Because of their itchy bites, bed bugs in pillows are a bothersome pest. When the infestation is severe, it might spread to other areas of the house in addition to infecting pillows and bedding.
Maintain frequent fabric washing and vacuuming in your home to avoid bedbug re-infestations.
Read this article as we mention the 4 steps to controlling bed bugs in pillows.
Step 1: What Do Bed Bugs In Pillows Look Like?
Bed bugs in pillows are little, brown, oval-shaped, bloodsucking insects that are between a quarter and a third of an inch long.
Following a blood meal, they enlarge, swell, and take on a more reddish hue. Bed bugs can be as small as an apple seed or as big as a pinhead.
Additionally, bed bugs emit a peculiar smell that is slightly sweet but musty.
Since bed bugs bite people while they sleep and hide when they wake up itching, people typically feel bed bugs before they ever see them.
Read also:Â How To Clean Used Furniture To Prevent Bed Bugs
Step 2: How To Inspect For Bed Bugs In Pillows
Bed bugs are not minuscule insects, but because of their propensity for hiding and working in the dark, it might be challenging to spot them.
Nonetheless, there are indicators that will make it very evident if bed bugs have taken over your bedroom. The following are the most noticeable signs that your pillows and bedding may have bed bugs:
Bed bugs, despite their name, are not limited to hiding in beds and pillows. Be sure to inspect every nook and cranny in the room because bed bugs can hide in any small area.
Examine the mattress first, looking under the tufts and folds. Check your mattress, pillows, blankets, and linen for any smears, drops, or blood stains.
Examine your bed frame for any joints or crevices where bed bugs could have hidden. Check the spaces between the bed and the frame, particularly the headboard, by lifting up any detachable slats.
Look under and inside chests and drawers, beneath chairs and other furniture, behind electrical plates, between drapes and along the curtain rod, along or under baseboards, and even around door frames.
You should also look behind picture frames. Check for movement in any other small areas, such as bookcases, that you believe a bed bug could enter.
Usually, bed bug activity is limited to a single room. You’re dealing with a serious infestation if they spread farther than that.
Step 3: How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs In Pillows
- Wash Your Pillow:
The first method is to give your bedsheets, pillows, and pillowcases a good cleaning. If pillows are infested with bed bugs, they should be simply cleaned and dried instead of being treated with pesticides.
Place the bedding in the washing machine after transferring it into a sizable plastic bag. Put them in your washing machine set to the maximum heat, and then run a high heat cycle in your dryer thereafter. Adult bed bugs will instantly perish as a result.
After washing all of the bedding, we advise keeping it in a plastic bag until your house and bed are properly cleaned, rather than placing it back on your bed.
- Apply Pyrid Aerosol:
Bed bugs can be found hiding in small spaces; thus, to get rid of them, use a flushing agent like Pyrid Aerosol. Bed bugs can be killed by the botanical insecticide pyrid immediately upon contact.
Place the red straw and actuator into the crack or fissure that has to be treated, then spray all the way along the straw’s length.
- Apply Flex 10-10:
Flex 10-10 is a harmless synthetic pyrethroid pesticide that may be sprayed on your bed and will quickly destroy bed bugs. One gallon of water should be mixed with 6.4 fluid ounces of Flex 10-10 to treat a severe bed bug infestation.
Use a portable pump sprayer for this. Apply the product solely to the mattress’s tufts, edges, seams, and folds rather than covering the entire surface.
- Apply D-Fense Dust:
To apply this product, a handheld duster is required. Just fill the duster halfway, then coat the application area completely with two or three puffs.
In areas where it’s not a good idea to put liquids, like behind the electrical outlet, D-Fense Dust will control and eliminate insects that try to get past its dry barrier.
Because of its moisture resistance, it is perfect for use in areas close to water heaters.
Read also:Â How To Make Bed Bugs Come Out Of Hiding
Step 4: How To Prevent Bed Bugs In Pillows
After getting rid of bed bugs from your house, you can prevent them from coming back by:
- Vacuuming your house frequently
- Using a steam cleaner to occasionally heat treat your home
- Washing and changing your sheets every two months
- Making sure you do not bring any bed bugs back with you when you travel.
Read also:Â How To Find Bed Bugs During the Day
Conclusion
If you check your pillow and nothing is there, you might assume that they have vanished. That isn’t the case, though.
Instead of simply going away, bed bugs conceal themselves. They frequently hide under your pillowcase or have relocated to your box spring or mattress.
One thing is for sure, wherever they may be: you need to implement a bed bug management program as soon as possible to prevent the population from becoming out of hand.
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