Bed bugs are tiny little vampiric insects that can ruin your life. Their bloodsucking bite is one of the worst, which might leave you wondering what you have not been doing or what you did to deserve those little demons! Can you get bed bugs from not washing your sheets?
No, leaving your sheets on your bed too long won’t cause bed bugs to infest your bedroom. But the cleaner your room, the better.
This article will go deeper on this topic by looking at some factors to consider:
- Where do bed bugs come from?
- How to reduce bed bug infestation
- What attracts bed bugs?
How Do You Identify Bed Bugs?
It is important to know what bed bugs look like. These apple seed-sized creatures are reddish-brown, range from 1 to 7mm in size, and have an oval-shaped body. Depending on the last place they feed, they can also look flat or slightly plump.Â
Can You Get Bed Bugs from Not Washing Your Sheets?
Now that you know what these insects look like, it is essential to understand where they come from.
Many believe that bed bugs only live in dirty homes, especially dirty bed sheets and inside mattresses. The truth is, bed bugs don’t care whether you’re a hygienic person or not. As long as your blood tastes good, you’re enough for them to make a home with you!
The truth is, bed bugs don’t care whether you’re a hygienic person or not. As long as your blood tastes good, you’re enough for them to make a home with you!
Nevertheless, you can create a less inhabitable place for them to live in by regularly cleaning and vacuuming your sheets as the machine will dislodge them from their hiding.
In addition, if you practice some order in your house by reducing cluttered clothes and other items, the bed bugs will have fewer places to hide.Â
You can get bed bugs almost anywhere. When you go out of your home and socialize with people, there’s a chance of ‘collecting’ bed bugs from them (not to mean that they are dirty)!
Moreover, if you love being on the move and sleeping in hotels and AirBnBs, there is a greater chance you will get bed bugs from these places.Â
There are a lot of places that bed bugs can infest. They include office buildings, movie theaters, houses, schools, hospitals, and many other areas.
What Attracts Bed Bugs?
Now that you know where these blood-thirsty creatures come from, it is crucial to discuss what attracts them.
First, you should understand that bed bugs are parasites, meaning they cannot live without feeding off another living creature.
To put it into perspective, these insects drink blood, like vampires, and they prefer human blood to other animals.Â
Through evolution, bed bugs have been able to detect environmental cues that reveal the presence of human life. This is through sensing our carbon dioxide, body heat, and other chemicals our bodies give off.Â
Through evolution, bed bugs have been able to detect environmental cues that reveal the presence of human life.Â
Although these insects don’t live in our bodies, they have to stay close to us to get the supply of blood they need for sustenance. This is why you’re advised to reduce clutter, as this will create a conducive environment for the bed bugs to live in.Â
Are Bed Bugs Attracted to Dirt?
There is a lot of misconception when it comes to bed bug infestation. There is a likelihood that you’ve heard that bed bugs are attracted to a dirty environment.
This is all a lie.Â
Unlike pill bugs which eat decomposing matter, bed bugs love fresh blood. This means they have no reason to seek out an unclean environment, including your dirty bed sheets.
As mentioned above, bed bugs are attracted to our smell and the pheromones of other bed bugs. Consequently, clean or dirty bed sheets are equally attractive to bed bugs, as long as humans live nearby.Â
Does Cleaning Prevent Bed Bug Infestation?
Bed bugs will not mind living in a clean place. Consequently, washing your bed sheets every day will not reduce the number of bed bugs in your bed or room. This is because bed bugs usually stay in their hiding place and come out most when you’re asleep to feed.Â
However, keeping your bed sheets and house clean gives them fewer places to hide. Consequently, you can beat them back by cleaning thoroughly.
How To Reduce Bed Bug Infestation
1. Don’t Clutter Your Bed
When we are tired and don’t feel like putting our dirty clothes, books, and other items where they are supposed to be, we just throw them on the bed. What we forget is that bed bugs are good at clinging to things.
The dirty cloth you threw on the bed might have a bed bug or two.
Although bed bugs slowly reproduce, you might have a whole family of bed bugs living in your sheets in a month. For that reason, you should avoid cluttering your bed.
Although bed bugs slowly reproduce, you might have a whole family of bed bugs living in your sheets in a month.
2. Clean Your Sheets
We said that cleanliness does not affect bed bug infestation, but the truth is cleaning your sheets regularly is better than not cleaning them often! Cleaning sheets in hot water will help remove any bed bugs that might have stuck on your bed sheets, and it is easier to spot those tiny creatures on a clean sheet than on a dirty one.Â
3. Look For the Early Signs of Bed Bugs
There are signs that you can watch out for bed bug infestation. For example, blood stains on your sheet are one of the signs of bed bug infestation. This is when the bed bugs have already bitten you and left some blood behind.
On the other hand, you might have squashed some when turning in your bed.Â
Bed bugs have this musty odor that originates from the scent’s glands. Although it may take some time to smell it, it is very recognizable.Â
Conclusion
Although cleaning your bed sheets will not hinder a bed bug infestation, having a cluttered and messy home can make it challenging to spot the hideout of these blood-thirsty creatures. It is better to have a clean, organized home and clean bed sheets! But dirty bedlinens alone won’t bring a bed bug infestation.
