Summer is here! Schools will soon be out, everyone will be home for the summer break and you’ll be planning that holiday you’ve been thinking about all year. With all this hustle and bustle, it's the perfect time for some small, not-so-friendly guests to make their way into our homes.
Bedbugs are tiny creatures, with adults ranging from 5mm to 7mm in length (roughly the size of an apple seed), making them very hard to detect and eliminate. They live on blood which creates red, itchy bumps on exposed skin. These hardy pests can survive for months without eating, with some even living up to 300 days in cooler temperatures.
Don’t be fooled by the name, bedbugs can be found in most household furnishings in our homes. Whether that’s bed frames, furniture cracks, within folded fabrics or luggage - their size means they can easily go undetected. Their flat bodies also mean they can even hide in electrical sockets - the shelter from daylight, warmth and close proximity to beds makes sockets an ideal spot for bedbugs.
So how can bedbugs get into your home? Any place with a bit of bustle, where a lot of people come and go, is a hub for bedbugs. So places like hotels or student accommodation are prime sources of bedbugs, making it very easy for bedbugs to hitch a lift back to your home.
To reduce the risk of bringing back unwanted souvenirs from your holiday, check your headboard and mattress for any little spots that look like ink. If you’re in any doubt, ask for another room because you don't want one of those little spots jumping into your suitcase and relocating to your home. Keeping your suitcase closed and belongings tidy can also help prevent bedbugs from hopping into your luggage.
Student accommodation can also be particularly prone to bedbugs with people travelling from abroad and accommodation being shared. So ensure to check your young person’s luggage when they come home, especially when they bring back that bin bag of laundry. Having a mattress protector and encouraging regular cleaning can help reduce the chance of students having any unwanted flatmates.
Be wary of second-hand furniture, it may be a bargain but it could be that you buy a sofa and get bedbugs thrown in. Thoroughly vacuum the furniture followed by a steam clean if you can. If you do find bedbugs in your vacuum, ensure to get rid of the contents. Don’t leave the vacuum unemptied in your home as the bugs can crawl out.
If you find you do have a bedbug problem that has got out of hand, Cleankill offers insecticidal and heat treatments. The heat dehydrates the bedbugs and their eggs, while the insecticides are used to kill any survivors for long-term control. Give us a call: 020 8668 5477.