00:00There's a man in England who bought a couch for his new home, unaware that the furniture
00:05would threaten his health and potentially his life.
00:08How could that happen?
00:10Well, two days after the purchase, Andrew Wolfe discovered red marks all over his body.
00:16Each time he laid down on his new couch to rest, his condition worsened.
00:21It didn't take him long to realize that his new sofa was infested with fleas or bedbugs.
00:27Although Andrew bought the couch at a discount, paying only half the original price, his attempt
00:32to save money backfired.
00:34He ended up incurring expenses for pest control, disposing of various household items, and
00:40enduring a frustrating ordeal.
00:42The company that sold him the couch agreed to issue a refund, but denied his request
00:47for compensation, arguing that he was aware the couch was a returned item and had previously
00:52been in another home.
00:54Well, if you've ever felt a mysterious sting while lounging on your couch, you might
01:00be sharing your space with some unwelcome pests.
01:03Sometimes spotting them can be impossible, and the sad news is that they're experts
01:08at multiplying.
01:09You might wonder why your couch, of all places.
01:12Well, simply put, it's a cozy haven for them.
01:16And if you ever enjoy snacks like chips or popcorn on the couch – let's be real,
01:20who doesn't – you're also creating an endless buffet for them.
01:27Sometimes removing the cushions from the couch and vacuuming all the gaps can solve the problem.
01:32But if you have an older couch that's super dirty, just vacuuming it won't do the trick.
01:37Bedbugs are mostly active at night, so they could attack you while you sleep.
01:42They feed for up to 10 minutes, until they get full.
01:45The bites look different on everyone, and the reaction can be severe.
01:50Remember, these small but fierce critters can survive without food for several months.
01:55So if you're planning to store your furniture in the garage for a while, make sure to give
02:00your couch a good cleaning and vacuum it.
02:03Then seal it up in a zippered cover.
02:05Even if there are bedbugs still hiding inside, they'll eventually kick the bucket without
02:10a source of food and won't be able to reproduce.
02:15Meanwhile, fleas spend most of their time together in crevices in the walls of your
02:20home.
02:21Did you know that these little guys remember the dinosaurs?
02:25They were around for at least 165 million years.
02:28They had to be larger in size and have much larger mouthparts to get through the thick
02:32skin of dinos.
02:34When they bite, they mostly go for legs and ankles.
02:37Then the marks from their shenanigans can stay sore and itchy for a whole week.
02:42You won't spot them hopping from crevice to crevice, but you can find their droppings
02:46around your couch legs and underneath the couch itself.
02:50If you see them, you can try treating them with some salt for a couple of days, or just
02:55call a professional.
02:59Cockroaches prefer to live in the kitchen, but if they see that you've started a free
03:03canteen in the living room, they'll make an exception for you.
03:07There are so many of them that some surveys say they live in up to 98% of homes in urban
03:12areas, mostly unnoticed.
03:15They also like to party at night, and if you manage to spot them, you can serve them with
03:20a custom treat.
03:22Take an empty glass bottle and line the bottom of it with some maple syrup.
03:26Put some cooking oil on the top of the bottle.
03:28This trap will work like a cockroach magnet, and they'll get stuck in it forever.
03:33And then you can decide what to do with a bottle full of bugs.
03:38Moths are super sneaky, so you won't see them on your sofa.
03:42But you will feel some weird movement if they're inside.
03:45They love wool and other natural fibers, but even if your couch isn't that exquisite,
03:50they'll still move in there if there are food stains on it.
03:53If you see holes in the fabric, webbing around the legs or frame of a sofa, or moth larva,
03:59you'll know they've moved in with you.
04:02There are around 160,000 species of moths in the world, and only 150 species that can
04:09sting.
04:10They really can't bite when they're mature because they grow a long, strong-shaped orifice.
04:15But caterpillars don't have that feature and can give you a tough time.
04:19And then there's this horror scenario where you lay down, and a couch moth just crawls
04:24into your ear.
04:26It happened to a guy in America who became an internet sensation.
04:30He felt the moth near his ear and wanted to smack him, but the insect went inside.
04:35His friends helped the guy with a pair of tweezers.
04:38It turned out that the moth was 1 inch long and still perfectly fine.
04:42So both the guy and the moth got lucky that time.
04:46But experts don't recommend using objects to remove the moth.
04:50You need to tilt your head to let gravity do the job and lure the moth with some light
04:55from the outside.
04:56And of course, you need to keep your furniture clean to make it less attractive to those
05:01playful creatures.
05:04Holes in your textiles are one thing, but throwing away all the food from your pantry
05:08is like a next-level offense.
05:11Pantry moths love to eat dry foods, like cereal, flour, rice, and grains, and they can sneak
05:17into your pantry with groceries, pet food, or bird seed that's already infested.
05:22When they hatch, they can spread to other food in your pantry.
05:26A female pantry moth is super productive and can lay about 400 eggs after mating.
05:32When the eggs hatch, the larvae start eating your food and spinning sticky webs.
05:37They can even chew through thin cardboard boxes and plastic bags, so closed packages
05:42don't always keep them out.
05:44You might see their droppings, webs, or even tiny holes in your food packaging.
05:49These are obvious signs of an infestation.
05:52Pantry moths aren't harmful to people – they're just annoying and ruin food.
05:56But some types, like the cinnabar moth, are poisonous.
06:00They have bright red and black colors, which warn predators to stay away.
06:05If you feel like your pantry might have moths right now, pause the video and inspect it
06:11well.
06:12Did you find someone who shouldn't be there?
06:14Well, try storing your flour, baking mixes, oatmeal, and nuts in the freezer.
06:20Or at least freeze them for 3 days before moving them back to your pantry.
06:24Cold treatment will help you get rid of any larvae that might be present in the foods
06:28that you brought home from the store.
06:31Just to be on the safe side, try this white vinegar and hot water solution I tested myself.
06:37Mix them in equal amounts and wipe down your pantry from top to bottom, including both
06:42sides of shelves, corners, baseboards, floor, and storage containers.
06:47All the moths will urgently go elsewhere.
06:50As one final precaution, you can hang sticky flypaper in the pantry.
06:54If you add a little bit of fish oil to it, all the moths still hiding in there won't
06:59be able to resist the temptation.
07:03Now here's a little riddle.
07:05What is tiny, has up to 177 pairs of legs, and can scare a 40-year-old man more than
07:11any horror movie?
07:12Yep, it's a centipede running around your living room.
07:16And before you go for the slipper to eliminate the threat, remember, it's your friend!
07:22Centipedes can bite, but they hardly ever do it.
07:24They don't make nests or webs, they don't transmit anything dangerous, and they don't
07:29damage your home or beloved objects.
07:32And they work for you, for free, as natural pest control.
07:36They eat roaches, flies, termites, moths, and silverfish.
07:40So instead of taking their lives, try relocating them outside, where they won't scare you
07:46But we'll keep working hard.
07:48If you don't want them to come back, seal any gaps and holes in the foundation, doors,
07:52and windows.
07:54Fix any leaks and clean up any standing water.
07:57Move piles of wood and leaves away from your home.
08:00Now that's a lot of homework, but the result is worth it, trust me.
08:07That's it for today!
08:08So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your
08:12friends!
08:13And if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!
Comments