Signs of Bedbugs in the Home

1. Dark spots on sheets

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Small dark spots on sheets are a common sign of bed bugs in the home. These dots are bed bug excrement and may bleed on the fabric like a marker would. As soon as you spot them, you’ll need to start tackling a possible infestation straight away – the longer you leave it, the more widespread the infestation becomes.

2. Red spots on sheets

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Have you got unexplained marks on your bed sheets? If so, you might want to keep tabs on this. Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses can be caused by bed bugs being crushed, so examine these stains carefully. Seek advice from pest control if you need to.

3. Teeny tiny eggs

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Have you ever come across tiny white, yellowish eggs in your bed? If so, you need to leap into action straight away and call pest control. These are bedbug eggs, which are tiny (about 1mm) and have pale yellow skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger.

4. Weird dots in the seams, piping and tags of your mattress

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When they’re not feeding, bed bugs hide in a variety of places. Around the bed, they can typically be found hiding near the piping, seams and tags of your mattress, as well as the bed frame. They can also hide in cracks in a bed frame, so be sure to check all of these places carefully.

5. Small dots near electrical outlets

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This might not be the first place that you think of when it comes to bed bug hiding places, but a lot of them can lurk near electrical outlets in your home – including plug sockets. As bed bugs are only about the width of a credit card, they can squeeze into really tiny hiding places. If a crack will hold a credit card, it could hide a bed bug!

6. Blobs along your window frames

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If you end up having your window frame invaded like the one above, you’ll need to call pest control asap. While these bugs can sometimes end up being carpet beetles, they’re usually bed bugs, and they can be an absolute pain the get rid of over time.

7. Dots on your skirting boards

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Bed bugs get settled in the weirdest of places. If they find some tiny cracks in your home, like those in your skirting boards, they can end up breeding there if the issue isn’t dealt with. Look out for tiny black dots on your skirting boards – while some think this is a sign of mold, it could indicate that you’ve got a bed bug infestation going on.

8. White and black blobs on wood and cardboard

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Bed bugs are commonly associated with old homes, but it turns out that they love new builds too. Tons of construction workers have had to deal with bed bugs finding their way into wood and cardboard, which might require heat treatments or active traps. If it’s a severe infestation, repeated treatments might be required.

9. Small, itchy bites on your skin

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Are you finding unexplained itchy bites on your body? If so, you might have bed bugs. Keep tabs on whether you’re getting these bites during the night and where they’re appearing. Bed bugs usually go for arms or shoulders, and often leave clusters of bites rather than single bites here and there.

10. Small blood spots on sheets

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Some people don’t actually get bites or itching from bed bugs, but can notice tiny blood spots appearing on their bed sheets. This can happen after bed bugs have nibbled on you during the night. If you notice these signs, get in touch with a professional straight away.

11. A sweet, musty odor

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While a lot of bed bugs signs can be easily detected by eye, you might also notice a strange smell in your home. If you find that you can detect a sweet, musty odor, especially around your bed, you might need to call pest control asap. This is a classic sign of bed bug infestation.

12. White, oval eggs

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Bed bug eggs are pretty distinctive. They are white and oval, and are usually around the size of an apple seed. Keep an eye out for them in your bed and around the house in places like drawers and cupboards, as this seems to be where bed bugs like to lay their eggs.

13. Weird spots in the seams of cushions and chairs

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It’s not just beds that are favored by bed bugs – it’s cushions, chairs and couches too. They can be spotted in the seams or lining of your home furnishings, so it’s important to check these areas if you’re carrying out an extermination. Call pest control if you need any help.

14. Spots on your curtains

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The list of bed bug hiding places is pretty extensive. Not only can you find them in your cushions, but you can also find them in the folds of your curtains too. Be sure to wash your curtains thoroughly with hot water, and then put the curtains in the dryer. This should kill the bugs.

15. Shell casings

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Like many other insects, bed bugs have their skeletons on the outside of their body (also known as an exoskeleton). They shed this skeleton as the bug matures and outgrows it. This means they leave behind a ton of shell cases during the course of their lives, which you might be able to spot around your home.

16. Your house smells like wet or mouldy laundry

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If you have a severe infestation in your home, you’ll notice a strange smell, a bit like wet or moldy laundry. It’s important to get in touch with pest control asap, as you’ll need expert help to get rid of the bed bugs that have multiplied in your home (especially because they can live for months without feeding!).

17. Live bed bugs

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The most obvious sign in your home is, well, actual live bed bugs. They are flat, oval-shaped insects that are reddish-brown with a large abdomen, six legs and a short antennae. Bed bugs are sometimes mistaken for baby cockroaches and spider beetles, so if you have concerns, seek the help of a professional.

