About a third of his life a person spends in a dream. In a comfortable bed, he rests and is gaining strength for a new day. However, often bed mites settle in the same bed, together with people. It will certainly be an extremely unpleasant surprise to learn about such a neighborhood. Domestic pests are able to quietly live in homes for many months and even years, and the owner will not assume this at all. And yet, who is this bed tick? What danger is it? How to get rid of bed ticks?
More about the parasite
A bed tick is one of a large number of domestic inhabitants, whose existence a person does not even realize. It is very difficult to detect it, since its dimensions are not more than a millimeter. That is why it will not work to be absolutely convinced that there are no bed ticks in the house. In fact, they are most likely present, even though the household does not notice them. However, on the Internet you can find photos of bed mites.
What do ticks look like?
Parasites living in underwear belong to the species of arthropod organisms. The tiny inhabitants of the apartments are wingless, so they are not insects, despite the fact that outwardly they seem to be them. So what does a bed tick look like? This is the smallest animal, 0.1-0.6 mm in size. His body is covered with chitin, he has 6 legs with suction cups at the end. The lifespan of an arthropod is a month and a half. After this time, the adult individual dies, but lays offspring. Usually, no more than 70 eggs and a little more than 300 for the whole existence go out for one clutch in females. Today, science knows 150 species of these blood-sucking organisms. To understand what they are, a photo of bed ticks will help. How to get rid of parasites, we will consider in the article.
How do they get into people's homes
I wonder how such small animals end up in a person’s house. Before, people stuffed pillows and feather beds with feathers of poultry. Many people know that chickens like to spend some time in the dust. Feathers for bed mites are an ideal place. Pets also contribute to the entry into the house from the street of unpleasant arthropods on their coat. Even a person can bring mites with him - from public places or stain clothes with dust, where there are already invisible parasites.
Based on this, we can safely say that people themselves, animals and birds are carriers of pests. And since they breed very rapidly, their settlement at home for a short period can quickly grow many times over.
In August, September, and October, these dust parasites are the most adventurous in getting into a person’s bed.
Where do they live
Pests prefer to roam the rooms on a person’s clothes. So their habitat goes beyond the bed and replenished with other places at home. Ticks cling to their limbs for curtains, carpets, fur toys and other items. In these places, they feel at ease and begin to feed on what they used to do - dust, dandruff and dead skin cells. In small clusters, a person transfers and scatters parasites where he himself is. Research data says that within 7 days, about 1 gram of the epidermis dies in a person, which falls everywhere. Just there you can meet parasites.
Do bed ticks bite
When a person rises and scratches his body in bed after a night, and then notices a small local red rash in himself, this means that he suffered from parasite bites.
Below is a photo of the bites of bed mites on a person.
In reality, dust parasites do not crave to bite a person, because they do not feed on blood, but on dust. Yes, by their nature, they are ticks, but they do not belong to those bloodsuckers that can be encountered in nature. Small creatures eat particles of the keratinized epidermis and leave the fruits of their vital functions. Moreover, they are emptied quite often - more than 15 times a day. As part of their excrement, there is a protein that provokes an allergic reaction in people. Therefore, the detected rash is not the result of arthropod "neighbors" biting you, but simply such a peculiar reaction to their discharge. Due to the fact that there are a lot of bed mites in linen, it is scary to assume how many feces remain after them, even though they cannot be seen without a microscope.
Why are ticks dangerous for humans?
Tiny arthropods do not bite a person and do not act as carriers of infections. However, for someone they are a big threat. The bottom line is that the vital products of their digestive tract contain a fairly powerful allergen. These feces accumulate, combine with dusty particles and disperse in the air. If such dust gets on the skin or in the respiratory tract of a person predisposed to allergies, he has a non-standard reaction. In addition to redness and rash, which is unknowingly considered as parasite bites, coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge can occur, and eyes may turn red and watery. As a result, bronchial asthma may develop.
Signs of presence in the house
The indicators that there are dust parasites in the house are different and peculiar, but there are several common ones:
- skin rash (like urticaria);
- body temperature rises;
- irritation and itching;
- shortness of breath, tickling in the throat, hoarse voice;
- eyes are red, itchy and watery;
- colorless mucus from the nose is released (not associated with a cold).
