In this article, we will answer the question: Do Bed bugs like messy beds?
Have you ever wondered what lurks in the corners of your messy bed? Well, one unwelcome guest that could be hiding in plain sight is the notorious bed bug. These tiny, blood-sucking insects have become a growing concern for many homeowners, especially those with cluttered or untidy sleeping spaces.
There are two kinds of individuals in society: The ones doing their beds every morning, and the ones who don’t. If you belong to the latter group, it is totally fine.
In this article, we’ll explore the connection between messy beds and bed bug infestations, shedding light on why keeping a clean and organized sleeping area is crucial for your well-being. So, let’s dive into the world of bed bugs and discover how a messy bed can inadvertently invite these pests into your home.
How to recognize Bed bugs?
Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye (size of an apple seed) and are usually brown. They don’t jump or fly. Those parasites feed on blood and can survive several months without feeding. They can bite you many times a night to feed, causing sometimes itching and sleep anxiety. Their development is rapid and it is therefore important to intervene as quickly as possible in the event of an appearance, in order to avoid the extent of the infestation as much as possible.
How to recognize them in a room?
Concentrations of their droppings – small black dots – can be observed on mattresses, slats or slots in the bed base, bed wood, baseboards, corners of the walls
How to recognize them on your skin:
The bites look like mosquito bites and occur mostly at night when bed bugs are active. These bites are usually found together on the skin and generally found on the unclothed parts of the body. Which could be the hand, the arms or the feet or legs.
How to avoid having Bed bugs?
The greater the infestation, the more bed bugs move to other rooms in the dwelling or residence and to other dwellings. They can get in anywhere, even the cleanest homes and hotels. Mobility (movements and journeys) and human activities characterized by a high concentration of people who are immobile or at rest (educational establishments, particularly nurseries and nursery schools, performance halls, cinemas, means of public transport) are conducive to the transmission and the spread of those parasites. One fact you should know is that they don’t like high or low temperatures.
In your Home:
- Reduce clutter as much as you can to reduce hiding spots
- After purchase of clothes (especially second-hand ones) Wash and dry them in high heat mode.
- Steam on high heat new second hand furniture that you are bringing into your home.
In Hotels, when you are traveling:
- Do not place your suitcase or your personal items directly on the floor or on the bedding area. Store it in a spot that is not easily accessible to bed bugs or where they usually do not nest like the bathroom.
- Before setting your belonging in the hotel room: Best is to do a thorough inspection for bed bugs. With particular attention to the mattress and box spring as well as furniture.
Returning from a trip:
- Take out clothes and examine personal effects;
- Wash clothes and washable items in a high heat washing cycle. Remember that heat is deadly to them. If possible, put the non-washable items in the dryer in high heat mode.
- Vacuum inside and outside your suitcase and seal the vacuum before trashing it outside
How to get rid of Bed bugs?
Start with the areas where bed bugs like to hide, which is the bedding area and nearby furniture. Then wash and dry at over 140°F / 60°C, for bed sheets and clothes (Remember Heat is deadly to them). Move the laundry from one room to another in a closed bag to avoid bed bugs infesting other areas of your home.
You can also put in the freezer laundry or items at -4°F /-20°C, For a minimum period of 3 days.
Vacuums the box spring, mattress and adjacent areas. Do it with as much vacuuming pressure as you can and with a fine nozzle to get to the cracks and crevices. Due to the fact that this is the spot where they like to hide and nest. Always trash the vacuum bag outside in a sealed plastic bag. If you have a canister vacuum you can wash the canister bag with soapy water or a detergent.
They are becoming more and more resistant to traditional insecticides. And Those can have in some cases significant risks to the environment and human health when used without precaution
Does not making your bed prevent Bed bugs?
Making your bed will not prevent you from getting bed bugs when you are sleeping in hotels.
In most of the cases you will get Bed bugs when you leave your belongings in an infested place and there is a high risk of contamination. On a sofa for example, or right next to a bed, or even under a bed. They move to find a new host so they can end up in your belongings. To avoid having those pests in your belongings, best is to inspect your hotel room before settling your belongings in it and washing your clothes on high heat mode when coming back from your trip.
Do Bed bugs like Messy Beds?
Not making your bed will not solve your bed bug problem. Having a tidy bed has little to no relevance in a bed bug infestation. What these parasites look for is warmth and carbon dioxide that humans emit when asleep. What they want is to nest close to their food source so that they will not have to travel far to feed during the night. Making your bed will not decrease the number of bugs in your home as well. So, they do not particularly like messy beds.
Do Bed bugs like Clean Beds?
Those parasites do not have a preference for clean bedding. What they like is to have humans sleeping in them. They usually hide in cracks and crevices close to the human host. They will locate humans using warmth and CO2 emitted not by the level of dirtiness.
It is important to know that those bloodsuckers are not a sign of poor hygiene and messiness. They can infest any home, regardless of the cleanliness. Even expensive hotels experience from time to time a bed bug infestation.
Does Clutter cause Bed bugs?
Clutter is not the reason why you brought bed bugs in your home. However, if you have a lot of clutter in your room, it will create a lot of space for them to hide. It will also be more difficult to detect them if you have a lot of clutter in a room. As a result, if you are experiencing an infestation, it is usually recommended to declutter your room and to leave your belongings in a sealed plastic bag for about a year. As it is the time that bed bugs can survive without having blood meals.
Do Bed bug infestations come from Dirt?
There is one popular belief that bed bugs come because of dirt and messiness. This is not true. What they want is blood from humans and pets and they care very little for dirt, messy beds and rooms. You can indeed find them in luxurious and expensive hotels. However, a messy room will usually have a lot of clutter. Which will create a lot of hiding spots for those bloodsuckers. So, if you are dealing with an infestation, the best would be to reduce clutter.
Do bed bugs like a Clean House?
They are primarily drawn to the warmth and carbon dioxide that humans emit, which signals the presence of a potential food source.
Where do Bed Bugs hide?
They are extremely resilient and can live for days without feeding. These insects can live in any environment. Bed pirates like hard-to-reach and dark spaces. They hate exposure to daylight. We can then find them:
- Under the bed sheets
- Bed mattresses
- Upholstery (mainly under rugs), woodwork
- The cracks in the wall
- The living room (especially the sofas)
Bed bugs like to also hide in wooden furniture. If you want to know more about this topic you can check our article about Bed Bugs and Wooden furniture.
Which Surfaces do Bed bugs not like?
They do not have a preference for some kind of surface. What they want is to live not too far from their human host. However, there are some smooth surfaces that they are unable to climb on, such as plastic or metal. They also are not able to live in a liquid environment. So, there is no chance that they invade your swimming pools for instance. Or few chances that they will settle in your bathroom. Also, they do not like extreme temperatures. They will not live on any surface which is either extremely cold or hot. You will never see bed bugs in a functioning freezer for example.
Conclusion
In this article we answered the question: Do Bed bugs like messy beds? The answer is No. They do not care about this aspect and do not decide to settle in a home because it is messy and dirty.
The reason why you could get bed bugs is lack of knowledge and random bug hitchhiking into second hand clothes or furniture for example. One of the most effective ways to reduce the likelihood of those parasites is to encase your mattress with a bed bug cover. This makes it impossible for them to climb onto the bed and for them to feed on the sleeping human in the bedding area. If you want to know the best bed bugs mattress cover on the market, you can have a look at our Best Bed bugs Mattress Cover Buying Guide