November 14, 2023

Don’t want to “bring home” bed bugs? Just follow Dyson’s 6 expert tips for cleaning your home to prevent bed bug infestations!

by Ava Chan

Recently, bed bugs have been rampant, spreading from Europe, France to Asia. Bed bugs can be transmitted from one place to another through clothing or luggage, and hotels or public transportation are also popular transmission points. Carelessness can easily bring bed bugs “back home”!

If you find yourself in a place infested with bed bugs during your trip, try to avoid placing your luggage on the floor and do not immediately put your luggage on the bed when you return home. When not in use, your suitcase should be stored in the attic, away from soft furniture and clothing. If you are concerned about bed bugs getting on your clothes, you can leave your clothes on the floor of the hotel room or put them in sealed plastic bags. When dealing with a bed bug infestation, the preferred solution is usually chemical fumigation or non-chemical heat treatment. Before washing bedding at high temperatures, any potentially contaminated fabrics, including clothes and other bedding, should be sealed in plastic bags.

Bed bug bites usually disappear within one to two weeks, but individuals who have severe allergic reactions to the bites may need to be hospitalized for treatment. Therefore, bed bug sensitivities can vary in severity. In addition to being extra cautious during travel, it is also important not to neglect regular household cleaning! Take a look at Dyson’s Chief Microbiologist, Dennis Mathews, 6 tips to prevent bed bugs from invading your home!

Regularly wash bed sheets.

Change and wash your sheets weekly or every two weeks to kill bed bugs. The best practice is to wash pillows, sheets, and blankets with water between 60 degrees Celsius and 90.56 degrees Celsius.

2. Clean the mattress with a vacuum cleaner.

Powerful vacuum cleaners can capture bed bugs, mites, dander, and other allergens, while the vacuum cleaner needs to use a fully sealed filtration system to ensure that the bed bugs, dust, and dirt inhaled are trapped in the dust collector, avoiding secondary pollution in the home.

3. Focus on hard-to-reach areas

Bed bugs hide in dark corners and may gather in the seams or folds of the mattress, while dust mites thrive in dark, warm, and humid places with a lot of dead skin cells for them to feast on. Therefore, it is important not to overlook cleaning the home.

Regularly flip the mattress.

Regularly flip the mattress and clean both sides. Flip the mattress every 6 months to maintain its elasticity and cleanliness, and use a mattress protector to absorb sweat and dirt.

5. Preventive measures

Bed bugs spread quickly, and immediate action should be taken during the early stages of infestation. You can carefully observe the bed for blood stains, bed bug carcasses, or small brown fragments (bed bug feces). The presence of a sweet or musty smell may also be a sign of infection.

6. Keep your home clean and tidy.

Clear the clutter around the bedroom to reduce the chances of bed bugs hiding, while keeping the area around the bed and under the bed clean, and regularly vacuuming and cleaning the home.