How Not To Bring Bed Bugs Home

"Don't let the bed bugs bite." It's a common saying that has become a part of our social history, and there's a valid reason for its widespread use. Bed bugs have been plaguing humans worldwide for millennia, and they continue to do so. If you've ever had an issue with these horrible insects, just hearing that tongue-in-cheek admonishment might feel like nails on a chalkboard.

How To Avoid Bringing Home Bed Bugs

A significant concern is picking up bed bugs when traveling, which is the primary way these insects spread. They are highly skilled hitchhikers and can be found everywhere people sleep or spend significant time, including hotels, motels, resorts, someone's home, public transit, and more. They target your luggage, clothes, and body, but there are some steps you can take to help guard against that.

When making travel plans, check out your lodging's history in advance. Online sites like Tripadvisor often list helpful warnings regarding bed bug problems. You can also use https://www.bedbugreports.com to check for reported issues. Upon arriving at your room, check the bedding, mattresses, box springs, and other furniture for visual signs of infestation. Report issues to management and don't stay if there is a problem.

Put your luggage on a metal rack or the bathroom sink, not on the bed. Keep it zipped, and do not use the dresser drawers. Store and keep your items (including clothes) inside your suitcase and zipped plastic bags. Bring extra garbage bags with you. Slip one over the outside of your suitcase and keep it there. Use another to cover your coat and other items that need to be hung up. Bag up dirty laundry and keep that separate until you get home.

When you are in transit, check where you sit carefully. Look for signs of infestation. Be mindful of who you sit next to as well. Try to keep as much space as possible between you and other passengers. Don't set things down (such as your coat or purse) where they might be vulnerable to infestation. Use plastic bags to protect your belongings whenever it is feasible.

In public bathrooms, check the toilet seat carefully, and use protection such as the tissue liners that many public facilities make available. When you get home, wash everything immediately, including the clothes in your luggage and what you wore while traveling. Use hot water and dry on high heat for a minimum of 30 minutes. Heat is a critical component of the treatment and must not be skipped.

Also, when you get home, clean and vacuum out your luggage immediately after you unpack. If you have a hand-held steamer, use that on it, too. Empty your vacuum bags or canisters in an outside garbage can, never inside.

These tips apply to lodging and transit venues and public places, including your workplace, movie theaters, restaurants, shopping malls, sporting events, etc.

Used furniture is notorious for hiding these pests. If you've spent the day searching for a new couch or love seat in someone's home or a thrift store, please follow the above instructions. Garage sale finds, like children's stuffed animals are also common hiding spots. Read the labels before purchasing, and if the items can't be machine washed and dried, then move on to the next sale.

Make diligence a habit. To protect yourself from bed bugs, other insects like roaches and lice, and infectious diseases, change and wash your clothes as soon as you get home.

Preventing Bed Bug Infestations At Home

If you suspect an issue at home, make sure that bed bugs are the problem. These bugs look like many other small insects. Look for telltale signs such as blood stains on bedding and tiny yellow specks, which are their discarded eggshells. Wash bedding and clothes in hot water, at least 120 degrees, and dry on the hottest setting for at least 30 minutes. Also, vacuum your mattress and box spring, carpets, floors, furniture, and the cracks and crevices they might get. They lay eggs daily that hatch about once a week, so it's an endless cycle if you do not disrupt it.

When You Need A Professional Bed Bug Exterminator

Even the most diligent DIY efforts often fail against these pervasive pests. To eradicate bed bugs, contact Walter Salazar Pest Control, Florida's top-rated bed bug specialist. We serve Collier, Charlotte, Hendry, and Lee Counties, and we would be happy to help you. Contact us today.