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Hiya! How are you? Oh, me? I’m good, I just can’t stop squirming in my seat at the thought of bedbugs taking over my home. No biggie.
According to pest control company Rentokil, there has been a 65% year-on-year increase in bedbug infestations in the UK. Cool, cool, cool.
While this is not the BEST scenario, according to experts, it makes sense in our current financial climate. The cost of living crisis: a gift that keeps giving!
Why is there a rise in bedbug infestations?
Well, according to Professor James Logan from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine, part of the reason that we’ve seen such an incredible rise is furniture recycling which has increased significantly due to the cost of living crisis. It’s not really anybody’s fault ― bedbugs can survive in cracks and crevices for MONTHS without food so spotting them can be really difficult and you don’t need many in your home to cause a problem.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the professor added that the uptick in travel, bringing us back to pre-pandemic levels of travel could also be the cause of the critters saying, “it’s very likely that there will be bedbugs on the move much more again and travelling in people’s suitcases.”
He added, “travellers can carry the critters in their clothing and luggage and when a mating pair sets up home in a bed, they can breed thousands of eggs within weeks.”
LOVELY.
How to get rid of bedbugs
So, no offence to our crawling bed-mates but getting them out of our homes is essential if we want to stay comfortable though they’re not actually harmful to your health unless you’re allergic.
According to the NHS, the best way to get rid of them is:
- wash affected bedding and clothing on a hot wash (60C) and tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes
- put affected clothing and bedding in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for 3 or 4 days
- clean and vacuum regularly – bedbugs are found in both clean and dirty places, but regular cleaning will help you spot them early
They also add that you should minimise clutter in the bedroom, carefully check all secondhand furniture and don’t bring luggage or clothes indoors until you’ve thoroughly checked it over.
Additionally, if you are bitten by a bedbug, keep the area clean and use an ice pack on it. If symptoms don’t clear up within a week, speak to your GP.
Brb, I’m off to look at pictures of kittens.
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