You go to sleep and have no idea that you are falling into the clutches of a small but aggressive enemy. And in the morning you wake up with bites not unlike those from mosquitoes. What actually happened at night?
If the opening lines apply to you, then it is possible that your household shares a troublesome parasite and destructive enemy – bed bugs. Unfortunately, these days their numbers are increasing quite rapidly, so more and more of us are at risk. The Czech Republic is dealing with a kind of invasion of these small animals, and therefore we should be careful that they avoid us.
What about bed bugs? Watch the YouTube video on the Bald Man channel:
Source: Youtube
They are not visible during the day
We probably don’t even notice bed bugs during the day. They are creatures that come out of their hiding places at night to find food. It is nothing but human blood. And in order for bed bugs to be as close as possible to their “breadwinner”, they most often settle in mattresses, near furniture, or perhaps behind wallpaper, where we might not even look for them.
Be vigilant
One bite doesn’t mean anything, it can really just be a mosquito, but if you wake up bitten and full of itchy dots, which are often located mainly on your hands and feet, you should pay attention. Look carefully at the bedclothes, where you will most likely find not only small blood stains – both a small drop from a fresh wound, but also small black dots. In this case, it will simply be the feces of parasites and there is nothing to wait for.
Start the counterattack!
The moment your apartment is infested with bedbugs, immediately command the attack. How about them? First of all, all bedding must be washed immediately at a minimum temperature of 60 °C. Drying in a dryer at a really high temperature is ideal. Bed linen that cannot withstand such treatment should be taken to the container.
Perfect cleaning is essential
As we have already mentioned, bed bugs live in mattresses, furniture and various joints in the home. So getting rid of them is not easy at all, but we have to try. First, we vacuum everything very carefully and throw away the dust bag immediately. To be sure, wash everything with the warmest possible water, ideally warmer than 50 °C, and treat with insecticide. In the case of a really massive infestation, it will be best to hire a professional company for this job, which can deal with bed bugs best.
Most of the time it’s not a shame
You might think that such a situation is a shame and a sign of a dirty and neglected household. However, this is not the case and you do not have to be ashamed of the appearance of bed bugs if you solve the problem immediately. You can bring these small and at first inconspicuous pests on your clothes or in a suitcase from a hotel or hostel, they can appear among lovers of second-hand shopping, but they can also “get on” your coat in public transport. Last but not least, they like to spread through various crevices or risers in apartment buildings.
Prevention above all else
While it won’t always be 100 percent, we can probably agree that consistent prevention is best. This consists, for example, in a careful inspection of the hotel room before unpacking the clothes in the closet.
Think ahead
If you decide to buy furniture (or maybe just clothes) at the bazaar, thoroughly inspect everything and wash it, or even wash it, before you put it to normal use. In addition, it will also be a good idea to regularly luxuriate mattresses and carpets and perform a really thorough cleaning at any sign of suspicion. Such diligence will undoubtedly pay off, you will have a safe and clean home and a peaceful night’s sleep.
Sources: www.sousede.cz, khsstc.cz, ct24.ceskatelevize.cz
