What Happens When the Bed Bugs Bite
“Don’t let the bed bugs bite!” Everyone has heard this saying, but most people probably haven’t had to take it seriously. If you’re dealing with bed bugs, though, you know that they’re not a joke. Like a plague, they seem to infect everything they touch. If you’ve recently discovered them crawling all over your mattress, you are likely and understandably concerned. What’s to be done? Was it a filthy household that attracted these pests to begin with?
First off, you should know that bed bugs aren’t attracted to filth. So the good news is that bed bugs didn’t come to your home because of uncleanliness. The bad news is that they’re attracted to something much more alarming than filth… they’re attracted to blood. During the night, bed bugs go on the prowl and will suck your blood when given the chance. If you’ve discovered itchy bumps all around your body, then it’s an unfortunate possibility that they’ve already been using you as a buffet.
Obviously, you don’t want to share your blood with these foul creatures. It’s time to get rid of bed bugs—now!
Confirming an Infestation
First things first, confirm that there is a bed bug infestation by examining your bedding. Check for any of the following:
- Dark Spots (Bed Bug Feces)
- Blood Stains
- Eggs
- Bed Bug Shells
If you see any of these—or the bed bugs themselves!—it’s a safe bet that yes, you’re the not-so-proud owner of an infested mattress.
Killing Bed Bugs
In some cases, a mattress with bed bugs can be salvaged. Vacuuming up the bed bugs, then washing the bedding on the hottest wash cycle possible, can help kill off many of the bed bugs. From there, we also recommend using an insecticide to purge the rest. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are some low-toxicity insecticide options. These act fast and are mostly safe for humans and pets. However, some bed bugs may be resistant to insecticides. You may have to try a few options before you reach success.
Some savvy mattress owners use encasement covers to protect their mattresses. These prevent bed bugs from nesting deep within a mattress. As a preventative option, these covers are definitely worth your consideration. However, if the bed bugs have completely entrenched your mattress already, and the idea of even touching the mattress again makes you sick, it might be time to consider throwing out the mattress altogether.
Bed Bug Mattress Removal
When disposing of an infested mattress, make sure to seal it in plastic wrap before removing it from the room. This will help capture the bed bugs and prevent them from escaping during the process of mattress removal. Bag up all other infested bedding items that you wish to dispose of as well. Then, put the mattress out for the trash pickup service if they will accept it.
Of course, don't pass on this curse of bed bugs to someone else. Some people like to pick up furniture off the street, so be sure to give them a fair warning about what they're getting themselves into. It's good practice to tape a piece of paper to the offending mattress with a cautionary message written on it. "BED BUGS" in all capital letters will definitely do the trick.
Removing a mattress is difficult work, especially when bed bugs are involved. You may want to find a full-service junk removal company to help you. While many companies provide old mattress pickup services in the West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale areas, not all of them will handle bed bug infestation problems for you. Don't give up, though. Do your research and find a business that is willing to do this dirty work on your behalf! For example, Junk Boss is willing to help with bed bug mattress removal along with many other junk removal services.
We hope you have the information you need to purge those bed bugs once and for all. Once you do, we hope you can sleep tight again—no bed bug bites included!