Again, with so many insects, cleanliness is a huge factor as to whether or not they will make their way into your home. Rats, mice, ants, and cockroaches are just a few of the pests that are attracted to spills and other messes around a home. Due to this, many people try to keep a clean home to prevent these pests from entering their home. Then, they are shocked to learn that they have a bed bug infestation.
Bed bugs are not attracted to dirt, decay, or decomposing materials. They are only attracted to blood, and will search it out, regardless of the cleanliness of the environment. Bed bugs detect carbon dioxide emitted from humans and respond to warmth and moisture as they approach the potential host.
While many people have believed the myth that bed bugs are attracted to unhygienic environments, it’s not true. That myth, it’s believed, was perpetuated for two main reasons.
The first is that bed bugs have long since been associated with dirty motel rooms. However, even high-end hotels today have suffered their fair share of bed bug infestations. The fact that bed bugs only invade cheaper motel rooms simply isn’t true.
It is true that high-end hotels also have the resources to eliminate a bed bug problem quickly. Cheaper motels don’t always have the budget for this, though, which is one reason this myth is still so pervasive today. The fact that bed bugs may still be seen more often in cheaper motels has nothing to do with the cleanliness of them but rather, financial issues.
Many have also bought into the myth that bed bugs are attracted to dirty places often point to the fact that low-income households often suffer from bed bug infestations more than others. Like the budget differences of high-end hotels and cheaper motels though, this is also a financial issue. Completely exterminating bed bugs is sometimes costly, particularly when a large area such as an entire apartment building is infested. Lower-income households simply don’t always have the resources to pay for this.
While scouring your entire house clean will not prevent bed bugs from entering as long as you are still in it, it can help you spot bed bug infestations earlier. This can greatly aid with treatment and help you get rid of the bugs sooner.
