A New York City woman who suffered from four different bed bug infestations has revealed her tried-and-true methods for getting rid of them.
The flat insects hide in materials such as mattresses and upholstery during the day before emerging at night and wreaking havoc on human skin, leaving itchy red spots.
Rebecca Fishbein, a New York resident who has been plagued by four separate bed bug outbreaks, advised people to throw clothes and bedding in the dryer to kill the bugs and call in a qualified exterminator to handle the takeout furniture .
Bed bugs don’t discriminate and are just as likely to attack the rich and famous in luxury European hotels as they are the middle- and low-income earners in New York apartments, making them all the more menacing.
Bedbugs are not disease vectors, but if you are bitten by a bedbug, it will leave itchy red spots on your skin, similar to poison ivy
The insects hide in mattress dust and crevices before emerging at night to bite their sleeping victims. The insects can also hide in clothes, furniture and even books
Bed bugs are not a new phenomenon. They lurk in hotels across the United States, including on the Las Vegas Strip, where the insects have been found in nine hotels.
They are also a common pest among residents of New York, where apartments are so close together that insects can easily migrate from one resident to another.
But when Parisian fashionistas snapped photos of the critters in hotels and on the subway during Fashion Week from September 25 to October 3, the story quickly gained traction and received input from the French government, which vowed to “Pest” the beetles to fight in bed.
Bedbugs are getting “worse” and pest control is “more intensive than ever”
Bed bug infestations in the UK are on the rise and pest control teams claim they are busier than ever, but insurers are unlikely to pay out if you are hit by the epidemic.
Emmanuel Grégoire, Deputy Mayor of Paris, said: ‘No one is safe.
“In the face of a bed bug infestation, coordinated action is required that brings together health authorities, communities and all relevant stakeholders to prevent the risk and act effectively.”
The United Kingdom is currently experiencing an outbreak, with Britons finding the insects on subway seats and homes.
Landlords there are now advising their tenants to “put their duvets in the freezer” and empty the vacuum cleaner.
Bed bugs are just as common in the United States as they are across the pond, especially in cities. They are most common in Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, DC, Chicago, Illinois, and New York City.
Rebecca Fishbein, a writer for Insider, shared her experiences with four different bed bug infestations in three different apartments in New York City.
She said: “They like to drive with used furniture and clothes.” High temperatures are the best way to kill live insects and eggs. So if you buy clothes at a thrift store, throw them in the dryer for 30 minutes to an hour when you get back.
“If you find upholstered or even wooden furniture on the street – yes, they can also get into these cracks – I recommend that you leave it there, no matter how nice they look in your living room.” (Metal furniture is a safer choice, although they are not immune.)
“Don’t even think about buying a used mattress.”
Bed bugs do not transmit disease and are not as dangerous as other insects, but they are annoying.
Their bites itch and can be painful. They can also take a long time to disappear.
British woman Natalie Brown, who was on a beach holiday in Spain, suffered bites all over her body after sleeping on the sofa in her hotel room. Even after she got home, the bites got worse and antibiotics were prescribed to heal her inflamed and itchy skin.
Natalie Brown (pictured), 28, was covered in bed bug bites after a three-day holiday in Benidorm, Spain
Her reaction to the bites was so bad that Mrs. Brown needed a course of antibiotics to heal her inflamed and itchy skin
Ms Brown said: “My bites were incredibly itchy, they hurt, I couldn’t show my legs and arm for about six months until the bites and scars disappeared.”
“My friends didn’t mind the bites too much when they were fresh, but over the next few weeks they got bigger and a lot of people were shocked at the amount of bites on me, especially the ones on my face.”
Their potential victims are unlikely to be able to see them if they hide in dark crevices during the day.
And because their saliva contains a mild anesthetic, their bites are only noticeable much later. Finding traces of fecal material on a mattress that look like little lines drawn with a marker is a good sign that it’s time to call an exterminator.
Ms Fishbein said: “You can even bring along a bug-sniffing dog to find out exactly where the live bugs are, which makes the experience a bit more fun.”
However, the treatment process can be difficult. This includes heating all clothes and linens in the dryer to kill the insects, taking apart furniture, vacuuming and lifting the mattress.
To prevent infections in the first place, people should invest in a mattress and box spring protection. And a portable heater called PackTite can heat shoes, bags, books and other items that can’t go in the dryer.
When staying at a hotel, insect experts recommend checking the bed for signs such as insect skeletons or droppings. And never put a suitcase on the floor. Instead, experts recommend placing it on a tiled floor or in the bathtub.
Ms Fishbein said: “Having bed bugs is stressful and expensive.” It can feel lonely and isolating. This can cause you to argue with the people you live with, whether they are roommates, partners or your entire family. But a bed bug infestation is just one of many battles.
“And remember, you can burn all your possessions and move at any time.”
Source link
Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
