You will be able to prevent future bites if you know what sort of bugs you're dealing with. Bed bug bites, most common around the home, are large, splotchy, red bites. If you've ever been bitten by a mosquito, bed bug bites look very similar.  Flea bites will be smaller red bites. They often appear around the ankles or lower legs. If you have pets, get them checked for fleas. You can pick up a flea medication at your local veterinarian office. Bites from lice will appear in your hair. You may not be able to see them, so have a friend or family member check for you. They are red and itchy. These bites can also appear in other areas which have body hair. You don't want to mistake other irritants for bug bites. Allergies cause similar redness and swelling, as do toxic chemicals such as pesticides or solvents. Emotional stress and anxiety can also cause similar breakouts. To prevent insects from getting into bed and biting you at night, wash and change your sheets often. Your dead skin cells will fill your bed, and these cells will attract insects. Washing your sheets every other week isn't terrible, but a weekly cleaning is ideal.  Even if you cannot see the bugs in your bed, they can definitely be present. Tiny microscopic bugs called dust mites may be biting you at night. These bugs are attracted to the dead skin cells that stick to dirty sheets. Use hot, soapy water to get a deep clean on your sheets. Make sure that you let them dry completely in the dryer. Moist sheets can collect mold. If you've washed your sheets and you're still finding bites or insects in your bed, buy new sheets. It's a bit of an investment, but you'll be thankful in the long haul. Try moving your bed frame away from the wall. Even a few inches of space can be helpful. You'll reduce the ability for bugs to move between the wall and your bed. Most bugs will scurry into any opening in a bed that you leave for them. It's best, therefore, to eliminate any area that they could nest in. Don't let your sheets drape onto the ground.  Remember that bed bugs cannot fly or jump. You can take advantage of their fairly limited mobility by tucking your sheets in. If you have dust mites, however, you actually don't want to make your bed.  If you leave your bed unmade, you'll remove moisture from your sheets and mattress. Eventually, the mites will dehydrate and die. Dust mites need humidity to survive, so any dry environment will kill them. It isn't enough just eradicate bugs from your bed itself. You'll need to use a vacuum to kill any remaining bugs. You also want to pick up scrap particles from your carpet. Any extra detritus will attract bugs into your area. Vacuum often to ensure that your carpet will be free of creatures in the future.  Get an attachment for the vacuum to access hard to reach places. This could include the space behind your headboard or along the tack strips at the edge of your carpet. Be sure to move your bed from its usual location. You need to clean the entirety of your carpeted floor. If you don't have carpet, you can use a mop with soap and water to clean the area around your bed. Even if you don't have a pool or another body of water near your house, you may still be attracting bugs to your property. Mosquitos lay eggs their eggs near sources of water, so they will take advantage of any liquid that could be out in your home.  Drill holes in open containers, such as trash cans, that may be collecting water in them. Change birdbaths and pets' water bowls as often as you can. These are breeding grounds for mosquitos to be laying eggs. Don't leave pots, pans, or full glasses of water out.
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One-sentence summary -- Determine what's biting you. Change your sheets. Tuck your sheets between the mattress and the box spring. Vacuum thoroughly and regularly. Eliminate standing water from your home.


To get that rich Kahlua flavor, you'll want a good-quality base. And it should be strong, too – a weak coffee won't transport the flavors into the final product. Once brewed, prepare to use the coffee immediately. If you're not so great at brewing a decent pot of coffee (it is definitely harder than it looks), you may wish to have a coffee aficionado do this for you. It can make a world of difference. Once the pot has seen its final drips, transport it over to a large bowl. Then, add in 4 cups of granulated sugar and mix in until the little granules are all dissolved. Again, you could use brown sugar or raw sugar if you like. Just know that each little change will affect the flavor and it may or may not be to your liking. Once the sugar has dissolved and the coffee isn't warm anymore, add the vodka, stirring to combine. Some bartenders believe in a combination of vodka and rum, or even different types of vodka or different types of rum within the same recipe to give it a fuller flavor. If you have the end of a few bottles laying around, try combining them – it may not hurt. Three 12 oz bottles will work well, but one large bottle works, too. Cut the vanilla bean into thirds and drop one piece into each bottle. After that, put the cap on. Your Kahlua is made. At this point, you could also add in a cinnamon stick, cocoa nibs (about a tablespoon), or orange peel, if you like. This will give it a more signature, dynamic flavor. The vanilla needs this much time to infuse and the flavors need to settle into the coffee to give it that rich, liqueur flavor. Once the time is up, strain it beforehand and then rebottle. The basement or cellar is good for this stuff, but a closed box in a dark room (or under the bed) will work just as well. Just make sure it has a label on it in case you forget what that mysterious dark bottle is in six months' time.
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One-sentence summary -- Brew a pot of strong, good quality coffee. Add 4 cups of sugar to the fresh, hot coffee and stir until dissolved. Add the vodka once the coffee mixture has cooled to room temperature. Add the vanilla and pour the mixture into bottles. Store in a cool, dry place for 2-3 weeks.


If you're mainly concerned that your furniture will become dirty or hairy from your cat, cover it with slipcovers. You can purchase a slipcover for couches, chairs, or recliners in a variety of colors and fabrics. Choose a fabric that you can easily wipe clean or toss in the washing machine. If you don't want to always keep a cover on the furniture, you can lay down a towel where your cat usually likes to rest. Just remove the towel and wash it every day or two. Buy a repellent spray that your cat doesn't like and spray it on the furniture that your cat usually scratches. You can purchase deterrent sprays at most pet stores. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to spray your furniture. You may need to reapply the scent deterrent once it begins to wear off. Spread double-sided tape on places where your cat prefers to scratch. Your cat won't like the sticky feeling so should eventually stop scratching there. Most commercial double-sided tapes shouldn't leave a sticky residue on your furniture. If you'd rather startle your cat than apply sticky tape, tape a few balloons in places where your cat usually scratches. When your cat goes to scratch, it will pop a balloon. The surprise may stop your cat from scratching. . Keep your cat's claws clipped close (but not too close) so its nails are dull and won't do as much damage if it scratches the furniture. If your cat resists clipping, try wrapping it in a towel while you trim or get the nails professionally trimmed.
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One-sentence summary --
Use furniture covers. Spray a scent deterrent on the furniture. Lay double-sided tape on the furniture. Trim your cat's claws