Do you see stains on the mattress, bedspread and pillows? These are caused by bed bugs. To be more precise: these are the bloodstains and feces left by these parasites that feed on you at night. Does that sound pretty worrying to you? Well, don't worry. Getting rid of them is not difficult.
Steps
Step 1. Get rid of bedbugs
If you want to get rid of the spots left by these pests, there is no point in continuing unless you address the source of the problem first. You must first manage the infestation problem. Read this article if you want to know how to get rid of bed bugs.
Step 2. Blot the stains with cold water immediately after you notice them
The blood and fecal stains of bedbugs have one thing in common: they are all of organic origin. Cold water allows you to moisten the stains, preventing them from being absorbed into the fabric. The hot water instead fixes them. Don't use it.
Step 3. Take 3-5% hydrogen peroxide and dab the stains
Hydrogen peroxide reacts with cell matter (some proteins and lipids in damaged cells) left on the bed. This product helps you to lift stains from mattress, sheets, pillow cases and comforters. It also works on walls, floors and carpets.
Step 4. Use a dry cleaning cloth to wipe stains off the dry mattress
The mattress usually cannot be washed as you wash your bedding and sheets. Then use the dry cleaning cloth (better yet, a microfiber cloth) to extract the moisture (and the blood and fecal matter of the bedbugs) from the mattress fabric.
Step 5. Put the pillow cases and sheets in the washing machine:
just do a cold cycle. Again, you don't have to let the stains get into the fabric. Let your common laundry detergent do the work for you. A good 30-minute wash cycle should be enough to get rid of bed bug stains.
Step 6. Dry at moderate temperature
Although this may seem obvious, remember to dry the mattress with a hairdryer, in case you have particularly soaked it with water with all these cleaning operations. Do not overdo it. If the stains don't go away with cold water and hydrogen peroxide, you will probably never be able to get rid of them completely. We might as well let them absorb into the fabric rather than risk the formation of mold by excessively wetting the mattress.
Advice
- Always keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide on hand. It is the ideal product against stains and is completely natural.
- Thoroughly clean the rest of the house once you are sure the bed bugs are dead.
- Keep heat sources away from stains until you have done everything to try to remove them from the fabric.
- Call a reputable, trained, and licensed exterminator to get rid of bed bugs if you think you won't be able to do it yourself.
