Bed Bug Blues | 4 Things To Do After You Find Out Your Friendly Neighbor Has Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have a way of making even the best days go sour quickly. If you recently found out that your friendly neighbor has bed bugs, you're probably in panic mode. Bed bugs spread rapidly, and they literally live off of the blood of humans and animals. It's important for you to stay calm, though, and do the four things listed below.
1. Stay Out of Your Neighbor's House and Vice Versa
In order to prevent the problem from spreading, you need to stay out of your neighbor's house until the bed bug infestation has been treated. Otherwise, you might unknowingly bring home one or more bed bugs. Similarly, you need to make sure your neighbor stays out of your home. Bed bugs cling to clothing, and they're extremely good at traveling covertly, so be cautious.
If you have kids, keep an eye on them, and make sure they don't go over to the neighbor's house either. It may seem like a mean thing to do at the time, but you have to explain to your neighbor the importance of containing the problem. If your neighbor is your friend, they'll certainly understand.
2. Inspect Your Home for Signs of Bed Bugs
After establishing the importance of containing the problem, it's time to make sure that your home isn't already infested.
Start by peeling the sheets off the beds in your house. Check the mattresses for tiny specks of blood. Flip the mattresses over, and look carefully in the creases. Next, check your pillows for blood spots. If you see any blood specks, odds are good that your home has bed bugs.
3. Take Precautionary Measures at Home
After inspecting your home, spend a few hours taking precautionary measures. Wash your sheets, pillowcases, and clothing in hot water. Be sure to use hot water, which is one of the few things that kills bed bugs.
Next, carefully vacuum all of the rooms in your house. Cover every inch of carpet, including the spaces under furniture. You also need to vacuum couches, recliners, and similar furniture. Remove cushions from furniture, and clean them carefully.
4. Encourage Your Neighbor to Call a Pest Control Company
When a home becomes infested with bed bugs, it's important for the owner to have the problem treated as soon as possible. Bed bugs spread rapidly and indiscriminately. Don't let the bugs spread to your house. Encourage your neighbor to call a pest control company today.
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