found in beds and bedrooms. To help prevent infestations follow these simple steps:
-
Inspect your mattress and box springs for signs of bed bugs such as small reddish stains, eggs, or live insects.
-
Use a bed bug proof mattress and box spring encasement to trap any existing bugs and to prevent new ones of entering.
-
If your mattress or box spring is heavily infested it may make more sense to replace it. Keep in mind you should always dispose of infested furniture carefully to prevent spreading bed bugs to new areas of your home.
Seal Cracks and Crevices
Small cracks and crevices in walls, baseboards and furniture are ideal hiding places for bed bugs. While you’re going through your home, thoroughly cleaning every room, make a not of any cracks or crevices you may find. Seal them with caulk or other appropriate materials.
Areas to concentrate on include:
-
Wall junctions and baseboards
-
Gaps around electrical outlets and switches
-
Joints in bed frames and other furniture
Monitor for Bed Bugs
A thorough spring cleaning can play a large role in preventing bed bug infestations. But it is only the beginning. Vigilance is crucial, and that means keeping an eye out for early signs of bed bug activity.
Consider installing bed bug interceptors under the legs of beds and couches to catch crawling insects. Check beds and furniture regularly for the tell-tale signs of bed bugs, including:
-
Tiny blood stains on sheets
-
Black fecal spots on mattresses
-
Shed bed bug skins
-
Bed bug eggs
-
Bed bug bites on family members
Call in the Professionals
Finally, if you suspect you have a growing bed bug problem the best course of action is to call in professional pest control services. Choose a service that specializes in bed bug detection and removal.
Spring cleaning can be about more than just tidying up your living space. It can also be the first step in preventing bed bug infestations. By being proactive you can ensure that your family has a fresh, pest-free home to enjoy throughout the year.
Published by Scott Palatnik
We are Bedbug Inspection & Elimination specialists.
From Manhattan to Montauk and all points in between.
Got questions?
We got answers.
Give us a call @ 516-619-6149
