Bed bug cases have been on the rise for years. It seems that nearly everyone has a horror story about bed bugs they’ve heard from a friend or acquaintance. This has given rise to a great deal of misinformation, which circulates by word of mouth or the internet. Such false information can prevent people from properly identifying or treating a bed bug infestation.
As a bed bug laundry service provider, we are literally in the trenches, helping our customers cope with the aftermath of bed bugs each and every day. Do not base your bed bug knowledge on faulty logic that’s devoid of science. To help you, we’ve compiled a list of top bed bug myths that we’d like to eliminate, along with all those hideous bed bugs in general.
Myth #1: I keep my home super clean and I regularly wash my bedding, so I’m unlikely to get bed bugs. Even the best-kept homes can suffer a bed bug infestation. Their presence is in no way an indicator of the overall cleanliness of you or your home. Just like their fun cousin head lice, bed bugs are just as likely to be found in a clean environment as a dirty one. (Although admittedly, a dirty home might make bed bug detection a bit more difficult.)
Myth #2: Bed bugs only live and breed in and around beds. I’ve checked my bed and it’s clear, so I know I don’t have bed bugs. With their tiny size (about the width of a credit card), bed bugs can easily hide in other areas. Some common places where they establish residency include: the cracks and gaps around the wall outlets; in bureaus, especially around the drawer joints; at the junction where the wall and ceiling meet, or where the carpet meets the wall; near floorboards, window and door moldings; in your laundry bin; or deep in your closet. It’s pretty clear that despite their name, bed bugs are not only found in and around your bed.
Myth #3: I’ll know right away if I have bed bugs because I’ll wake up with horrible bites or an itchy rash. Skin irritation is not a reliable indicator of bed bugs. In fact, some people have no reaction to bed bug bites at all! Bites can resemble common insect bites like those from mosquitoes, or rashes such as eczema, hives, or even fungal infections.
Myth #4: I don’t travel or stay at hotels, so bed bugs will never be a problem for me. You can easily encounter bed bugs in your daily life, not just while traveling. Bed bugs can come home from work with you, hitching a ride to the office in a co-worker’s belongings. They can also be found in movie theater seats, in cabs or private vehicles, and in all types of furniture – from the seat in the lobby of your local bank, to the cushy couch at your best friend’s pad.
Myth #5: I do travel but I only stay at the absolute finest hotels, where bed bugs are never a problem. From that cheap motel by the airport to the poshest seaside resort, bed bugs are an equal opportunity player. They don’t really care how fancy your hotel is. They will make their home in an expensive hotel as easily as they do in less pricey digs. Staying at more upscale hotels when you travel will not necessarily keep bed bugs at bay.
Myth #6: I found bed bugs in my home. However I washed and dried all my laundry multiple times, so I know it’s now clear of bed bugs. Ridding your bedding and laundry of bed bugs is not a DIY kind of job. The equipment you have at home does not reach the temperatures required to ensure 100% of bed bugs and their eggs are eliminated. That’s why it’s important to enlist the aid of a bed bug laundry service like ours, with the training and equipment necessary to do the job right. To learn how we can help, click here.
