Here's How Bed Bugs Snuck Into Your Home (& What To Do About It)

The winter season means many will be spending more time indoors, so it's a perfect time to check for bed bugs. These pests have been documented as far back as ancient Greek contemporaries of Aristotle, and can be found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and increasingly in Australia. Most bed bugs sneak into your home as stowaways on travel items like luggage, via used furniture, or attached to pets such as birds, and while it is possible to treat an infestation with proper cleaning measures, it could take months to do so.

It's important to note that having bed bugs is not the result of a dirty home, nor are they necessarily attracted to mess; any home is vulnerable. Anyone could have a pest problem. While though there are no cases of the blood-suckers transmitting diseases between individuals, they are still a huge nuisance. Bed bugs primarily leave bite marks on their victims, which may not appear or be felt for several days (leading to itching and sleeplessness), but in rare cases, people may experience severe allergic reactions.

Ideal places to check for bed bugs are headboards, box springs, frames, mattresses, and adjacent dressers, though they tend to live anywhere within 8 feet of humans: also inspect couches, laundry rooms, and school bags. Frequent hiding places may have spots of dried black or brown blood, shed exoskeletons, and a distinctly sweet odor. Be sure to wear gloves during any kind of inspection.

Once bed bugs have been detected in your house, it's important to avoid traveling and contain their local spread by sealing small areas, removing or treating infected items (it may be necessary to seal them in plastic for a year), use protective furniture covers, and vacuum frequently while discarding bug-filled bags. To get rid of bed bugs, consider heat treatments like fabric steam cleaners for carpet and furniture, or set sealed objects in a 0 degree Fahrenheit freezer for three days. Pesticides should only be used with the aid of professionals, though many bed bugs are resistant thanks to efforts like widespread DDT usage during World War 2.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends continuing to inspect for bed bugs and potentially leave traps every seven days, though they can remain dormant without food for months — even in the face of winter's chill. One can never be too careful with an infestation as pervasive as bed bugs, so it's important to begin treating the issue as soon as you believe these pests may have snuck into your home.