FEATURE: CLEANING & LAUNDRY
TOP 5 TIPS FOR BANISHING BED BUGS
Over the past few weeks, Paris has been plagued with a bed bug infestation, which has provoked widespread concern that the problem is heading towards the UK and what it will mean for public health and safety. Following the widespread worry, John Johnston, Head of E-Commerce at the UK’s leading workwear provider, Workwear Express, has shared some tips on how you can successfully rid your work clothes and wardrobe of bed bugs.
including our clothing and workwear that we use daily. While waking up with a row
U
of red bite marks is extremely unpleasant and worrying for anyone, dealing with a bed bug outbreak doesn’t mean having to dispose of everything in your wardrobe.
Though some people might be concerned about carrying bed bugs into their workplace via staff uniform for office wear that they dress in daily, there are a few key things you can do to ensure your clothes are bed bug-free before heading back into the office, if you are dealing with an infestation. Here are some general steps to
nfortunately, bed bugs can get everywhere and can be incredibly hard to remove from our possessions,
that they don’t have a chance of taking up residence in other clean clothes that you can still wear for work while you deal with the problem.
2 Separate clothing by
follow to get rid of bed bugs in your laundry:
1Seal your infested clothes in plastic bags
If you can’t wash your bed bug- infested clothes immediately, first and foremost, make sure to seal them in a plastic bag separate from your other clothes, until you can get around to doing it. This will ensure
washing instructions
When it comes to actually washing your clothes, make sure that you separate out anything that can be washed on a high heat and everything that can’t. Once you’ve done this, transfer the new piles of clothing back into plastic bags, as it’s likely that you won’t be able to wash all your infested clothes in one go, and you don’t want to risk having to start the process over again.
3 Wash and dry on a high temperature
Once you’ve separated your clothes, transfer them into the washing machine and wash your clothes on
HOMEMADE REMEDIES TO SCARE BUGS AWAY
With bed bugs running wild across Europe, estate agent comparison site,
GetAgent.co.uk, reveals how homeowners can stop all sorts of creepy crawlies from getting into the home, and how to get rid of the little blighters if they do manage to infiltrate.
Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of sleeping humans and animals. They are not dangerous, but their bites can be irritating, and a particularly severe allergic reaction might require medical attention. They are difficult to get rid of because they can survive several months without a blood meal. If you have bed bugs, you might notice small,
red bite marks on your body, spotted blood on your bed sheets, and some people will also experience painful swelling. But while bed bugs are headline news at the moment, an outbreak of this magnitude is incredibly unusual. Here in Britain, we’re far more likely to be confronted by different creepy crawlies in our homes, especially as winter arrives and the little critters seek out the warmth of our
www.diyweek.net
homes. Common examples are spiders, flies, and cockroaches.
The best way of deterring bugs from entering your home is to spend some money on blocking their initial entry. Resealing any small cracks in windows or walls will give insects less entry points to the home. Another useful way of deterring pests is to make sure that your rubbish and bins are properly stored. Finally, staying on top of your garden is another way of better dealing with creepy crawlies. This means weeding and trimming regularly and year- round. Reducing the amount of wayward shrubs reduces the opportunity for insects to thrive, but don’t go over the top because it’s vital for the environment that our gardens are home to a certain number of creepy crawlies. But once they’ve found a way in, how do you persuade creepy crawlies to leave the home? There are lots of cheap, homemade remedies that many will say have proven successful. Most remedies revolve around ingredients that bugs dislike and won’t go anywhere near. These
a hot water setting, before tumble drying - the hot temperature from both cycles will be what kills the bugs and their eggs. Make sure to take care when transferring your invested clothes from your plastic bags into the washer, so you don’t risk the bed bugs becoming airborne.
clothes back4 Clean your drawers and wardrobes before putting
Now your clothing or work uniform is clear of bed bugs, ensure before tidying them away that you clean your drawers and wardrobe thoroughly, to ensure the infestation cycle doesn’t start again. Where possible, use a product that contains bleach, as the chemicals in it will kill any bed bugs that remain on your furniture.
signs of bed bugs and keep separate from any clothing still infested
5 Check for any remaining
Once you’ve given your drawers and wardrobe a good clean make sure to double-check for any remaining signs of bed bugs before stowing away your clean clothes. It is also key that if you still have any remaining items that are still infested with bed bugs, you keep these separate from your newly cleaned clothes until the infestation has been dealt with.
For more information about workwear and how to take care of it, please visit
www.workwearexpress.com
include peppermint, vinegar, cinnamon sticks, and citrus peel. If you leave these ingredients in strategic places around the home, such as close to cracks in the wall where you know crawlies are getting in, it helps keep unwanted pests away and can even result in them leaving your home altogether… for now.
It also helps to maintain a regular cleaning
routine, ensuring that crumbs and spilt sugary drinks, etc, don’t end up an easy meal for bugs. Finally, it’s good to reduce the amount of lights you keep on during the night, decreasing the chances that insects will be attracted to visit.
NOVEMBER 2023 DIY WEEK 11
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
