No matter how seemingly clean your mattress is on the outside, your bed sheets are more likely to conceal a place where pests – from bed bugs to dust mites – thrive right where you sleep in.
Although mattress cleaning services have kept them away for years, there is a persistent upswing in bed bug infestation not only in Singapore but in the rest of the world. However, as it turns out, these small, flightless, wingless insects may not be the only pests that can be hiding behind your sheets, living off dried remains of sweat, saliva, blood and all the other bodily fluids you can imagine.
Bed Bug
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are the small, quarter-inch long insects that burrow in the folds of your mattress. They feed mostly at night so, waking up with itchy, red bumps may be a sign of bed bug infestation.
They can be distinguished by their distinct musty odour that smells like coriander or mouldy shoes. You can also find them as a group of minuscule black dots in your mattress. They can survive up to a year without food, so it’s essential to have them eliminated by a professional mattress cleaning service provider.
Cimex Hemipterus
Cimex hemipterus or cimex are primarily tropical insects that are reddish brown in colour. It’s a relative to bed bugs so they also feed on blood during the night.
They are mostly found in cracks and crevices, but they can also be lurking around your mattress. Aside from human they also find other mammals a suitable host, including dogs, cats, goats and swine. They also tend to become a serious pest among the poultry.
Fleas
Apart from bed bugs, fleas can also find their way to your bed through the folds where the mattress meets the box spring. In most cases, these fleas are from an infested pet that lies on or near your bed.
Although they prefer to feed on furry animals, fleas can still leave bites that are similar to a cluster of mosquito bites but with a reddish centre. They are also identified to spread serious diseases such as plague, typhus and cat-scratch fever.
Dust Mites
Dust mites are microscopic pests that belong to the same arthropod family as spiders. They live on mattresses, upholstered furniture, curtains and carpets, and exist in many dwellings throughout the world.
Although they’re only visible in the microscope, they still might be the reason behind your persistent allergy and asthma. They can trigger symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy skin and cough.
Ticks
Ticks are another cousin to the spiders that are responsible for spreading life-threatening diseases in many countries. Although they are typically present on dogs and other furry animals, they also tend to find beds as a nice resting place, where they lie in waiting for another host to launch on.
Tick bites are known to cause Lyme disease, a serious bacterial infection that affects both humans and animals. So, one of the best ways to prevent this is to protect your pets from tick infestation in the first place.
As disgusting as the thought of having more than one pest in your mattress is, there are a lot of ways to keep them at bay. Your best bet is to have them cleaned and treated by a professional cleaner.
Clean Care is a reputable cleaning services provider that specialises in deep mattress cleaning. Our mattress cleaning system is designed to not only remove dirt, dust and stains but to also sterilise your mattress deep down to eliminate any bed bugs, fleas or whatever that could be co-sleeping with you.
Contact us today and learn more about how we can help you with creating a healthy sleeping environment!