Blog

February 19, 2011

Preventing Bed Bugs

We Don’t Like Talking About It – But It’s Good To Know What To Do

Bed bugs make us uncomfortable and uneasy – but there’s been a resurgence of bed bug infestations since 1995. We wanted to create a comprehensive FYI on preventing bed bug infestations. As a leading Ottawa maid service, creating awareness with consumers on what to know and what to do to prevent bed bugs from entering your home doesn’t necessarily take care of the discomfort of thinking about these critters, but it does equip us to better deal with bed bugs if it ever happens.

Firstly – it’s essential to know how to identify bed bugs. Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that unsuspectingly feed off the blood of warm blooded animals – including humans. Bed bugs bites can lead to a variety of health problems that include allergic reactions and skin rashes. They’re typically active only at night and they have the ability to feed off of human hosts without you realizing. Although bed bugs are generally found near or around the bed, most insects that are found there are not bed bugs at all . Bed bugs are reddish-brown with an oval body that is flat, and measure approximately ¼ of an inch long.

Bed bugs can enter your home in a variety of different ways, but the most common way is through your personal belongings (clothing/luggage/computer) after you’ve been somewhere where they were present. This doesn’t necessarily just mean when you’ve gone away on vacation. Bed bugs have been found in many different kinds of places – even public transportation.

Bed bugs reside in almost all cases in the boxsprings,  headboards, the seams of mattresses, wood side tables, and in or around the frame of your bed.

What can you do to prevent bed bug infestations?

1. Inspect your mattress. If you see minute spots of blood, you may have a bed bug problem.
2. Inspect the back of your head board and box spring, and bed frame regularly.
3. Regulalry wash bedding in hot water and then dry on a high heat setting on a weekly basis. Place pillows and other non-washable items in the dryer for 20 minutes on high heat.
4. Keep your bedding from touching the floor and isolate your bed from the wall (ensure it’s not touching the wall).
5. Reduce clutter in the bedroom, especially near the bed and on the floor.
6. Caulk and seal any cracks in paint or drywall – anywhere where they can travel easily and access another part of the home.
7. If you’re dealing with a bed bug problem – the above points are moot. Call a pest control company or an exterminator with experience with bed bug removal.

As one of Ottawa’s premier house cleaning services, we’re committed to creating knowledge and know how with bed bugs and their effect on the health of our families. Contact us to schedule a booking for your house cleaning or request a quote.