If you have heard the news lately, you may already know that bed bug infestations are on the rise in many parts of the globe, with the most recent place making headlines with their outbreak being the city of Paris. From weather changes to increased global travel, there are many factors contributing to the general rise in the bed bug population in recent years. As such, if you are not vigilant enough and neglect to adopt certain preventive measures to keep bed bugs at bay, you may soon find yourself at odds with these pests in your own home. Should that ever come to pass, here are some of the pitfalls to avoid when taking matters into your own hands.
1. Forget to throw out the vacuum cleaner bag
Once you root out where bed bugs are hiding, one of the first steps you should do is to clean the room or area you found them in. Vacuuming is an effective and convenient way of going about this task, but your efforts may go all to waste if you forget to clean or throw out the vacuum cleaner bag/container once you are done. This is because vacuuming does nothing to kill the bed bugs and bed bug eggs it captures, so it will only be a matter of time before they can escape back into your home unless you properly dispose of them outside.
2. Sleep in a different room
The most common mistake people commit when discovering bed bugs in their bedroom is to sleep in another spot in the house. While it is understandable for anyone to want a good night’s sleep without the risk of these unwanted bedfellows biting you and waking you in the night, moving elsewhere will only worsen the problem. Remember that bed bugs are fast travellers and latch onto your clothes and personal belongings to get around, so they can easily infest your couch and other furniture, just like how they got into your home in the first place. Lastly, refrain from staying at a friend’s or a relative’s home without taking the proper precautions, as you could inadvertently spread the infestation to their residence, too.
3. Fail to notify your landlord
Bed bugs are incredibly difficult to track, and infestations in apartment buildings could become a bigger problem if not addressed immediately. As such, if you happen to be a tenant and suspect that there may be bed bugs in your apartment, it is important to inform your landlord as soon as you are able to, so they can get a full picture of the infestation and address it at once. Staying quiet may cause the entire complex to be overrun with these pests, and that is one nightmare you do not want to be responsible for.
4. Choose not to reach out to the professionals
Sometimes, even if you avoid every mistake and adhere to all the safety measures to the tee, you can still end up with a bed bug infestation. At this point, it is best to call in pest control services and let the professionals take the reins on the situation. With their expertise and years of experience dealing with all sorts of infestations, they can easily make your home bed bug-free once more.
Conclusion
Bed bugs are a menace wherever they go, and getting rid of them once they cause an infestation is no easy feat (though picking them up in public places is, unfortunately). For minor cases, dealing with them yourself may still be manageable, and this is where taking heed of the pitfalls above comes into play. However, once you feel like the outbreak is out of your hands, get pest control on the line as soon as possible.
At PestClinic, our decades of experience in pest control have made us the go-to brand for all types of pest problems in Singapore. Our veteran team of exterminators are well-versed in dealing with just about any kind of pest you can imagine, including bed bugs, termites, ants, rodents, cockroaches, and much more. For more information regarding our residential, commercial, and industrial pest control services, don’t hesitate to contact us today!
