False 1 English 26 Home Safety 4/27/2013 12:50:10 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/tools_icons/preventbedbugsquicktips.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/prevent-bed-bugs-quick-tips http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/safety/prevent-mosquito-and-tick-bites topic http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/parenting/safety/prevent-allergy-and-asthma-attacks-at-home topic http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/bedbugs/html/home/home.shtml http://www.epa.gov/bedbugs <p>It can be hard to get rid of bed bugs once they are in your home. Follow these simple steps to help prevent them.</p><h2>Learn the basics about bed bugs.</h2><ul><li>Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown bugs that bite people to eat blood. They can grow up to the size of an apple seed.</li><li>Bed bugs travel from place to place in luggage, clothes, boxes, and used furniture. They can also move between apartments through small&nbsp;cracks.</li><li>Bed bugs only come out at night. But leaving the light on won&rsquo;t stop them from biting.</li><li>Bites from bed bugs can cause large, itchy bumps on some people. Other people don&rsquo;t have any reaction at all.</li><li>Bed bugs can live for a long time without feeding.</li><li>Notify your landlord or a pest control company as soon as you find bed bugs in your home.</li></ul><h2>Use a flashlight to check for bed bugs.</h2><ul><li>Check for bed bugs hiding in the mattress, box spring, and bed frame. Be sure to look under and along the seams (edges) of the mattress.</li><li>Look for small, reddish spots on the mattress. These spots could be a sign of bed bugs.</li><li>Search other furniture near the bed, like night stands.</li></ul><h2>Check for bed bugs when you travel.</h2><ul><li>Put your luggage on a luggage rack (away from the wall) or in a dry bathtub. Don&rsquo;t put it on the bed.</li><li>Follow the steps above to check for bugs where you are staying.</li><li>If you see signs of bed bugs, call the hotel desk or tell your host right away.</li></ul><h2>Take extra care with your luggage when you get home from a trip.</h2><ul><li>Keep your travel clothes separate from other laundry. Wash them in warm water right away.</li><li>Vacuum your luggage to get rid of any bed bugs that may have hitched a ride. Take the vacuum outside to&nbsp;empty the contents into a tightly sealed plastic bag. Throw the bag away in an outside garbage bin.</li></ul><h2>Act right away if you see a bed bug in your home.</h2><ul><li>Call a pest control company to check your home.</li><li>Use clear tape to attach the bug to a white piece of paper. Show it to a pest control expert to make sure it&rsquo;s a bed&nbsp;bug.</li><li>Don&rsquo;t try to get rid of the bugs yourself. You could make the problem worse by spreading the bugs to other rooms in your&nbsp;home.</li></ul> <script type='text/javascript'>var healthfinder_search_api_domain='http://healthfinder.gov'; var healthfinder_search_api_key='demo_analytic_key'; var healthfinder_search_api_q = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_lang = 'en'; var healthfinder_search_api_type = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_topics = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_tools = '26'; var healthfinder_search_api_categories = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_return_type = 'xml'; </script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://healthfinder.gov/Scripts/hf_search_api_analytics.js'></script> http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov <script type='text/javascript'>var healthfinder_search_api_domain='http://healthfinder.gov'; var healthfinder_search_api_key='demo_analytic_key'; var healthfinder_search_api_q = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_lang = 'en'; var healthfinder_search_api_type = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_topics = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_tools = '26'; var healthfinder_search_api_categories = ''; var healthfinder_search_api_return_type = 'xml'; </script><script type='text/javascript' src='http://healthfinder.gov/Scripts/hf_search_api_analytics.js'></script>