18. Dots on your door frames

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Have you noticed any weird spots or dots on your door frames? If so, it might be a sign of bad bed bug infestation. Bed bugs really like hiding in the small cracks around door frames, and tend to seek higher shelter when there are already other bed bugs lurking in your bed or mattress.

19. Strange stains on your rug

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Bed bugs also like to hide in rugs, which is an area that exterminators will thoroughly inspect if they’re dealing with an infestation. They will use a range of insecticides that are designed to kill the bugs on contact and get rid of those that are lurking in your home furnishings.

20. Spots on your bookshelves

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The list of bed bug hiding places is endless. They love lurking in the corners of bookshelves, and can even move inside books and newspapers. Anywhere that helps them get closer to humans! To inspect your books for bed bugs, lay the book against a white sheet or bathtub and check for black spots on the fore-edge. Keep a vacuum nearby for bed bugs that try to escape and plastic bags handy for infested books.

21. Splodges on your electronic devices

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Yep – bed bugs can even get into your electronic devices. These pests like to make a home inside devices like laptops and phones, which means they can be inches away from you at any given time. A magnifying glass can help you inspect for bed bugs, but any DIY removal solutions could put your electronics at risk. Speak to a professional who will remove them for you.

22. Dots on your shoes

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Many of us will have shoes that we rarely wear - whether they’re for special occasions or different seasons. These shoes are perfect for bed bugs, as they won’t often get disturbed. They can hide under soles and between fabrics, as well as in zippers and under laces. If you find bugs in your shoes, put them in a plastic bag or container straight away.

23. Spots on your luggage

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If you had to deal with bed bugs while staying in a hotel or other accommodation, it’s really important to disinfect all your luggage. They will try and find a new home in or on your suitcase, and can be spotted in the crevices of seams and zippers. Wash all your clothes and items thoroughly with hot water to kill them.

24. Spots and dots in screw holes

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If you’re worried about a possible bed bug infestation, make sure you inspect the screw holes on your furniture. This a super common hiding spot for bed bugs. You’ll be able to notice little bumps, spots and dots, which will be the bugs, casings and eggs. Ring pest control asap, as the furniture will need to be disinfected.

25. Dots on your walls

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Bed bug infestations can get out of hand real quickly. So if you spot black dots on your wall behind things like furniture and posters, chances are, you’re going to need to whole house disinfected to be on the safe side. Speak to a professional who will be able to advise.

26. You're getting itchy areas on your skin

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While itchy areas on your skin might be flaring up for a number of reasons, it’s important not to rule out bed bugs. Some people can react pretty severely to bites, and end up with patches of inflamed, irritated skin. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you need help with calming your skin.

27. Your neighbors have bed bugs

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If you happen to clock some exterminators at your neighbor’s house, it’s time to go on high alert. If a house in close proximity to yours happens to have a bed bug infestation and you’re socializing with its inhabitants, you could end up carrying these bugs back to your own home.

28. Used or second hand furniture smells funny

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If you’ve got second-hand furniture in your home and it starts to smell at little musty, be sure to inspect it for bed bugs. They might be lurking in the seams and zippers, as well as under cushions. One of the most common ways bed bugs are introduced to a home is through used and discarded furniture, so it’s something to bear in mind in the future.

29. Dark spots on cardboard

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Bed bugs can get just about everywhere. If you happen to have cardboard boxes in and around the house, be sure to inspect them on a regular basis, as bed bugs absolutely love them. They can gather in huge numbers in the creases and folds of cardboard boxes, so be sure to notify your exterminator.

30. You notice dark blobs on your carpet

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Once a few bed bugs get into your home, they can run rampant. Those who had experienced infestations have even found bugs in and around their carpet, and in some cases, there have been thousands living under

the carpet too. If you notice dark spots appearing in this area, call an exterminator straight away.

31. The best ways to keep your bedroom pest free! Don't open your windows too much

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We all know that the perfect bedroom is going to be one where you don't have to worry about pests, and while bedbugs are the most obvious contenders for why you don't want to sleep in your bed anymore, there are also plenty of other pests that can get into your sacred space, as we know. It's therefore a good idea to make your bedroom prepared to fend off pests as much as possible! Make it so nice they don't even want to be there. A lot of pests will get into your room through the window, especially during hot weather. Get fresh air when you can, but don't leave your window open all day every day. Use a fan to cool down the room instead, while keeping your window closed.

