Just the idea of bed bugs can make your skin crawl. Typically, people think of getting bed bugs by staying in a hotel that is somewhat shady, but you can get infected anywhere, including your own bed. These pesky critters can be hard to spot because they are small and usually only come out at night. The odds of just catching one or two sneaking around is slim. They like to hide themselves in deep crevices and lay eggs in the seams of fabric. They can then easily come out at night to feed on your blood as you sleep.
Bedbugs in your dorm?
As if the thought of snuggling up with these parasites is not enough, they leave behind the annoyance of their bites. The bite of a bed bug often causes cimicosis, a condition of the skin whose severity is going to differ from person to person. The allergic reaction that can accompany bed bug bites results in swelling and bumps or welts that are red with irritation. They can usually be found in a clusters and cause severe itching. Often they can be mistaken for the bites of mosquitoes, but bed bug bites are have a more intense itch and last much longer. It is estimated that up to 50 percent of those who encounter them have severe reactions.
So how do you know if your dorm room is infested with bed bugs? Besides the bites that will surely reveal themselves, there will also be other signs. An area that is heavily infested with smell of coriander. The bugs will also leave a brownish red stain behind. This is a combination of feces, shed shells, and discarded blood. Simply washing your bedding will not solve the problem either. Even though it is thought to be otherwise, bed bugs are not partial to dirty or clean environments.
If you suspect your dorm room has bed bugs you want to inform you resident advisor right away. They will need to call an exterminator to stop the spread to other rooms, if possible. An infestation can spread quickly in close quarters. Beside an exterminator there are some steps you can do to help the situation:
- Use a vacuum with a lot of power on your entire room. Not just the bed and floors but all furnishings. Do be very thorough by taking apart the bed frames and all furniture to get all the hiding spots.
- Keep all furniture away from walls and tuck bedding in tightly so it does not touch the ground.
- Place cups of water with soap or minerals in it around all bed legs to prevent bugs from climbing them.
- Wash everything possible in hot water and dry making sure it reaches at least 120 degrees.
More posts like this one in Getting Rid of Bedbugs.
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