A beg bug infestation is anyone’s worst nightmare. Not only are these pests harmful to our health but also extremely difficult to get rid of. And sometimes, the only solution is to throw out all your beddings and mattresses.
Some people swear by commercial bed bug treatments while others depend on home remedies. All of these work but only to a certain extent. And your belief in certain myths about bed bugs might be making it harder for you to deal with them. Here are some of the common myths on bed bugs:
1. Bed Bugs Only Live On Beds
This is probably something we all believe. After all, the name spells out the trouble for us. But this isn’t the truth. Bed bugs can live in furnishings such as bed linen and pillow covers long after washing. They can also be present in curtains and other decor items that touch the infested area. Bed bugs are great at hiding by the day, so you may not always see them.1
2. Bed Bugs Are Almost Invisible
Have you always thought that bed bugs are so tiny that they are invisible to the naked eye? This is not entirely true. By themselves, these tiny creatures can be spotted crawling around. However, since they love to hide in crevices so much, the chances of spotting one are low.
3. Allergies Due To Bed Bugs Are Relatively Harmless
Bed bugs are quite ok, right? You just wake up with bites and small rashes every morning. You’re grossly wrong if this is what you think. Bed bugs are excellent vectors for the transmission of hepatitis B. If the bed bug problem has come to your home from a yard sale or due to community laundromats, chances are quite high that they carry the hepatitis B virus.2
4. All Allergies You Catch On Bed Are Due To Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are not the only things causing allergies on your bed. Unless you notice other signs of a bed bug infestation such as small blotchy red spots on the bedding and actual bugs in crevices, your allergy could simply be due to a dust allergy or some other insect.3
5. There Are No Bed Bugs In Clean Apartments
Most often, bed bugs are transferred between households when furniture is sold or bought. However, this isn’t to say that a clean, ventilated apartment will not have bed bugs. These bugs are extremely hardy and can go months without food. So, a visibly clean apartment that hasn’t been inhabited in a while can also have bugs lurking in the crevices.4
6. Any One Method Of Cleaning Can Kill Bed Bugs
People with mild beg bug infestation believe that a round of cleaning with a vacuum cleaner is sufficient. This is not true. When dealing with bed bugs, it is best to go all out. Use physical barriers such as tape and smooth surfaces such as glass as barriers for bed bug reentry. Also, make use of boric acid and other insecticides often.5
7. Buying New Furniture Will Prevent Bed Bugs
Do you avoid buying furniture from other people’s homes to avoid bed bugs? There’s bad news here. Bed bugs don’t have to be transported through furniture alone. If you sleep in a hotel room with bugs, they can travel with your clothing and baggage and make a permanent home once you return. In short, everyone is susceptible to a bed bug infestation.6
Feeling cornered due to a bed bug infestation? Don’t let them get the better of you. Use these time-tested solutions to rid yourself of the menace forever. Clean your house often in every way possible and keep an eye out for these pests, especially when you head back home from a trip.
References
| ↑1 | Kells, Stephen A. “Nonchemical control of bed bugs.” American Entomologist 52, no. 2 (2006): 109-110. |
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| ↑2 | Wills, William, W. Thomas London, BarbaraG Werner, Moustapha Pourtaghva, Bernard LAROUZÉ, Irving Millman, Walter Ogston, Samba Diallo, and BaruchS Blumberg. “Hepatitis-B virus in bedbugs (Cimex hemipterus) from Senegal.” The Lancet 310, no. 8031 (1977): 217-219. |
| ↑3, ↑4, ↑5 | Identifying and Controlling Bed Bugs: Guidelines To Help Rid a Home of Bed Bugs. Allegheny County Health Department. |
| ↑6 | Bed Bugs FAQs. Centres For Disease Control And Prevention. |