This post and giveaway are sponsored by Proof Bed Bug Spray, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not an expert on bed bugs or bed bug treatment, but I’ve done my share of research and love to share what I’ve learned.
Good night. Sleep tight! Don’t let the bed bugs bite!
Say “I have bed bugs” and you might as well say “I have the Plague.” Bed bugs have a horrible reputation…and honestly it’s rightly so. Bed bugs are nasty creatures. Although they aren’t typically harmful (they don’t carry diseases), to say that they are a nuisance is a huge understatement.
Smaller than apple seeds, bed bugs are very good hiders. In fact, chances are many people who have bed bugs don’t even realize that they’ve got them. Bed bugs will stay hidden away in cracks, seams, behind picture frames, in the bed frame, in between mattresses, and dozens of other hiding places…out of sight until the lights go out and you’re happily snoozing in bed at night.
So how can you tell if you’ve got bed bugs?
There are several tell-tale signs that your home has been invaded…
- Small red bites (sometimes mistaken for pimples or mosquito bites) on the face and neck, hands and arms, legs and feet (or any other body part)
- Tiny black marks on your pillow case or sheets (bed bug excrement…eww!)
- Small blood marks on pillow case or sheets
- And, of course, finding the bugs or their exoskeletons
The important thing to remember is that you don’t have bed bugs because you are dirty. In fact, if you discover that you have bed bugs they probably caught a ride in your luggage after you traveled and stayed in a bed bug-infested hotel. Or maybe you’re a college student living in the dorms.
When I moved my 2nd-year college student daughter into her new place a few weeks ago, one of the very first things we did before moving any boxes into her room was check on and under the mattress of her new bed to see if we spotted any signs of bed bugs. Before we started moving in, we thoroughly cleaned the entire room, including vacuuming between the mattress and the bed frame.
If only we had known about PROOF bed bug spray, we would have used that first in addition to the cleaning.
Because I am a frequent traveler, bed bugs are one of those things I always worry about. Before unpacking in a new hotel room, I check the mattress for signs of bed bugs, but now that I have PROOF, I’ll carry a bottle in my luggage so that I can spray before I sleep in the bed. Unlike typical insecticides, PROOF is safe to use around people. But it kills bed bugs and their eggs and continues to work for weeks. That’s peace of mind!
ABOUT PROOF: PROOF is a plant-based bed bug spray that leverages the natural defenses of the neem plant to kill 100% of bed bugs and their eggs.
In scientific studies conducted by independent labs, PROOF killed 100% of bed bugs and bed bug eggs that were sprayed directly. In these studies, PROOF even killed 100% of bed bugs and their eggs that were not sprayed directly but were only exposed to surfaces treated with PROOF.
The active ingredient in PROOF is organic, EPA-registered Cold Pressed Neem oil. All other ingredients in PROOF are food grade. Neem oil has been used safely in products such as cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, skin lotions, and even toothpastes. It’s eco-friendly and family and pet-friendly but it’s NOT bed bug-friendly.
What to do if you have bed bugs
The first thing to do if you suspect you have bed bugs is to have a professional come to inspect your house. Bed bug-sniffing dogs are usually your best bet to narrow down where you’ve got an infestation.
Next, you need to treat the infestation. Having a professional exterminator that deals with bed bugs is probably your safest bet…but it will run you thousands of dollars (and even the professionals often need to come back multiple times to fully get rid of the problem). If you can’t afford an exterminator, then PROOF is your best defense. Be prepared to treat multiple times to make sure that you’ve caught any stragglers.
Other tips for controlling bed bugs: when you travel, thoroughly check hotel beds and headboards for signs of bed bugs. Don’t hesitate to ask for a new room if you suspect bed bugs. After you travel, wash and dry all of the clothes you brought with you (use the hottest setting that’s safe for your fabrics). Treat your suitcase inside and out with PROOF bed bug spray.
After treating a bed bug problem in your home, keep the once-infested room clutter-free. It may be smart to use white (or light-colored plain) sheets for a while and carefully inspect sheets regularly for any signs of recurrence. Wash sheets regularly. Vacuum the room, especially under and around the bed often.
Cover your mattress and box springs in bed bug proof zippered mattress encasements. These are great for bugs, dust mites, and all allergens, so they’re definitely a worthwhile investment.
