Bed Bugs: The Modern Day Vampire
Who doesn’t love fall? The beloved season brings with it chilly air, pumpkin spice everything, cozy sweaters, and perhaps best of all, Halloween. Whether you’re trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, going to haunted houses, or watching scary movies everyone seems to love this holiday. There’s something fun about being scared out of your mind by nonexistent ghosts and ghouls. However, not everyone knows that there’s a very real danger lurking in the shadows: bed bugs.
The Perfect Costume…and the Perfect Hiding Place
If you have kids, you know how much fun it is to put together a Halloween costume. You’ve got the traditional costumes – pirate, ghost, princess, etc., and then there are kids who come up with weird, creative things to be, and you as their parent have to figure out an equally creative way to make it happen. Thrift stores can come in serious handy when creating a Halloween costume! You can find a cheap white sheet for your little ghost, or a lampshade for your kid who wants to be a tube of toothpaste. Finding these things on the cheap seems like a great idea. However, you could be bringing home something much scarier than a ghost… bed bugs. They could be hiding in the folds of any fabric you take home, and if your child wears the costume you make, they could get bitten. Bed bug bites aren’t serious, but they’re itchy and unpleasant. Make sure you check anything you take home from a thrift store for signs of bed bugs. If you find small black spots (fecal stains) or live bugs, throw the item in the dryer for about an hour. The high temperature will kill the bugs. However, if you find evidence of bed bugs on something you can’t throw in a dryer, it’s best to put it out on the curb immediately.
Trick or Treat!
One of the most fun parts of fall is Halloween night. It’s so much fun to hand out candy and see everybody’s costumes, especially the adorable little kids coming to your door. These kids might not seem like a threat to your home – after all, they’re only kids. However, if one of them is carrying bed bugs and they step into your house, they could spread the bugs to your home. The easiest way to prevent this is to keep the kids out on the porch. If you’re really worried, set up shop in your driveway! A couple of lawn chairs, some cozy blankets, and maybe even a fire pit can make for a nice Halloween night.
Protecting Your Home
Halloween parties are a great opportunity to see your friends and have some spooky fun, like costume contests and bobbing for apples. Hosting one can be fun, but what happens if one of your guests brings over bed bugs? First off, it never hurts to just be straightforward and ask people about bed bugs. If you’re inviting a person who’s recently had a bed bug issue, ask them to throw their costume in the dryer before they come over. Second off, after your guests leave, clean your home thoroughly. You’ll probably clean after a party anyways, but be extra cautious. If you have removable covers on your couches or chairs, it wouldn’t hurt to wash and dry them, along with any blankets or tablecloths your guests may have come into contact with. In the days after the party, keep an eye on your belongings, especially wood furniture, and look for signs of bed bugs around your home.
Driving Away Dracula
Have the bed bug vampires invaded your home? Unfortunately, garlic won’t get rid of them, but Bed Bug BBQ can. We use heat treatment to get rid of bed bugs. This bed bug extermination process gets rid of bed bugs in just one day and won’t fill your home with chemicals! Contact Bed Bug BBQ today for a FREE quote and inspection at (216) 221-1227 or through our website, and check out our other bed bug informational resources on identification, prevention, and eradication.
