Clean Your Comforter And Other Bed Linens For Bed Bugs
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There's been a lot of news lately about the increase in Bed Bug sightings in urban areas, including Birmingham, Alabama. What's the real risk and what can we do about it?
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A few facts from the research I've done:
- An adult bed bug can reach the size of 7mm which is about 1/4 inch (I had to figure that one out since I'm metric deficient). An adult is clearly visible to anyone not farsighted. The photo above is an adult and it's enlarged (thank goodness!).
- Bed bugs will bite and cause small breaks in the skin but are not believed to cause any disease.
- Now to the really gross news. Bed bugs feed off the blood of a host...typically a human but may also feed off other mammals (even dos or cats) and birds.
- They live for 4 to twelve months, and can go for long periods without feeding. And they will lay eggs often.
So how do we get the bed bugs in our homes? The most likely way is to transport them home on your clothing or in suitcases from areas with infestations. New Your City has been credited with having a major problem. And with the number of travelers in NYC, it won't be long until that are spread over the country.
When traveling (especially in NYC), my suggestion is to keep your suitcase and clothes in the bath room where bed bugs cannot as readily survive. Change clothes in the bath room too.
Be sure to inspect, whether it's in your hotel room or your own home, between the mattresses, cracks and crevices of furniture, carpet. Anywhere they can hide on the bed or other furniture.
If you find that you have the critters at home, bundle up your bed linens and wash them in hot water (assuming your linens can withstand hot water). The water needs to reach a temperature of at least 120 degrees F. Be sure to include your comforter, bed spread, duvet cover, bed skirt, all types of household linens...anywhere they can hide and lay their eggs.
Check the care label on comforters, bed spreads and duvet covers to make sure they can be laundered. If they are "dry clean only" then send 'em to us and we'll dry clean your comforter ere in Birmingham. Please place any item you believe is contaminated with bed bugs in a garbage bag (tie it tight) and get them to us. Be sure to let us know about the problem and we'll handle it.
Bed bugs can't survive in really cold temperatures, either. If you discover the pests in winter, bag up the linens and the mattress and place them outside. Of course, it needs to be one of the 15 or so days a year in Birmingham that it drops below 25 degrees F for several hours. If you have room in your freezer you can freeze them out. Place the items (well, maybe not the mattress) in a garbage bag and put them in the freezer overnight. Then shake them out the next day.
Don't forget about cloth toys, backpacks, jackets, etc. A thorough inspection should tell you if these items are infested.
If you have them really bad, you need to call your pest control company. Don't spray any type of insect repellent inside your house. The results of that could be worse than the bites.
Typically you will notice the bites on your body, usually the arms and legs, as a sure sign of a problem. But look for the little critters to know whether or not you really have a problem.
But don't think that bed bugs are a sign of poor hygeine or poor housekeeping because they're not!
Don't let the bed bugs bite YOU!
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Champion Cleaners Can Clean Your Comforter, Duvet Cover, Bed Spread, Afghan and Other Household Items.
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