What to Do If You Have Bed Bugs at Home: Household Bed Bug Prevention and Removal Methods

Bed bugs, commonly known as bed lice or wood lice, are small insects that feed on the blood of humans and warm-blooded animals. Their bodies are flat and reddish-brown, and by day they often hide in the gaps of bed boards, mattresses, furniture joints and wall cracks, coming out at night to bite. After being bitten, red, swollen and itchy papules appear on the skin, and many people find their sleep quality greatly affected as a result.

To tell whether there are bed bugs in your home, you can start with a few signs, such as small blood stains appearing on the sheets, dark brown spots of excrement in mattress seams, or finding eggs and shed skins. Bed bugs reproduce quickly, so once discovered they should be dealt with as early as possible to avoid the colony spreading to every corner, including the sofa and wardrobe.

Preventing and controlling bed bugs starts with thorough cleaning. Sheets, duvet covers and clothing can be washed in hot water and dried at high heat, and sun exposure also helps kill the insects and their eggs. The seams of mattresses and bed boards can be carefully cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, then treated with high-temperature steam or sealed with caulk to reduce the spaces where bed bugs hide. In daily life, also reduce the accumulation of clutter, regularly check furniture joints, and be sure to inspect second-hand furniture carefully before bringing it in.

If you have tried treating the problem yourself for a long time and still cannot eradicate it, or if the infestation has already spread to multiple rooms, it is advisable to seek help from professional pest control personnel to thoroughly treat the hiding places. Keeping the home clean and dry, and paying attention to cleaning luggage and clothing after returning from travel, are the keys to preventing bed bugs from entering the home.