32. Consider blinds rather than thick curtains

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Depending on your taste, and if you're easy either way, then blinds could be a much better option than very thick curtains. Blinds which fit into the inside of the window space (right against the glass rather than hanging on the outer edge of the window) will be perfect for keeping your window sill, and the surrounding window area, free of pests. If you have very thick drapey curtains, and especially those which trail down on the floor, these will only make it more likely to attract pests like moths, or to have creepy crawlies going up them from the wall or floor if they think it's a nice place to chill and hide!

33. Go for wooden floors rather than carpet

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Again, this depends on your aesthetic and whether you're okay with a wooden floor instead of carpet between your toes, but if you don't mind either way, then a light colored wood will be a great choice. This will enable you to more easily sweep and keep it clean, as well as more easily being able to see anything that's pitter-pattering across it if it's a lighter wood color. You're also giving pests less of a place to hide if you don't have thick hide carpet that they might burrow into! With wooden floors, you can more easily check for any abnormalities, too, like drooping wood or holes.

34. Or, make sure you're doing carpet cleaning regularly

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Of course, some people just love carpet too much - especially in the bedroom when it's so warm and cozy. Who doesn't want that between their bare toes when they step out of bed first thing in the morning? So if you do want carpet in the bedroom, the best thing you can do is make sure you're keeping on top of vacuuming so that you can make sure there's nothing making a home for itself, as well as regular cleaning to keep on top of things. If you do want carpet, you might also went to consider a very low shag pile because then it's more flat and easier to maintain rather than a very fluffy one that can easily catch things in the pile.

35. Keep the space underneath your bed free of any storage

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We know that the space under the bed can be a savior when it comes to extra storage space, and especially if your bedroom - or your whole home - is a little on the smaller side. It can be a great spot for suitcases, for clothes bags, for boxes or anything else you just don't want to look at right now. Even Christmas decorations if you don't have an attic! The problem with keeping the space under your bed chock full of items is that it more easily attracts dirt, dust and pets - and because everything is in the way, you're never going to be able to properly clean the floor underneath. Certain pests love having places to hide, which means anything under your bed is going to be fair game!

36. Store your clothes the proper way

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If you want to protect your clothes from pest damage like from moths, then make sure you have proper clothes storage in your bedroom, too. Moths can very easily get onto fabric and make a home for themselves, so you'll want to make sure you're wearing and washing your clothes in a regular rotation instead of having shirts hanging there for months on end. With things like winter clothes and jumpers that you're not going to be wearing for a while, pack them away into an airtight box so that they're nicely stored and not left out exposed. Keep everything tidy and don't leave clothes lying all over the floor.

37. Consider getting insect nets or hangings around your bed

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Sometimes, no matter what you do, you just can't help pests from getting into the room. If you live in a hot place where insects are common, they're going to find their way in through open windows, doors and whatever else. If you don't want to have to worry about that when you're lying in bed, then you might want a net canopy around your bed - like a mosquito net - that can encase you and your bed and keep the pets out. If you don't want a full canopy that surrounds your bed, you could hang one flat above the bed, or anywhere else you think pests are easily getting in. If you get a light-colored one or transparent one, it won't interfere with your decor!

38. Or consider getting it around your window!

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If you don't want any large sheets of netting actually hanging across your room, or across the bed, then you might just want to get a net right across your window. That way, you can open your window and keep it open for as long as you want, and any insects or pets won't have a hope of traveling further than the windowsill! Always make sure you secure netting properly around your window frame, because even the tiniest gap could see them getting through! On top of them, make sure to get a netting that's quite thin and light because you don't want to compromise the amount of lovely natural light coming in through your windows!

39. Keep on top of the room cleaning schedule

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The bedroom can easily get neglected when it comes to your weekly cleaning schedule, because oftentimes it doesn't feel like the most important room to clean in comparison to your kitchen, bathroom and living room. You might purposefully leave it until last and then think you can't be bothered after you've already deep cleaned the kitchen for hours! But giving your bedroom a regular clean is important for getting rid of dust, dirt and anything else (especially floor cleaning) so that you can not only avoid pests, but also more likely notice any signs of pests while you're cleaning!

40. Try to keep your bed away from the wall

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This isn't always easy depending on your room shape, but if you can, it's always worth having your bed sticking out into the center of the room, with only the headboard against the wall. This can leave your bed aired out in the open, and leave it open on either side so that you're not risking pests finding their way onto it from the wall or anything else your bed might be touching. If you have your bed pushed against the wall fully on one side, it can also make it more of a nice home for pests that like to make a dark home for themselves.

