One of your worst fears has come true—you’ve found evidence of bed bugs in your Manhattan, NY, home or you’re pretty sure you have a pest problem. You’ll want to call in a bed bug exterminator right away, but you also want to make sure the infestation—if there is one—doesn’t get any worse in the meantime. Follow these tips to keep an infestation from spreading until the experts arrive to take care of the situation.
Know Where They’ll Hide
Bed bugs are mischievous insects that multiply at an extremely fast rate. This is why if they are left unnoticed for even a couple of days, things can become exponentially worse. It is extremely helpful to learn where bed bugs usually reside. This allows you to know where to look if you ever notice the signs of a possible infestation. An obvious place to start is the bed. Since bed bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide that we exhale, your bed could be the perfect home for them. The problem is that they can also spread to your box spring, comforter, or even the carpet underneath your bed.
If they aren’t in your bed and you still suspect a bed bug problem, then an unfortunate place they can gather is in the walls. Thanks to insulation, your walls gives bed bugs a perfect home to breed. As with any type of infestation, this situation requires professional attention because bed bugs can spread to the entire home rather quickly. If you haven’t found evidence of bed bugs yourself but suspect you have a bed bug issue, consider your building’s structure. Apartment or shared wall housing could mean your infestation is coming from a neighbor’s home.
Related: Bed Bug Inspection: Where Do Bed Bugs Bite?
Clothing Preparation
Clothing is a common means of travel that bed bugs use to get through a home. For example, if you put on an infected shirt from your bedroom and then go and sit on the couch, then there is a good chance that they will make a home out of your couch as well. For peace of mind, you could put any clothes you’ll be wearing from now until the exterminators come in your dryer on a hot setting. You could store them in a in a completely sealable plastic bag away from any upholstery and perhaps in the bathroom. This is one way to prevent any bed bugs from using your clothing as a transportation system.
Repeated Cleaning
A pile of rumpled clothing offers a safe haven for a large group of bed bugs. The best bet against bed bugs is extermination by professionals, but cleaning can help keep the population down in the meantime. You can help control further spreading of bed bugs by diligently vacuuming. With the tube attachment, vacuums can reach inside of cracks and crevices to pull out any of the bed bugs residing inside.
Related: What to Expect After Bed Bug Treatment in Brooklyn, NY
Cleaning can help you keep busy as you deal with this pesky problem. The fast, highly effective, and safe way to truly clear your life of this nuisance is cryonite freezing. By having carbon dioxide “snow” that’s at below-freezing temperatures pumped into infested rooms, bed bugs will be frozen and will instantly die. This non-toxic treatment is effective at every stage of a bed bug’s life, and all your belongings will be safe and bug-free when it’s all said and done.