Last Updated on January 5, 2023 by Alene Schill
You had a long day and want a good sleep, so you lay down on your bed and doze off. But when you wake up the next morning, there are marks of bed bug bites on your skin. What a horrible day to start!
We know that’s frustrating, so here’s how to prevent bed bug bites while sleeping.
Top 8 Ways To Prevent Bed Bug Bites When Sleeping
1. Wrap Yourself With Comforters or Sheets
A bed bug bites even on barely open skin, so wrap yourself with a comforter or sheets if you want to repel bed bugs bite. Since they don’t have teeth, they cannot bite over fabrics. It’s a simple yet effective technique to prevent bed bug bites while sleeping.
But how about if it is too hot? How do you prevent bed bug bites while sleeping on summer days?
You can wrap yourself with thinner fabric sheets and skip the thick mattress as a great alternative. Once your body is covered with sheets, you can prevent bed bugs from biting you while sleeping.
2. Wear Long-Sleeved Pajamas
Wearing long-sleeved pajamas is another way to prevent bed bug bites while sleeping. Avoid a pajama shirt because bed bugs love when your skin is exposed, since it would be easier for them to bite you.
It would be best to wear socks on top of your long-sleeved pajamas because it would be harder for the adult bed bugs to access feeding areas.
If you wear pajamas, it will not guarantee to prevent bed bug bites, but there’s a lesser chance that bed bugs will bite you. But have you ever wondered why bed bugs bite in threes?
3. Avoid Sleeping On The Sofa
Bed bugs can hide in places where you frequently hang out and fall asleep, so there’s no surprise that the sofa is their second favorite spot. If your bedroom is in a critical stage of bed bug infestation, there is a clear chance that your sofa is infested, too.
What’s more frustrating is that bed bugs can penetrate your sofa, making the folds and crevices their hiding spots. In addition, bed bugs are nocturnal, so they are most active when you are sleeping [1]. If you accidentally slept on your sofa with a bed bug infestation, expect that you will wake up with insect bites.
4. Wash Your Sheets Regularly
If you want to prevent bed bug bites, wash your beddings regularly. It may be a labor-intensive method, but it is a great strategy to eliminate bed bugs and stop their breeding population.
The main objective of washing your bed sheets regularly is to stop the life cycle of the bed bugs. Bed bugs cannot survive high temperatures, so it can kill bed bugs if you regularly wash and dry your bed sheets.
Helpful Tip: Place your elasticated sheets in a plastic bag and never carry it with bare hands as it can prevent you from spreading bed bugs.
5. Vacuum Your Mattress Regularly
Bed bugs prefer to live in folds and crevices- a vacuum cleaner can help bed bug infestations. A vacuum cleaner can suck bed bug eggs, so it is easiest to reduce their population if you have a massive bed bug infestation.
Furthermore, regular vacuum cleaning helps suck out young and adult bed bugs and prevent them from breeding. After vacuum cleaning your mattress, make sure to empty your vacuum bag because bed bugs can live there.
You can use a steam cleaner and hot water for your mattress. The steam machine effectively removes bed bugs, but you must move your bed frame outside for bed bug control.
Helpful Tip: Use an airtight bag to prevent bugs from escaping when emptying the vacuum cleaner bag.
6. Use A Mattress or Box Spring Encasement
You can use a mattress encasement to prevent bed bugs from biting you. If you cover your infested mattress with a mattress encasement, it has an airtight feature where bed bugs will lose access to their host and cannot bite. Moreso, since mattress encasement is airtight, you can control the air supply of the bed bugs.
While a mattress or box spring encasement can help prevent bed bug bites, it will not contribute to bed bug control. Bed bugs can survive for a year without food and a limited air supply, so you will only prevent bites but not get rid of the infestation.
7. Spray Organic Insecticides On Your Body
If you want to stop bed bugs from biting you, one natural way is to spray oil or organic insecticides before sleeping. Turpentine oil, tea tree oil, and eucalyptus oil are ideal for open areas of your skin, especially when wearing pajamas.
