Updated article, published on April 18, 2021
We are beginning to know that they can hide in curtains, mattresses, box springs, wallpaper, sofas, armchairs or even on the floor. But what we know least is this bed bugs, those filthy bloodsucking beasts, it can also occupy our second-hand finds…
The used market, responsible for 10% of infestations
According to a study by the Ipsos institute for the BadBugs.fr disinfection platform published on March 16, 2021, theThe used market is responsible for about 10% of new bed bug infestationsfar behind are travel (44%), interactions with loved ones who are victims of these mini bedroom vampires (30%) and accommodation in already haunted places (20%).
This does not mean that we have to abandon second-hand clothes or rummage through Vinted, Le Bon Coin and company… But that the presence of bedbugs is to be taken into consideration if itching and unusual skin lesions are observed (similar to mosquito bites, three or four, sometimes in a row, rather on exposed parts of the body).
The more there is simple actions to implement to prevent, or even limit the damage, so as not to infest your whole habitat!
The washing reflex at 60°C or 72 hours in the freezer against bed bugs
When you bring home a piece of clothing, a bag or an accessory, just picked up by someone else (at a flea market, through a site like Vinted or a neighborhood thrift store), start with inspect it.
If an adult insect measures between 1 and 7 millimeters, the larvae are much smaller and therefore difficult to spot. But you may be able, thanks to your eagle eye, to see them. Also remember to shake your belongings well outside the house.
But the wisest thing is to do it wash the garment well, rather than wearing it directly — or worse, stash it away in your closet, because the grubs could very well be making java there! Burke!
If you have found a second hand part that can hold up 60°C wash or hot tumble dryit can kill bedbugs and larvae immediately.
If your second-hand treasure proves too delicate, placed on plan B: 72 hours in the freezer (in a clean bin bag or equivalent, just to keep it from mixing with the rest of your diet – while it may add a little crunch to your pack of peas, we don’t judge…)
Bed bugs can quickly make life miserable
No rocket science, you see, but those kinds of good reflexes can save you a lot of pain.
If bed bugs had almost disappeared from France since 1950, they have returned to our bedding and textiles since the 2000s. The Union Chamber of Rat Control, Pest Control and Disinfection has recorded between 2019 and 2020 a 76% increase in professional interventions related to bed bugs in France hexagonal, relief The Parisian. Between 2018 and 2019, interventions to eradicate the insect had already increased by 30%.
And since bedbugs can go months without feeding, we can fear a peak of infestations when certain places reopen, the new flow of people who move there causes the parasites to circulate… In addition to skin lesions, these invasive and difficult to eradicate creatures can lead to psychological damage, ranging from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is therefore a matter of vigilance, without becoming paranoid, and ofacquire the washing reflex at 60°C or freeze for second-hand acquisitions (Remember that even Harry Styles stores his clothes in a cold room!).
In case of persistent skin marks, the government offers the website stop-punaises.gouv.fr and has created a number explaining the right actions (0806.706.806), as well as the possibility of calling a pest control service.
Feature Image Credits: Becca McHaffie on Unsplash.
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
