There is something of a misperception that bedbugs only infest “dirty” houses or come from “dirty” hotel rooms or movie theaters.

The fact is, bedbugs can be a problem for anyone, no matter how careful and clean you are. You may keep a spotless household, but then your child comes home from a sleepover or you get back from a vacation or business trip, and suddenly, you have an infestation.

All it takes is just a few of the creepy little bugs hitching a ride on luggage and this can turn into a full-blown infestation in your home.

How to Know if You Have a Problem?

How do you know if you have bedbugs in the first place?

The first sign you will likely notice is the bites. They appear as small red spots that itch and usually follow a line or track across your skin.

However, bites alone aren’t sure proof. That’s because bug bites cold be attributed to other pests.

If you suspect you have bedbugs, then it is time to do a visual inspection. You will need to look for the little bugs themselves, which are very small, oval, and either brown or reddish. You also need to look for droppings, which appear as blackish spots on fabrics. There will usually be numerous droppings in one area and they smear if you try to clean them up.

There are several areas you will need to look in your home for bedbugs, and since they hide away during the day, use a flashlight to try and hunt them down. Look in the following places:

Anywhere on the bed: edges of mattress piping, under fitted sheets, plastic corner guards on box springs, underside of box springs, dust ruffle, fittings where the bed frame is put together, etc.
Fabrics like drapes or curtains, upholstered furniture, dust covers, blankets, pet beds, etc.
Wooden furniture near the bed, like nightstands or dressers as well as dresser drawers and in clothing.

You will have to inspect very closely to actually find the bedbugs since they can be hard to see. They tend to hide in the tiniest cracks and crevices, so look thoroughly before ruling them out.

If you aren’t sure, then getting the professionals to come in is a good idea. Then, you will know very quickly whether or not you are dealing with a bedbug infestation, and you will be able to get the most important help you need to get rid of the insects.

Steps for Slowing down Bedbugs

Bedbugs are very hard to eliminate, so be prepared for a long process if you try the DIY route. In fact, in most cases our customers come to us for help after trying unsuccessfully to get rid of bedbugs.

However, before you call there are a few things you can do yourself:

All fabrics need to be washed in hot water, bedbugs cannot survive the heat. You will need to wash everything that can be put in the machine, including clothes, bedding, pillows, pillow cases, drapes, etc.
On fabrics that you cannot launder, use a steam cleaner. You can do this with upholstered furniture.
Vacuum your house, including carpets and the bed. Be very meticulous with the edge of carpeting, seams on the mattress and box spring, and tufts on the bed. Always dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed trash bag.
Locate cracks in plaster or loosened wallpaper especially close to the bed. Seal these spaces and glue down the wallpaper so that bedbugs can no longer hide there.

While these sorts of tips are good practice in trying to contain an infestation, the only real way to get rid of them is to call Dugas Pest Control today and find out more about professional bed bug removal. Our team of trained experts knows the best treatment protocols for removing bed bugs and can help end the problem once and for all.