Bed bugs—the words alone are enough to make us squirm! Unfortunately, the bed bug epidemic is affecting countless households every year, and these horrid little pests are tough to combat. They move quickly, breed quickly and can hide in just about any crevice in the home, including floors, ceilings, bedposts and walls.
Knowing all this, you can easily see how important it is to find a trustworthy company to provide you with bed bug control service in Bartlesville, OK. Excellence Pest Control has years of experience dealing with bed bugs, and we can help you prevent and get rid of these nasty insects. Call us to find out how we can help you with your bed bug concerns.
Here are some tips on how to prevent bed bugs from entering the home, and how to recognize the signs of a bed bug infestation.
Travel cautiously
Bed bugs love to hop into any available space, so just imagine how inviting your suitcase looks! When you go away for a trip, pack a few large trash bags, and put your suitcase inside. Also, bring some plastic bags and keep your clothes in them—not in the hotel dresser! Remember to check your surroundings before unpacking or getting in bed.
Stay vigilant
Research any places you’ll be staying ahead of time, and keep an ear open in case you hear of someone’s home having an infestation. It goes without saying that you don’t want to send your kids for a playdate and pick them up with bed bugs!
It can be tempting to pick up furniture or mattresses from a curb, especially if they’re in great shape, but consider the fact that they might be on the curb for a good reason. If you bring a piece of furniture or a mattress into your home, it’s possible you’ll be inviting bed bugs in, too. Isn’t it worth a few extra bucks to purchase that chair or mattress, rather than deal with an infestation?
Perform regular home inspections
If you do have a bed bug problem, you want to make sure you catch it quickly. This is where routine inspections in your house are key. Check your mattresses and sheets; dark spots (usually rust colored) could be fecal matter. Also search for bits of skin or eggshells, and make sure nothing smells funky (an odor could be caused by the scent glands on a bed bug). After you check the mattress and sheets, look at the box springs and even the frame of the bed itself. You’ll also need to check other household items, since bed bugs love to hide out in all sorts of places—this includes carpets, books, telephones and outlets. Lastly, check your family for bites, especially areas that are exposed during sleep.
If you suspect that you do have a bed bug problem, don’t delay. Call Excellence Pest Control, your go-to bed bug control service in Bartlesville, OK, today. We’ll help you nip your pest infestation in the bud!
There is a reason why bed bug control in Bartlesville, OK is not a do-it-yourself project. Bed bugs are difficult parasites to exterminate, and in some businesses, they can be damaging to your reputation. With awareness and a telephone number of a good exterminator, you can take control of this problem quickly. Here are the challenges that make bed bug infestation a time to call in the professionals:
- They can show up anywhere: Bed bugs are common. They are prevalent in places with high turnover rates, like hotels, offices and dormitories. However, they are also becoming more common in apartment buildings, single-family homes and hotels. Even trains, ambulances and movie theaters are not immune, and people can bring them home just by visiting the wrong venue. The media hype typically surrounding bed bugs arises from the fact that they often feel like an epidemic.
- They are difficult to find: Bed bugs show up wherever there are people and pets. They feed off both and are attracted to body heat. Since they are small, wingless and nocturnal, it is difficult to know you have them until you start getting skin irritations. They can hide anywhere, although they prefer mattresses, box springs and other areas around your bed. When an infestation is suspected, exterminators have to go through everything, even wall surfaces and carpet. Bed bugs are never picky about where they live in your home, as long as they are close to you and your animals.
- Bed bugs are mobile: Infestations occur after visiting a locale where bed bugs live. They attach to clothing and luggage, so if you read a Google review about a hotel having a bed bug issue, do not risk it. Change your reservations and stay somewhere else. If you learn that you were exposed to bed bugs, pay attention to your surroundings so you catch them early and call for help.
- The parasites destroy reputations: There is no relationship between sanitation and bed bugs. Cluttered homes may make it more difficult to exterminate them, but they are not a cause of bed bugs. Unfortunately, public perception is the opposite, and businesses with infestations often suffer serious losses. The desire to stop the bed bug invasion becomes very strong because of the negative impressions surrounding it. When called to a bed bug problem, we often discover our clients are stressed and emotional about the circumstances.
- They cannot be completely prevented: Since your home or business can attract bed bugs through no fault of your own, your best course of action is to recognize them before they spread. Know the early signs of an infestation—be aware of tar or rust-colored stains on bedding and furniture. If you see cast skins (the empty shells they shed) on bedding or other surfaces, call an exterminator immediately. You want to act soon, because they will spread by attaching to other people, infesting their living and business areas, too.
D & Q Pest Control, Inc. is available for bed bug control in Bartlesville, OK and more. Call us today to get an estimate and eliminate your parasite problem.
Of all the pests that might find their way into your home, there’s perhaps none more downright annoying than bed bugs. Not only do bed bugs make your living space marginally more uncomfortable once they’ve made their home there, they’re also tremendously hard to get rid of once they’re there.
Bed bug control in Bartlesville, OK is a three step process that must be undertaken with swiftness, thoroughness and care:
- Identify a bed bug problem.
- Eliminate the bed bugs in your home.
- Protect your home from further infestations.
While it might be hard to deal with bed bugs in their entirety, it’s not impossible. Take a look at a few tips you can rely on at each stage of the process.
Identifying the problem
Bed bugs are super-small and very hard to spot outright. Moreover, they’re nocturnal, which means you’re likely not going to see them, since they’ll be feasting while you’re sleeping! As a result, you’re going to be more apt to find signs of an infestation, rather than the bed bugs themselves:
- Small black spots that are comparable to the size of a pinhead. These are bed bug droppings!
- Small patches of redness, itching or swelling on your body. These indicate bed bug bites.
- Small spots of blood on your sheets or clothing, which signals feasting bed bugs.
Keep an eye out for these things when you’re making the bed or washing your sheets. Occasionally, you might also find a dead bed bug in your sheets or on the floor—if you see one, it’s guaranteed that there are even more that are hiding!
Eliminating bed bugs
Once you have bed bugs, getting rid of them is going to be a trial. Bed bug control in Bartlesville, OK isn’t going to be as easy as fumigating a room or washing your sheets—these buggers are resilient! The best thing to do is hire a professional. In addition to treatment services, they can also give you tips on how to eradicate bed bugs, which might include:
Steam cleaning your mattress and dry cleaning your bed sheets. High heat cleanings will eradicate any lingering bed bug eggs.
Have your carpets professionally steamed. Again, this is going to eradicate any lingering bed bugs or eggs.
Take your pets to the vet to have them combed for bed bugs.
Using chemical solutions and a variety of techniques, a professional will be able to hunt down nesting bed bugs and completely remove them from your living space.
Preventing future infestations
The final stage of bed bug control in Bartlesville, OK is to prevent any bed bugs from setting up shop in your home again after you’ve gone through the trouble of getting rid of them! Take a look at some of the things a professional may recommend you do to prevent future issues:
- Discard any old materials that were infested. This may be the ideal time for you to get a new mattress!
- Seal up any cracks or crevices that may play host to colonizing bed bugs, or any other pests for that matter.
- Avoid buying secondhand furniture, which can come bearing bed bugs.
- Examine beds and furniture when you’re travelling, to make sure you’re not picking up bed bugs and bringing them home.
Staying one step ahead of bed bugs is the best way to deal with them. That, and having a seasoned professional like D & Q Pest Control, Inc. on your side!