According to the 2015 Bedbugs Without Borders survey, produced by
the NPMA and the University of Kentucky, bedbugs are "found seemingly
everywhere" and in higher numbers and in more places than ever before,
from day care centers to college dorms.
Even the cleanest of homes could become subject to bedbugs if
the home owners aren’t careful. They are present in all fifty states.
What makes things worse, is that bedbugs are difficult to remove
from a home once they are present. They hide in the most unusual places and
don’t respond to standard methods of pest removal, so the best thing anyone can
do is to try to prevent them from entering the home first. An infestation can
be both uncomfortable and expensive, with the going rate for extermination in
the $1,200 range.
Check The Environment
Bedbugs can hitch a ride home on clothing, suitcases, wood
furniture and more. If you are in a room with bedbugs, chances are they will
find a way to invite themselves to your house. Checking your environment for
the critters is the first step. Do a basic inspection of your hotel room,
visually inspecting the headboard, mattress, box spring and pulling back the
sheets. You may spot the begs themselves or little brown spots that indicate
their waste.
Unpack Outside
After a trip, unpack your suitcase in the garage and put them
through a hot wash or regular wash with a warm or hot dry cycle. If you suspect
a suitcase or bag to have possible contamination, seal it up, air tight in
a bag, and let it sit for two or more weeks.
Cover and Protect
Since one of the favorite places for bedbugs to hang out is the
mattresses (the better to crawl out at night and bite their victims),
protecting the mattress and box spring with encasements so they can’t get in.
You can also purchase a device that prevents bedbugs from climbing up to the
bed from the floor. While these steps won’t prevent bedbugs from getting
into your home, they will keep you safe from nighttime bites and make the issue
easier to remedy.
Be Careful with Second Hand Furniture
While most people wouldn’t think twice about not picking up a
used mattress, the real danger might be the cute chair left on the curb, the
great stool you found on Craigslist or the set of pretty wooden frames from the
Goodwill. Bedbugs have been known to hide in almost any porous surface or
crevice they can find, from a roll of wallpaper to a jewelry box. Be wary of
used items and inspect them thoroughly before bringing them home.
Act Quickly
Most bedbug infestations start out with just a few bugs, so if
you can get on top of the "beasties," you can prevent an invasion.
Regularly clean and inspect your home. Use a flashlight at night to check in,
around and under under the bed, behind the headboard and behind picture frames
and furniture. If you spot what you think is a bedbug, snag it with a piece of
clear tape and call an exterminator immediately. If bedbugs are confirmed,
quick treatment is crucial. Don’t try to tackle it by yourself, because you may
inadvertently spread the bugs.
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