If you woke up with itchy skin and found insect bites on unexposed parts of your body, then your bed might be infested with baby bed bugs. They’re small, brownish, and oval, and they live on human and animal blood. They don’t fly, but you’ll find them crawling very quickly on your floors, walls, and ceilings. In some cases, you might not even notice them. They mainly live in fabric and bed mattresses because this makes the perfect habitat for them. Yet, they can also infest sofas, carpets, and clutter. Learn all about how to get rid of baby bed bugs, steps you should take if you suddenly get an infestation.
They are also incredibly hard to get rid of as you might learn on this website.
What do you need to know about baby bed bugs?
The female bed bug lays hundreds of eggs, which are called bed bug nymphs. Those immature bugs are mistakenly believed not to bite. The baby bed bug bodies change through five different stages, and in each one, they require nutrients through the blood to shed their skin and mature to the next stage.
What do you do if you suspect an infestation?
It is better to hire pest control professionals to get rid of baby bed bugs. Nevertheless, here are some steps to immediately take until you hire a professional.
Clean up
It all starts with cleaning up everywhere in the room and de-cluttering corners. Start by washing curtains, bed sheets, clothes, and linen in a hot-water-cycle, before tossing them in your dryer and setting it at the highest temperature.
In case of items, you cannot wash, such as shoes, you can still place them in a dryer. The hot and dry medium kills eggs and adult bed bugs. On the other hand, if there are items you cannot treat, place them in a plastic bag and set them aside for up to a year to be certain that all bugs died. Why a year? Baby bed bugs can live without a host for up to twelve months.
Scrub
With a stiff brush, scrub the mattress vigorously. This will disturb the habitat of the bugs, and push them to the mattress surface. You can do the same with sofas and carpets.
Vacuum
Your next step is to vacuum your bed mattress, carpet, and the surrounding area. It’s recommended to use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to ensure that the pests cannot escape. After usage, discard everything in a plastic bag and secure it well. You can throw it out immediately, but that would risk infesting the property of your neighbors and can infect pets. It’s best to use insect repellent spray to kill the bugs before disposing of the plastic bag.
Repair holes
If you have any cracks or peeling wallpaper on your walls, then you might have some baby bed bugs hiding in there, too. It’s recommended that you repair cracks and glue ripped wallpaper back as soon as possible.
Chemical treatments
To thoroughly eliminate baby bed bugs from your home, it’s recommended to use specialized chemical treatments designed for that purpose. Just make sure the product is labeled safe to use on fabric, such as mattresses and pillows, before proceeding.
Cleaning up infested areas will control baby bed bugs and keep them from spreading, but getting rid of them completely requires professional exterminators. A rule of thumb to prevent baby bed bug infestations is to change your pillow every year or two, and the mattress every seven years.
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