I’m a New Yorker who’s had bedbugs four times – this is what to look for and how to get rid of them

A New Yorker who endured four separate bed bug infestations revealed her tried-and-tested methods for getting rid of the bugs.

The flat insects hide in fabrics such as mattresses and upholstery during the day before emerging at night and wreaking havoc on human skin, leaving itchy red welts.

Rebecca Fishbein, a New York City resident who has been plagued by four separate bed bug outbreaks, advised people to throw clothes and bedding in the dryer to kill the bugs and to call in a qualified exterminator to deal with furniture to go.

Bed bugs don’t discriminate and are just as eager to attack the rich and famous in luxury European hotels as they are the middle and low-income earners in New York City apartments, making them all the more threatening.

Bed bugs are not disease carriers, but if you are bitten by a bed bug, it will leave itchy red welts on the skin, similar to poison ivy

The inserts hide in mattress fabric and crevices before emerging at night to bite their sleeping victims. The insects can also hide in clothing, furniture and even books

Bed bugs are not a new phenomenon. They lurk in hotels across the US, including those on the Las Vegas strip where the insects have been found in nine hotels.

They are also a common pest among residents of New York, where apartments are so close together that insects can easily migrate from one resident to another.

But when Parisian fashionistas took photos of the little critters in hotels and on the subway during Fashion Week from September 25 to October 3, the story quickly gained steam and received input from the French government, which vowed to tackle the ‘plague’ to tackle bed bugs.

Emmanuel Grégoire, Deputy Mayor of Paris, said: ‘No one is safe.

‘Faced with a bedbug infestation, coordinated actions are needed that bring together health authorities, communities and all relevant stakeholders to prevent the risk and act effectively.’

Britain is now experiencing an outbreak, with Brits finding the insects on subway seats and apartments.

Landlords there are now advising tenants to ‘put their duvets in the freezer’ and empty their vacuum cleaners.

Bed bugs are just as common in the United States as they are across the pond, especially in cities. They are most common in Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, DC, Chicago, Illinois and New York City.

Rebecca Fishbein, a writer for Insider, shared her experience with four separate attacks of bed bug infestations in three different New York City apartments.

She said: ‘They love to hitchhike on used furniture and clothes. High temperatures are the best way to kill live insects and eggs, so if you buy clothes from a thrift store, throw them in the dryer for 30 minutes to an hour when you get home.

‘If you find upholstered or even wooden furniture – yes, they can get into those crevices too – on the street, I suggest you leave it there, no matter how nice it looks in your living room. (Metal furniture is a safer bet, though it’s not immune.)

“Don’t even think about buying a used mattress.”

Bed bugs do not transmit diseases and are not as dangerous as other insects, but they are annoying.

Their bites itch and can be painful. They can also take a long time to disappear.

British Natalie Brown, who went on a beach holiday to Spain, suffered bites all over her body after sleeping on the sofa in her hotel room. Even when she got home, the bites got worse and she was prescribed a course of antibiotics to clear her inflamed and itchy skin.

Natalie Brown (pictured), 28, was covered in bedbug bites after spending three days on holiday in Benidorm, Spain

Her reaction to the bites was so severe that Mrs. Brown required a course of antibiotics to heal her inflamed and itchy skin

Mrs Brown said: ‘My bites were incredibly itchy, they hurt, I couldn’t show my legs and arm for about six months until the bites and scars went away.

‘My friends didn’t mind the bites too much when they were fresh, but over the next few weeks they got bigger and many people were shocked by the amount of bites on me, especially the ones on my face.’

It is unlikely that their potential victims would be able to see them as they hide in dark crevices during the day.

And because their saliva contains a mild anesthetic, their bites are not noticeable until much later. Finding signs of fecal matter on a mattress, which look like small lines made by a Sharpie marker, is a good indication that it’s time to call in an exterminator.

Ms Fishbein said: ‘You can even bring in a bedbug sniffing dog to find out exactly where the live bugs are, which makes the experience a bit more fun.’

But the treatment process can be tough. It includes heating all clothes and bedding in the dryer to kill the bugs, taking apart furniture, vacuuming, and lifting the mattress.

To prevent infections in the first place, people should invest in a mattress and box spring protector. And a portable heater called PackTite can warm shoes, suitcases, books and other items that can’t go in the dryer.

When staying in a hotel, insect experts recommend checking the bed for signs, such as insect exoskeletons or feces. And never put a suitcase on the floor. Instead, experts recommend placing it on a tile floor or in the bathtub.

Ms Fishbein said: ‘Having bed bugs is stressful and expensive. It can feel lonely and isolating. It can cause you to have arguments with the people you live with, whether they are roommates or a partner, or your entire family. But a bed bug infestation is just one of many battles.

“And remember, you can always burn all your belongings and move.”