Avoiding Bed Bug Infestations

Unlike rodents and other insects and pests which work their way into your home from outdoors, bed bugs are different.

They must be physically brought in from something which is already infested. Buying second-hand furniture/bedding, or during travel, are just two of the more probably ways to pick them up. Being diligent about where you have been or the things you bring into your home are the areas where you need to be most diligent.

Avoid buying second-hand furniture -  and more particularly bedding items. The favorite hiding place for bed bugs is the seams and ticking of a mattress. Other hideouts can include the plush areas of couches, the screw holes in headboards and other wooden furniture. If you do not have any other choice but to buy second-hand things, then we would recommend that you do not bring them into your house for a while, but leave the outside. Clean or vacuum all the items carefully, and give them a very close inspection before you bring them into your home. Washable cushions and pillows should be put on the hottest setting possible, then dried in a tumble dryer or as high heat as possible.
If there are pillows or cushions that can be washed, do that in the hottest water possible and dry on high heat as well.

Follow these safeguards when traveling:

Hotels, and motels, hostels and dorms are just some of the places where you can pretty often find bed bugs. Why, because there is a high turnover of overnight guests. Bed bugs feed when you are sleeping, then in the morning, scurry back to their sheltered crevice. It could be that the shelter just happens to be your clothing, purse, souvenirs or even your luggage!

Examination:

Inspect the room with a flashlight.Heavy Duty LED flashlight are probably the best. Be sure to check out the bed and the furniture. Examine the four corners and underneath of the mattress. Eggs, body casings, digest blood which is brown in color and bugs are what you are looking for. Don’t overlook behind the headboard! Moreover, inspect all the crevices and screw holes too. Baseboards near the carpeting are a good place to check, as well as chairs. Include behind the bed in your inspection, large pieces of furniture, and the legs and any area which touches the floor.

Watch where you put your bags:

Do not place your luggage on the any upholstered furniture, under the bed or on the floor. . Leave your bags in a place as far away from the bed as you can. Keep your unworn clothing in a sealed bag, and whatever you are wearing, take it off and put it in another sealed bag or your luggage. You should always carry varying sizes of zip lock bags when you travel. They are handy for keeping your luggage and other items stored away so that no bed bugs can get in which means you do not take them back to your home.

High and Dry:

On your return from holiday, you should bring your laundry into your home in sealed plastic bags or a basket. You should then launder it and let it dry in the dryer on the hottest setting for at least 20 minutes, or well past the usual drying times.