41. Change your sheets regularly

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Keeping on top of your sheet changing and washing is essential for good health and hygiene. A lot of people either don't realize how regularly you should be changing your sheets, or decide to ignore the responsibility for a bit (we know, it's a slog) because the sheets appear all nice and clean on the surface. But unwashed bedsheets can attract bed bugs as we know, and there's a lot of dirt and dead skin build up you won't be able to see. You should aim to change your sheets once a week on average, but more regularly if you suffer from severe night sweats or anything else that will make your bed a little dirtier!

42. Clean your mattress topper regularly

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Most people have some form of mattress topper these days to make their bed more comfortable, whether that's a thin, light-weight one or a full memory foam topper. If you have a topper that can be put in the washing machine, then make sure to wash that as often as your sheets (just make sure it will fit in your machine as they can get heavy when weight and it might be too heavy for your drum!). If you have anything that won't fit in the machine, or a foam topper, than you can manually clean by vacuuming it while it's on the bed, and also running a damp cloth and cleaning it by hand!

43. And don't forget to clean your mattress, too!

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The mattress itself is something a lot of people won't even think about washing - because how on earth are you supposed to wash a whole mattress? You might think because you're putting sheets over the top of it all the time that the mattress itself is fine the way it is, but it's always worth giving your mattress a regular once over, too, to prevent pests. The best way to do this is to use the hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner to go over your mattress and get into the nooks and crannies. You also might want to flip or turn your mattress regularly, too.

44. Replace your mattress when it needs it

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Replacing your mattress is also very important for keeping it both clean and in shape. Most mattress will last several years before needing to be replaced, but it all depends on the mattress you have and how often you've been using it (every night, presumably, but some people might be away from home a lot and sleep away for work majority of the year!). Replacing your mattress will ensure that whatever the mattress you have on the bed will be in tip top condition and won't be risking holes or broken springs that might cause holes, and then be a place for pests to get it.

45. Go for lighter-colored bedsheets

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This might be a difficult one if you're a fan of dark decor, so if you want dark sheets, that's okay too! A good solution might be to have a dark-colored or patterned throw or comforter on top if you want the darker vibe, which light or white sheets underneath. The lighter you have all your bedsheets, the more likely you will be able to see if there's an issue, like spotting marks, dirt, grease or other signs of bedbugs and pests. This can all be very difficult to spot if you have dark colored sheets like black. At the very least, having the base fitted sheet white can help!

46. Go minimal if you can

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The maximalist decor hoarders and lovers of dark colors are probably turning red with supressed rage at all these suggestions, but bear with us! If you don't mind either way how much furniture you have, going minimalist - or just cutting down on the amount of furniture items in your bedroom - can really help. Not only will pests have less places to hide or make a home, it will also mean less wooden furniture to damage! It'll also make it much easier for you to keep on top of cleaning, therefore keeping pests at bay. If you need to stay maximalist, just make sure a regular clean is on the cards!

47. Use room sprays or essential oils

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There are certain smells and essential oils that certain pests don't like. You can deter them from your room altogether by spraying these smells either in your room, or actually manually onto your furniture. You might also want an essential oil diffuser in your bedroom to pump out the smell itself regularly! For instance, spiders don't like peppermint oil or lavender, amongst others. Be sure to do your research into the scents you can use for your specific pests. But if you have pets in your home, make sure to check whether they're safe for pets first!

48. Don't leave lights on in your bedroom

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We know lamps and lights are great for the perfect bedroom ambience, but they also attracts insects and pets! If you're not in the room, and you're leaving a bedroom lamp on with the door wide open - or, worse, the window wide open - then you're pretty much guaranteeing there's going to be something in there right for when you want to go to sleep. Moths will always go into the room or through the window to chase the light, so you're best keeping your light game to a minimum if you have doors or windows open!

49. Don't eat in bed!

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Breakfast in bed might sound romantic - or even those days when you just can't be bothered getting up and set yourself up with a laptop and some snacks - but eating in bed is only increasing the risk of dropping bits of food or crumbs! Even if you think you've been the tidiest eater in the world, there could be one tiny crumb that's landed between your sheets that you haven't seen, or even a piece of food that drops from the bed onto the floor under it. Even the smallest crumb can then attract pests like ants or anything else attracted to what you've had for breakfast.

50. Make sure to always wash second-hand clothing or furniture ASAP

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One of the most common ways moths can get into your home is actually through clothes or furniture that you've brought in from elsewhere. Even if you can't see a moth attached, it could very well have eggs or larvae attached to the fabric. This is why it's so important to wash second-hand clothing the moment you get it, before you wear it for the first time or before you put it into your wardrobe. This also counts for second-hand fabric furniture, which could also have the moths, eggs or larvae on the material of it. It's much harder to wash furniture of course but do what you can to thoroughly clean the fabric, ideally before you actually bring it in the house!