If you don't want to be bitten by bed bugs, be aware of the presence of these insects in your home or hotel room. Learn how to recognize live bed bugs or signs of infestation. Next, check for common hiding places for bed bugs, such as beds or couches. Also check for signs of bed bugs such as stool (feces) or bloodstains. If there are no signs of bedbugs, try looking for them in unusual places that may be difficult to access.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Looking for Signs of Bedbugs
Step 1. Protect your hands with gloves
Wear latex or vinyl gloves when checking for bed bugs. This is useful for protecting your hands from the bites of live bedbugs, and preventing you from coming into contact with the blood of the squashed bedbugs.
If gloves are not available, you can wrap your hands in a plastic bag before looking for bed bugs
Step 2. Identify the small bed bugs by their brown or red color
Adult bed bugs are 6 feet long and about 0.5 cm long. Bed bugs that have just eaten blood will be round with a bright red color. After the blood is digested, the bedbug color will change to dark brown with a flat body. If you don't eat for a long time, bed bugs will turn pale brown.
Do you know?
Although small, bed bugs can be easily seen with the naked eye.
Step 3. Look for red stains caused by squashed bedbugs
Because they feed on blood, bed bugs will leave red or rusty stains when squashed. It can be bright red if the bedbugs have just been squashed, or dark if their bodies have been destroyed for a long time.
The stain may look like a drop of blood or have streaks and streaks
Step 4. Check for bed bug eggs and feces
Bed bug feces are in the form of very small black spots (of these sizes: •). This stool can stain the fabric underneath, so you'll also see dark streaks. You should also look for pale white eggs that are about 1 millimeter in size.
You will also find pale skin shed from the growing bed bug nymphs
Method 2 of 3: Checking Out Common Areas
Step 1. Open the bed cover and check the fabric
Remove bed covers, blankets, or duvets and shake them off before you look for signs of bed bugs. Next, carefully pull out the sheets and mattress protector. Do it slowly so that bed bugs don't jump off the sheets and move into the room.
If you're using a mattress protector that's been designed to prevent bed bug infestation, check it around zippers, seams, or gaps
Step 2. Pay close attention to the mattress and bed frame
Ask someone else to help move the bed away from the wall. Check the mattress seams, then turn the mattress over. You may encounter bed bugs moving away as you do so. Lift the mattress so you can inspect the bed frame and joints.
Examine the wall against which the bed rests. Watch for feces or blood stains produced by bed bugs
Tip:
Don't forget to check the folds of sofas, baskets, and cribs for bed bugs.
Step 3. Check the area between the sofa cushions and the furniture underneath
Bed bugs like to live in places where people rest for long periods of time. Therefore, look for its presence in recliners (soft chairs to relax), sofas, and chairs. Check the creases between the pillows and lift the large sofa cushions so you can check the furniture frames.
You should also turn the furniture over so you can inspect it
Step 4. Move the furniture so that the perimeter of the room is visible
If there is large furniture, such as a sofa or bed, push it towards the center of the room. Next, get closer to the floor and run the credit card along the baseboard. Bed bugs can get into the gaps between the wall and the board, so you can use a credit card to remove the bugs that are there.
If you have decorative planks at the top of a wall or window, use a ladder to check for bed bugs
Step 5. Check the folds of the curtain fabric
Bed bugs tend to like to be at the bottom of curtains, but they can crawl up too. Open the curtains so that all the folds are visible to look for bed bugs that may be hiding there.
Don't forget to check the area behind the curtain. Bed bugs may hide behind curtains where they come into contact with the baseboard
Method 3 of 3: Checking for Unusual Areas
Step 1. Check the area under the table and the table next to the bed
Empty the drawer and remove it from the table. Turn the drawer over, then check the underside near the joints. Next, crouch down and use a flashlight to illuminate the underside of the table or dresser.
If the table leg has holes, open the lid and inspect the inside of the table leg
Step 2. Check for hiding places for bed bugs in electrical appliances
If there are a lot of bed bugs infesting the room, these insects may live in various crevices in electrical appliances. Remove the outlet cover and inspect the back. Also check the area near lights, computer cables, and wall lamps.
Bed bugs can move to other rooms through the wall outlet. If you find bed bugs in one of the outlets, you should check other rooms in your home or hotel
Step 3. Check the area under any lights, toys, or clocks in the room
While bed bugs usually prefer to hide in places where people have rested for long periods of time, they can also hide around objects in your room. Check under lamps, laptops, clocks, toys, sofa cushions, and pillows.
Tip:
Also check pet bedding. Bed bugs don't stick to pets, but they can hide in soft pet beds.
Step 4. Lift the carpet to look for bed bugs underneath
Move the furniture to the edge of the room so you can roll up the rug. Look for signs of bed bugs under carpet and floors.
If there is a hardwood floor under the carpet, look for bed bugs in the small crevices between the floorboards
Step 5. Open the loose wallpaper and check the area behind it
Gently pull the loose wallpaper or paint off the wall and check for bed bugs. Also remove the mirror or photo frame and check the back. Bed bugs can hide in the joints of mirrors and photo frames.
Check for cracks in plaster or walls as bed bugs can also hide in them
Step 6. Check the pile of clothes
Look at piles of clothes in the closet or laundry and look for signs of bed bugs. If you suspect a severe infestation of bedbugs, place a sheet of white cloth on the floor. Next, remove the clothes from the closet or basket and shake them over the white cloth. Check the cloth for bed bugs, feces, or eggs.
Look more closely at the seams of thick clothing (eg coats) and under collars
Tips
- When staying at a hotel, ask the staff to check the room before you bring your belongings into it. If this is not possible, take the bag to the bathroom before you check the room.
- Always check for bed bugs on used fabrics, clothes, and furniture before you buy and take them home.
- Bed bugs don't stick to humans. If you have fleas attached to your body, they may be fleas.
