Bedbug tips

Before you throw away your mattress and douse your home in rubbing alcohol, heed a few tips from the Ohio Department of Health.

Bedbugs are reddish brown and the size of an apple seed. Bedbug eggs are white and the size of a pinhead.

Bedbugs themselves are difficult to find, but evidence of their presence can be found on pillowcases, mattresses, and box springs in the form of dark fecal stains. Examine the headboard and use a flashlight to spot them crawling underneath furniture and woodwork.

Bites usually appear on exposed skin and may swell or itch like a mosquito bite. Resist the urge to scratch and cause a secondary infection. Cleanse the area with soap and water.

Inspect any used furniture brought into the home.

When traveling, look for fecal spots on mattresses before unpacking.

To get rid of bedbugs, consult a professional but also take your own measures. Remove any clutter from the home to give them fewer places to hide and place bedding in the dryer for 20 minutes to kill bugs and their eggs. Vacuuming also may remove some bugs.

The Ohio Department of Health offers a free service that will identify bedbugs if they exist in your home. Contact the Ohio Depart of Health’s Zoonotic Disease Program by calling 614-752-1029.

Source: ODH’s website: www.odh.ohio.gov.