4 Pests That Can Cause Stains

Even when bugs have perished, they can leave behind a mark that becomes a hassle to clean and get rid of. A large variety of insects will leave behind these stains that can tarnish blankets, clothing, furniture, and skin. If you are aware of the issues associated with the insects, then you can learn how to avoid the stains and seek treatment when needed.

Check out four pests that cause stains, what to look for with the stains, and how to keep the pests away from your home.

1. Bed Bugs

If you wake up with spotty red stains all over your bed sheets, your bed might have bed bugs. Bed bugs feed off human blood, making a mattress an ideal spot for the bed bugs to live and reproduce.

The red spots occur when a bed bug is squished and killed; the human blood the bug fed on was not fully digested and comes out of the body. For more proof of the pest, lift up an infested mattress. You will often find more stains under the mattress where bed bugs like to stay to avoid the natural light within the bedroom.

Blood stains are hard to get out, but you want to get rid of the bed bugs first. If you clean up the small spots of blood, chances are new spots will appear when more bugs climb across the bed. A pest company can treat a bed bug infestation and remove any larvae or eggs that remain near the bed.

2. Grasshoppers

While it's rare to find grasshoppers in a home, the small jumping insects can create problems for any outdoor furniture you have. Grasshoppers could easily find their way to outdoor furniture on a patio, near a pool, or in storage. One of the biggest concerns is the dark spit a grasshopper secretes from its mouth.

As this spit is a mix of grass and liquids from inside the insect, it is often referred to as tobacco juice because of the similarity to people who chew tobacco and spit. If you don’t take care of these spots quickly, the spit could stain the outdoor furniture upholstery and create challenges when you try to remove the stains.

A pest control company can create a barrier of pesticides near your outdoor furniture to discourage grasshoppers from going into the area. The barrier can also keep other bugs off your property and away from your outdoor furniture. For the most protection, remove any cushions and soft fabric pieces when they are not in use outdoors.

3. Clover Mites

Clover mites are harmless to humans and hard to see with the naked eye, but their presence can cause major problems if groups of them get squished. As you wipe down furniture, scrub walls, or clean floors, you may suddenly see streaks of red appear. The streaks of red are not a cleaner reacting to fabric. The streaks are the small mites, crushed in clusters.

Despite their small size, the stains can appear large, especially if they are squished down or spread out. One of the main attractants for clover mites in your home are house plants. House plants are a food source for the mites. Not only will clover mites come into the home, but they could eat and kill the plant.

Pest control workers can work on solutions to prevent the mites from entering the home, which is useful because one of the biggest challenges is preventing reproduction of the mites. The mites reproduce quickly and populations can grow. Many times, you won't know until red stains start popping up around the home.

Before pest control treatment, you could heavily vacuum areas of the house to help eliminate the mites.

4. Stink Bugs

Stink bugs are known for their odors, but the uniquely shaped insect can also leave behind stains. If you try to remove the bug with your bare hand, you may notice a bronze or orange stain on your skin. The stain may also appear on clothes or walls where a stink bug has landed and been squished down.

The stains are hard to remove and may take a few different methods to completely clean clothing, skin, or surfaces. The larger size of the insect also means the stain will typically be larger.

Not only is the stain hard to remove, but the smell could linger for a while as well. Pest control companies can use special formulas to keep stink bugs away from your house. A full inspection could also highlight ways the bugs have gotten into the home and provide safe removal to reduce the impact of stains.

Contact us at Paffy's Pest Control to get rid of any pests or insects in the Metro Area. We can perform preventative treatments and remove pests from your home before any stains or other problems occur.