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If you find bed bugs on your mattress, your first step is to put your sheets, pillowcases, pillows, and nearby linens into a trash bag and wash them in hot water. Then, vacuum your mattress and the rest of your bedroom, paying special attention to the mattress seams and crevices near your headboard. Next, use one (or more) of the solutions listed above to kill any live bugs, or call an exterminator for a professional treatment.

Like a rent-controlled apartment in New York City, rodents know a good thing when they see it. If they've found a cozy nest inside your home, they will set up camp and stay there, leaving only to forage for food and water. As long as they have a warm place to sleep, raise their young, and continue access to water and food, they're going to stick around.

Ticks are most commonly found behind (or even inside) ears, behind knees, in belly buttons, in the hair, and in your underarms. If you find a tick on your body or on your pet, use a pair of clean tweezers to grab the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible. If you simply yank or twist it, you can leave the tick’s mouth parts lodged in your skin and will need to remove those carefully with the tweezers. 

Once you have removed the tick, flush it down the toilet and wash your skin with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Know the signs of lyme disease such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a rash.

Yes, rats are social creatures that thrive together in packs. If you spot a solitary rat, there are likely more nearby. Their rapid breeding cycle and ability to slip through minute gaps in walls, floors, and foundations contribute to their presence. An infestation generally entails more than eight rats. A nest typically accommodates five to 10 of these rodents. When you spot one, it is crucial to take action. Rats can transmit diseases through urine droppings and even cause renal failure through bites.