Remember that bed bugs like to catch rides….so if you move from a bed bug-infested room straight to the family room couch, you might be carrying the infestation with you. Consider washing pajamas each night or showering and changing into clean clothes right after waking up.
It usually isn’t necessary to throw furniture out, especially when you can treat it with PROOF.
You may want to consider having that bug-sniffing dog come back after you’ve treated your home to make sure the bugs didn’t move to another area of the house.
Bed bugs are tough to get rid of, but it’s possible to do it! Don’t lose hope!
PROOF is available at select Walmarts and online at www.bugproof.com. Follow PROOF on social media: On Twitter at @bug_proof and Facebook at www.facebook.com/bugproof
Enter to WIN PROOF and a $50 Walmart Giftcard!
10 (ten) winners will receive a 16oz bottle of PROOF (valued at $26.99 each) and 1 (ONE) grand prize winner will receive a bottle of Proof AND a $50 giftcard to Walmart (a prize valued at $76.99)! Just enter on the widget below.
This giveaway will end on Saturday 9/19/2015 at 11:59 pm ET. Winners will be notified via email and must respond within 48 hours of notification or I will have to choose new winners. Good luck!
NOTE: due to a server issue, I lost some of the comments, but all entries before the problem still count.
© 2015, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
I agree! If they have bed bugs in one room, it’s likely they might have them in more rooms. They are such a hassle!
I know this may sound stupid, but I have never ever thought about checking hotel beds for bed bugs before. I travel a lot and so I can definitely see how that can be important. However, if I did find bed bugs in a hotel room, I wouldn’t just for a new room. No, I would ask for a reimbursement and then go to another hotel.
I learned that they are usually transported from place to place when people travel
I commented on the Cinderella Activity Sheet post for an entry.
https://foodfunfamily.com/2015/09/disneys-cinderella-activity-sheets-and-coloring-pages.html#comment-1235488
I learned that is plant based and safe to use area right after being sprayed.
I learned that it is plant based.
Bed bugs usually hide near the bed in dark, tight spaces. Gross!
Bed bug eggs are tiny and translucent.
I commented on the Slow Cooker Pepper Jack Chicken post for an entry.
I learned that Bedbugs are excellent at hiding themselves and their eggs.
I learned that Bed bug eggs are tiny and translucent
I learned that bed bugs are not considered dangerous.
I learned that bed bugs are much larger than I thought they were, PROOF describes them as being the general size and shape of apple seeds, or about the size of LIncoln’s head on a penny.
they are usually transported as people travel from place to place
I was pretty amazed the first time I heard about them, too!
I learned that bed bugs usually stay close to the bed, particularly in dark, small spaces
Bed bug sniffing dogs? Wow thats awesome, sounds like a character in a children’s picture book.
I learned that Proof is environmentally friendly because it comes from a plant. It even battles the bed bugs without direct contact which is cool because I know first hand how good they are at playing hide and seek. It is versatile in use and is made from the neem tree, a tree that I never heard of until today.
I learned that this product is Plant based and an EPA Registered Biopesticide.
It kills 100% of bed bugs and eggs.
They feed SOLELY on the blood of people and animals.
Aaaaaaaah!
I learned that bed bugs usually hide near the bed in dark, tight places. ek!
Bedbugs don’t stray from beds.
I learned that bedbugs hide in dark, tight spaces, like behind a headboard.
I learned that bed bugs do not jump and they spend 90% of their time hiding.
I learned that PROOF® Kills 100% Of Bed Bugs On Contact.
I learned they dont stray from the bed.
I learned that it has Long lasting protection.
Bed Bugs don’t stray far from the bed so check the furniture around it
It is the only EPA-approved product that kills 100% of bed bugs and eggs and keeps working for weeks. (Including hidden pests, and pesticide-resistant bed bugs and eggs)
I learned they are excellent at hiding themselves and their eggs.
I learned that bed bug eggs are translucent.
I learned that adult bedbugs are small and brown in color.
I learned that bed bugs usually hide near the bed in dark, tight spaces.
I learned that while non-certified solutions make all kinds of claims, PROOF® is the only plant-based biopesticide that is approved by the EPA for bed bug extermination. Thanks.
partymix25(at)Hotmail(dot)com
I learned that bed bugs are excellent at hiding themselves and their eggs.
I learned that bed bugs do not jump and spend 90% of their time hiding.
I learned that bed bugs are not know to spread disease.