Bed bugs are small insects which feed on their victims at night. Bed bugs feed on warm-blooded creatures but they mostly feed on humans. Bed bugs are red brown in color and have a flattened, oval body. Even though they are called bugs, the do not have wings and cannot fly.
There are a number of ways to spot a bed bug infestation in your home. First of all, you might find bed bug bites on your body which results in spots of blood on your sheet. Bed bugs shed their skin so you can look for bed bug skin in your quest to detect a bed bug infestation. You can also look for bed bug eggs which are no longer than one millimeter. They are hard to see but if you look closely, you will see them if your home is infested with bed bugs.
Pesticides are not the only methods of eliminating bed bugs. There are also some home remedies that can help against bed bugs. Rubbing alcohol kills bed bugs. You can spray some on the areas that are infested with bed bugs. Those that come into contact with the rubbing alcohol will die.
Pesticides are harmful; however, insecticides made of fruit and vegetable are safe for children and pets and can be used in the home to get rid of bed bugs. These insecticides should contain canola oil and pyrethrins.
Another home remedy for bed bugs is steam treatments. Bud bugs in mattresses and upholstered furniture that are steam treated will most likely die or move on to look for cooler living conditions. Dry heat also gets rid of bed bugs. For example, if your clothing, toys, footwear, sheets, backpacks or other items are infested with bed bugs, you can place them in the dryer and dry them with dry heat for a certain period. The high temperature kills the bed bugs. The ideal time to leave the dryer running is 20 minutes. It is advisable to always wash and dry your clothes at high temperatures to prevent them from becoming infested with bed bugs.
So using pesticides is not the only way to get rid of bed bugs.