Bed Bugs are an indoor pest so why do bed bug cases rise rapidly in the summer months? Most importantly, how can I help keep my home or business free from bed bugs?
Bed Bugs swarm in warm…
With temperatures in the mid 60’s it takes bed bugs much longer to grow to maturity and reproduce. Compared to temperatures in the mid 80’s, their maturation process rapidly accelerates. What used to take 3 months to reach maturity, now only takes as little as 3 weeks!
Bed Bugs love to travel!
These pests can be found in hotels, summer camps, movie theaters, etc. then they return home with you as they attach themselves to your luggage, bags, and clothing.
Traveling Tips…
1. Check the history of bed bugs before you book
You can go online and see if the hotel you want to stay at has had any bed bug complaints or history of bed bug activity. Some good sites are: Trip advisor, Google maps, and the bedbug registry. If you see 1 negative review from over 6 months ago, it might not necessarily be a bad thing. Sometimes negative reviews encourage hotels to do pro-active bed bug inspections and/or remediate an existing problem. Stay away from hotels that have multiple negative reviews or very recent bed bug complaints. And finally, when checking in, ask if there was a history of bed bugs in the room. If the response is “we cannot disclose this information,” think twice before bringing your belongings into the room.
2. Inspect your room before unpacking
Inspect the mattress by removing the sheets and carefully examining the seams of the mattress and headboard. You’re not only looking for live bed bugs but also evidence of bedbugs which includes blood spots, fecal matter, and eggs.
3. Don’t put your luggage on the bed or in the drawers.
Bed bugs stay close to the location of their sleeping hosts; more specifically, the bed. Store your bags in the closet or even the bathroom. Try to put souvenirs in a sealed plastic bag. This will help prevent any unwanted stowaways when you travel home.
4. Keep laundry Separate
Store dirty laundry and any clothes you wear in your hotel room in plastic bags. If the clothes you wore did happen to come in contact with bed bugs, they will be separate from everything else, and they can be washed in hot water when you return.
5. Do the Laundry before taking luggage in
When you return home, wash and dry all of your dirty laundry. DO NOT bring your suitcase in the house; leave it outside or in the garage! Inspect your suitcase for bugs. Clean clothes can be run through the dryer on the hottest setting for 30 minutes.
If you suspect you may have bed bugs Contact Us Immediately for an Inspection! 614-747-3463 [email protected]
Garage Sales, Second Hand Stores, and movie theaters…
1. Clothing and fabrics
Treat clothing from 2nd hand stores, garage sales, and movie theatres, or other possibly infested garments like step 5 from above. Put your new treasures in plastic bags and launder them immediately. If possibly, launder purses as well.
2. Stay away from upholstered furniture
Unless you have us inspect before bringing into the house, buying upholstered furniture is very risky. Inspect wooden chairs and tables before bringing them inside as well. (Pay special attention to cracks and crevices, if possible disassemble first.)
3. No Dumpster diving!
If it’s in a dumpster or garbage can: leave it there! Even if it’s in perfect condition, the previous owner may have thrown it away because it is infested with bed bugs.
If you think you may have a bed bug issue, don’t hesitate to contact us immediately! Our highly trained bed bug scent detection canines can sniff out even the earliest stages of bed bugs, even the pesky eggs! 614-747-3463 [email protected]
Daisy Inspecting a home for Bed Bugs
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