While it may seem counterintuitive, it is best to continue sleeping in your bed even if you have a bed bug infestation. If you move to another room, the bed bugs may follow you, which can spread the infestation to other parts of your home. To minimize bites while you sleep, wear protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possible, such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks. In the meantime, you should also isolate any potentially infested belongings and take steps to kill the bed bugs on your mattress as quickly as possible while waiting for professional treatment.

Professional pest control works faster than any DIY method, so it’s the way to go if you want your pest problem gone ASAP. A basic treatment can take place in under six hours, while larger fumigations may take up to a week. You should start noticing a significant reduction in pests within a couple of days, with full results in about a week on average.

No, you should never vacuum or sweep up mouse or rat droppings, as doing so can release harmful particles into the air and increase your risk of disease exposure. Instead, wear gloves and a mask, spray the droppings with a disinfectant spray, let it soak for a few minutes, and then carefully wipe them up with paper towels. Afterward, disinfect the area thoroughly and immediately wash your hands when you’re done.

Foxes can catch rabies. However, it is rare, and even rarer for them to pass this disease on to humans. If you do see a fox in your vicinity acting strangely, disorientated, having seizures, or randomly trying to bite, contact your local animal control, police, or Department of Environmental Control. And if you are scratched or bitten by an animal you suspect has rabies, seek medical treatment immediately.