HOW TO HELP PREVENT & KILL BED BUGS

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The good news is thatbed bugshaven’t been shown to spread disease. But these tiny bloodsuckers can cause a lot of stress and leave your family with itchy bites. Find expert tips below from the entomologists at theSC Johnson^® Institute of Insect Science for Family Health to help protect your loved ones and get rid of bed bugs.

WHERE DO BED BUGS COME FROM?

Most bed bug infestations start by bugs hitching a ride into your home on luggage, furniture, clothing, or other items.

HOW TO FIND BED BUGS

The first step to helping eliminate bed bugs in your home is correctly identifying the problem. Unfortunately, bed bugs are notoriously hard to spot with the naked eye. That’s because they are very small, especially during the immature stages and often hide during the day, coming out at night to feed while you sleep. Find tips for how toidentify the signs of a bed bug infestation, even if you can’t see the actual bugs themselves.

TOP 10 BED BUG HIDING SPOTS

• Mattress and box spring seams
• Cracks in the headboard and bed frame
• Bedsheets
• Bed skirts
• Baseboards
• Picture frames
• Electrical outlets
• Behind loose wallpaper
• Luggage
• Upholstered furniture

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HOW TO HELP GET RID OF BED BUGS

Once you’ve correctly identified a bed bug infestation, it’s important to act fast. Help protect your family from these parasites by following a few bed bug treatment tips:

• Vacuum high-risk areas such as the mattresses, box springs, bed frames, furniture, drawers, and the floor near the bed to help remove many bed bug eggs, immatures, and adult bugs.

• Remove the vacuum bag immediately after use, dispose of the contents in a sealed plastic bag, and place the sealed bag outside your home.

• If you suspect an intruder, wash all clothing and bedding in hot water and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes to help kill bed bugs and their eggs.¹

• Use apest-control sprayorfogger product labeled to help kill bed bugs. Be sure to follow all instructions on the label.

ACT QUICK & BE PERSISTENT

If you spot bed bug bites or signs of these bugs, start treating the problem immediately before it gets out of control. Then continue to monitor infested areas for more signs of bed bug activity. If things get progressively worse after six to eight weeks, call a pest-control professional.

USE CAUTION WITH USED FURNITURE

Never pick up used furniture from the street or a garage sale without first inspecting it thoroughly and/or treating it for bed bugs. You never know what critters may be lurking on the cushions of that fluffy couch!

AVOIDING BED BUGS WHILE TRAVELING

Bed bugs are one souvenir you definitely don’t want to bring back from your trip! Get tips foravoiding bed bugs while traveling, including how to inspect your hotel for signs of bed bugs and ways to help make sure you don’t bring these bloodsucking pests back home with you.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE BED BUG BITES?²

Bed bug bites vs. Mosquito bites

About 30 percent of the population does not have any reaction to bed bug bites. Others experience swelling and itching. For those who do have a reaction, bed bug bites are red and firm with slight swelling around the bite, which is why they are often confused with mosquito bites. Bed bug bites can be found anywhere on the body and often appear in linear rows.