Prepare for Holiday Travel with these Bed Bug Prevention Tips

Prepare for Holiday Travel with these Bed Bug Prevention Tips

Nov 4, 2016 | Bed Bug

While many of us are planning vacations or trips to visit family for the upcoming holiday season, bed bugs are planning their vacation too, as unwanted guests that hitchhike their way into your home from hotel rooms, rented houses & condos, families’ houses, and college dorms. So what can you do to minimize your risk? Follow these bed bug prevention tips:

Inspect your accommodations. Check your hotel room or rental for signs of bed bugs before bringing your luggage in. From high end hotels to small B&Bs or rental homes, any property has the potential to be bed bug infested – so it’s important to check every type of accommodation. Bed bugs can be found in furniture (usually cracks & crevices), including beds, end tables, sofas & chairs, dressers, etc. Be especially sure to check around mattress corners, looking for evidence of bed bugs – usually distinguished by very small, dark-colored stains. Another indication of bed bugs is skin shells that have been shed during their growth phases.

If you suspect that your room has bed bugs, ask to be moved or consider another hotel or rental.

Even if you find no traces of bed bugs, be careful when unpacking your clothing. Use provided luggage racks rather than placing suitcases on the beds or furniture or thoroughly inspect dressers before placing clothing in drawers.

Don’t unpack when you return home. Resist the urge to bring your luggage inside your home when returning from a trip. Instead, unpack outside of your home, wash all clothing right away and be sure to run everything through a high-heat dryer cycle (bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures). Then store suitcases outside if possible, like in your garage or a storage closet. Another option, if you don’t have anywhere to keep luggage outside your home, is to seal suitcases in large, plastic storage bags before bringing inside.

If you’re experiencing bed bug bites or seeing evidence of bed bugs, contact a professional bed bug control company to access the situation. DIY bed bug control is not recommended; an exterminator can determine the best treatment plan and give you recommendations to prevent future infestations.

Bed Bug Awareness Week

Apr 21, 2014 | Uncategorized

Bed Bug Awareness Week

This week (April 20-26) is Bed Bug Awareness Week.  It’s a week to spread awareness about bed bugs and what people can do to prevent bed bug infestations.

It’s no secret that bed bugs are one of the hardest pests to control, even by pest professionals.  They are easily transported by hiding in handbags, luggage, etc., are quick to reproduce, and can be difficult to see with the naked eye.  Even though they can be difficult to treat, rest assured, that they can be treated by a knowledgeable, highly trained pest control professional.

Throughout the next few months people will begin to travel more and it is important that people are educated and aware of the steps to take to prevent bed bugs.  This is where Bed Bug Awareness Week and Northwest Exterminating come in to help!

What can you do to prevent bed bugs?

  • Be aware of what bed bugs look like (here).
  • When traveling, do not put luggage on the bed or on the floor.  Use a luggage rack.
  • Pull back the corner of the mattress cover to check mattress seams for signs of bed bugs.
  • Check sheets and pillows for signs of bed bugs.
  • When returning home, leave luggage outside and wash all clothes in hot water.
  • Contact a pest professional if you think you may have a bed bug infestation in your home.  A highly trained professional will be able to quickly identify the problem and develop a customized solution for your infestation.

For more tips on how to prevent bed bugs visit our past blogs for helpful tips:

How to Protect Yourself from Bed Bugs on Spring Break
The 411 on Bed Bugs
The Dreaded Hitchhikers…The Bed Bugs

 

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