Most often, adults tolerate the presence of ticks more easily than children. Here, immunity, which is stronger in mature people, and skin specificity have a great influence. Sensitive and thin baby skin responds sharply to an irritant.
What to do if an allergic reaction is detected
The question of how to get rid of bites of bed ticks can be answered as follows: if a causeless numerous rash is found, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Usually, a doctor can attribute everything to a food allergy. However, knowledgeable experts in the diagnosis will not exclude the version with bed mites, since their manifestations are similar.
If the doctor has correctly diagnosed, then antihistamines are prescribed that can calm the allergy. Also, experts advise changing bed sheets every day until the aggravation passes. In addition, it is necessary to iron clothes, and take a hot shower before bedtime. However, drugs will not get rid of the root of the problem, so certain steps must be taken to eliminate parasites.
Methods of struggle
When dust mites got into the house, and the household found the symptoms of a bed tick, it means that it is time to start fighting annoying arthropods. The first item in the extermination of parasites will be a thorough cleaning of the entire living space. Particular attention should be paid to shelves, chandeliers, batteries and baseboards - you need to wipe them with a wet rag, as well as move the furniture and wipe behind it. Carpets, rugs, poufs, bed mattresses and the outside of the chairs should be carefully vacuumed.
The dust mite can also be in the glove box. Therefore, you will need to wash all the clothes. If possible, it is better to stop using feather pillows, as domestic parasites like to settle in them, and change them to pillows made of bamboo or synthetic winterizer. It is worth focusing on the bedding itself. It must be washed at 95 degrees, allowed to dry in the open air and a good walk with an iron. It is recommended to wash the floor frequently, while dissolving 10 large tablespoons of salt in a bucket.
How to get rid of bed ticks at home
There is an excellent folk remedy for getting rid of parasites:
- Any soap - 50 grams dissolved in warm water (1000 ml).
- Add ammonia (100 gr.) And mix well.
- With this mixture you can process the places where ticks are located and put them in an automatic machine together with ordinary powder.
Arthropod kills
For the best result, you can try to use synthetic drugs:
- "Acaritox" is a powder that is dissolved in water and treated with infected surfaces. Wipe with this solution once every 14 days until no traces of the presence disappear.
- "Sipaz Super" is a concentrated emulsion. It is added to water in proportions of 4 grams per 1 liter of liquid. This tool acts as a paralysis for ticks, as a result of which they die in a couple of hours.
- Tsifoks is a powder that is dissolved in a liquid. Very effective against arthropod parasites. To process twice a day with an interval of 30 minutes.
- "Milbiol" is a natural acaricide (a drug against ticks).
Prevention Methods
In a home with high air humidity (more than 55%) and frequent dust formation, the risk of arthropod parasites is much higher. In order not to encounter these unpleasant arthropods, it is better to take care to prevent their appearance in advance. Some tips are presented to your attention with the help of which you can minimize the risk of parasites getting into your home:
- Take care of buying an air purifier or air conditioner.
- Humidity can be reduced using a specialized dehumidifier.
- Try not to cover most of the floor with long-pile carpets. If necessary, get along with small rugs.
- Shaggy carpets on partitions are no longer fashionable, instead of them it is better to hang panels or frames with photographs.
- It is advisable to purchase furniture with upholstery made of genuine or artificial leather, but not fabric.
- Vacuum clean with an aquafilter.
- Ventilate your home every day.
- Remove massive curtains and unnecessary soft toys, and wash the rest in the machine.
- If there are pets in the house, they must be treated with parasite products and rid of excess wool.
If a person is faced with bed ticks, then he knows firsthand how life spoils such an unpleasant neighborhood. Do not forget that these creatures breed quickly, and you need to get rid of them as soon as possible. We hasten to upset you that it will not be possible to completely get rid of parasites, but it is quite possible to reduce their colony, and at the same time, the appearance of an allergic reaction. It is necessary to carry out prophylaxis, to combat arthropods by any familiar methods. And the most important thing is to keep the house clean. After all, the best way to get rid of bed mites is the lack of dust in which they live. Then the time of sleep will stop bringing negative emotions, and being in your house will continue to be pleasant and comfortable.