Pests Don’t Go Away in the Winter

Now that the holidays are over, it's time to start inspecting for bed bugs. This is particularly true if you had out-of-town guests staying in your home. Bed bugs love to travel. In fact, they'll hitch a ride in luggage, purses, and even backpacks. Unfortunately, once they're in your home, they can be difficult to get rid of – especially if you don't realize you have a problem until you're facing an infestation.

As soon as your last guest leaves, you need to inspect your home for signs of bed bug activity. If you find small spots of blood in your mattresses or sheets, or locate live bugs in the cracks of your mattresses, you'll need to take action quickly. Here are three steps you should take as soon as you find bed bugs in your home.

Vacuum Thoroughly

As soon as you located bed bug activity, you'll need to vacuum your entire home – especially the living areas, such as bedrooms and living rooms. Pay close attention to mattresses and upholstered furniture. Those are the areas that bed bugs love to hide. You'll also need to vacuum along the baseboards throughout the house. Once you've vacuumed, take the vacuum outside.

If you use vacuum bags, toss the used bags into the trash. If your vacuum uses a canister, empty the canister outside. Vacuuming will not kill bed bugs. It will simply remove the bugs. If you leave them in the vacuum, they can crawl out and re-infest your home. Be sure to wipe the canister out with a damp cloth and rinse the filter. This will ensure that all the bed bugs – and their eggs – have been removed.

Heat Things Up

To get rid of bed bugs, you'll need to clean all your bedding. First, remove all the bedding and place it in plastic bags. Take the plastic bags to your laundry room and place the bedding directly into your washing machine. Throw the bags in an outside trash can. Wash your bedding in hot water and then dry on the hot cycle.

Seal the Mattresses

While you're washing your bedding, you should also treat your mattresses. Vacuum both sides of your mattresses and then spray them with a bleach solution. Fill a plastic bottle with water and add about ½ cup of bleach. Apply the solution to both sides of your mattress and allow it to air dry. Place a cover over your mattresses. This will keep bed bugs away.

If your guests left you with bed bugs, use the tips provided here to get rid of the pests. If your infestation has gotten out of control, be sure to contact an exterminator in your area, like the one represented at http://www.philadelphiapestsolutions.com.