Bed bugs are insects that nobody wants to have to deal with. These blood-sucking creatures can invade your home via one of your most-used pieces of furniture, so learning how to prevent bed bugs can save you quite a headache.

What do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs are reddish-brown insects with flat, oval bodies about the size of an apple seed. These tiny bugs are best known for living in mattresses and feeding on human blood during the night. Although the mattress is the most widely known hiding spot for these nasty insects, they also creep in the cracks and crevices of box springs, headboards, and bed frames.

Bed bugs can enter your home in a variety of ways. Because they are so tiny, it can be hard to readily detect them on things like luggage, clothing, furniture, and other items. They don’t make nests, so they hide in any small areas with easy access to people as a food source. You may inadvertently expose your home to bed bugs by purchasing a used mattress, hand-me-down furniture, or travel.

Bed bug bites, while not known to transmit disease, still pierce the skin and can turn into itchy welts. This insect will attach itself to any area of exposed skin anywhere from three to ten minutes, usually unnoticed.

A female bed bug can lay hundreds of eggs over her lifetime. These eggs are about the size of a speck of dust, so they are completely unperceivable by the human eye. Newly hatched bed bugs can mature as quickly as a month, so an unnoticed problem can quickly turn into an infestation.

How do bed bugs get into homes?

Learning how to prevent bed bugs can save you and your family from an infestation. You can prevent bed bugs in your home by using a few of these tips.

Cleanliness, though not always the source of the issue, can be helpful in preventing an infestation. If you are regularly vacuuming and cleaning your sheets, you may detect an infestation before you even know it’s there.

Cleanliness also extends to the items that you bring into your home. One of the biggest culprits for transferring bed bugs is used furniture. Whether you receive furniture from a family member or friend or bought it from a thrift store, you should always have it professionally cleaned before bringing it into your home.

That being said, you can also take precautions when traveling to prevent bed bugs by using vacuum-sealed bags for your clothes. Bed bugs can be transferred from hotels, not necessarily because they’re dirty, but because many people from different places frequently pass through them. Sealed bags can ensure bed bugs can’t hide out in your clothing.

The same theory works with mattresses. Using a mattress protector can prevent bed bugs from burrowing in and getting comfortable. A cluttered house is the perfect hiding space for bed bugs. If you’re wondering how to prevent bed bugs, try clearing up some of the clutter in your home, targeting closets and under furniture. These types of areas are excellent hiding places for bed bugs, so emptying them can set you up for success.

How does AAI Pest Control get rid of bed bugs?

Preventative methods are smart practices for anyone to implement, but the best way to truly solve a bed bug problem is to contact the professionals at AAI. Visit our bed bug service page for more information and treatment options.