Oils have natural properties proven effective as antifungal and insecticidal, so they can help you prevent bed bug bites. You can store your homemade bed bug repellent in a spray bottle and use it for a finer mist.
Since natural insecticides are organic, you can safely spray them on your hands, neck, and face. But why do these bed bugs bite only my face?
8. Always Clean Your Room
Stop bed bug infestation and prevent bed bugs from biting you by always cleaning your room. Bed bugs prefer to live in messy rooms because they have more chances to multiply. They can freely roam around when you are sleeping and populate different parts of your bedroom.
Don’t scatter your clothes on the floor, especially near your bed, because they can hide there, especially when not feeding. In addition, avoid piling up clothes in the laundry basket because they can inhabit there and spread over your house.
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Why Do Bed Bugs Bite Me?
Bed bugs bite you because they feed on the blood of humans. Bed bugs are attracted to carbon dioxide and warmth because it indicates life and blood flow.
Since they live where you commonly rest and sleep, it would be accessible for them to bite you and feed near their hideout. After feeding, they will go back to their nests, sleep, mate, lay eggs, and go on.
Bed bugs tend to settle down in a sleeping area with carbon dioxide, and since human exhales carbon dioxide [2], they are more attracted to you. In addition, bed bugs are nocturnal, so they usually bite you when sleeping. Find out why bed bugs bite your feet here.
How Do I Know There Are Bed Bugs At Night?
If you have reddish, small, and itchy bumps that mysteriously appear in the morning, there is a big chance that there are bed bugs at night. Bed bugs don’t frequently wander unless they need to feed, so if you notice some insect crawling at you, there is a big chance that it is a bed bug.
As we said earlier, bed bugs are nocturnal, so they are mostly active at night. They prefer to take a blood meal at night, so they are probably sucking blood on you if you feel itchy. More so, bed bugs can bite you several times in one night to become full.
Will Leaving The Lights On Scare Bed Bugs?
No, leaving the lights on will not scare bed bugs. You can keep all your lights on, but it will not stop bed bugs from biting you. Once you fall asleep, the carbon dioxide and your heartbeat attract them, which signifies that their meal is ready.
If you want to stop bed bugs from populating, you can use chemicals, high temperatures, and steam cleaners. High heat can kill bed bug eggs and adult bed bugs. In addition, you can call professional exterminators to get rid of bed bugs, and in that way, you can stop bed bugs from biting you. But can bed bugs get into your ears?
FAQs
Can I use Vicks VaporRub to prevent bed bug bites when sleeping?
Yes, you can use Vicks VaporRub to prevent bed bug bites when sleeping. The smell of methanol and eucalyptus helps in repelling insects like bed bugs. Apply a generous amount of Vicks VapoRub to the areas of your body that are prone to bed bug bites.
But what do bed bug bites really feel like?
Do bed bugs bite every night?
No, a bed bug does not bite every night, but it can bite you several times at night until they are full. They commonly feed once a week or every two weeks, so if bed bug bites keep appearing every morning, you may want to check for bed bug infestation. But what causes bed bugs?
Final Thoughts
Bed bugs infestation is like a curse, and if you wake up every morning with bed bug bites, it’s about time to get rid of those bloodsuckers. We hope that our tips on preventing bed bug bites while sleeping help you achieve good quality sleep and be bed bug bite-free!
If bed bugs are too much to handle, don’t hesitate to contact a professional exterminator to deal with your bed bug problem quickly.
References:
- https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef636
- https://www.nrdc.org/onearth/waiting-exhale
Alene Schill is a property manager from Columbus, Ohio, who has dealt with numerous pest control agencies. She helps families find the perfect homes and knows very well that bed bugs are an ultimate deal-breaker. She enjoys cycling around Scioto Mile during her spare time.