When families travel in the summer, so do bed bugs. These tiny little bugs and their eggs will easily attach themselves to your luggage and clothing and hitch a ride right back home with you at the end of your travels. The good news about bed bugs is that the pros at Big Blue Bug Solutions have seen it all; we know how to deal with any size bed bug problem and can eliminate these pests for you once and for all. Our pros would like to share some of the simple tips we know to help you prevent bringing bed bugs home with you, should you happen to encounter these little pests during your summertime travels.
Here’s what you need to remember while traveling and staying hotels or motels:
- Do a careful room inspection. Before you even bring your bags into the room, it is a good idea to do a thorough inspection. This means checking not just the bed but any upholstered furniture, nightstands, dressers, areas under carpets or rugs, even behind hanging artwork for bed bugs. They stay well hidden during the day so a simple check of the mattress is not likely to show any signs of a bed bug infestation.
- Keep your belongings in your suitcase. Once you arrive to your lodging, keep your clothing inside your suitcase rather than unpacking it and using the dressers provided. Bed bugs can be living in furniture throughout the room, especially if they can find a dark and well hidden spot.
- Wash all clothing when you arrive home. As soon as you walk in the door, toss all of your clothing into the washer and then the dryer to kill off any live bed bugs or even bed bug eggs that have hitched a ride on your clothing in your suitcase or even on the clothes on your back.
- Inspect and vacuum your suitcases before storing them. Give your suitcase a thorough inspection and also vacuum it out to make sure that no bed bugs make it back into your home.
- Continue to inspect your own home for bed bugs. It can take a while for bed bug infestations to really show up so even after you are home from vacation, continue to inspect the bedrooms of your home for bed bugs just as you did in the hotel.
If you notice any signs of bed bugs in your home including small spots of blood on your pillows or sheets, shed bed bug skins, or if you are waking to itchy welts on your skin, please contact Big Blue Bug Solutions right away! The sooner you can have your home inspected and treated by a pest control professional, the less chance there will be for bed bugs to become a serious problem throughout your home. With a little bit of time, a bed bug infestation can become well established, which will make it even harder to control these pests. With a busy summer season ahead, make sure you stay bed bug savvy to avoid an infestation!
Call us today to learn more about our bed bug control services and to schedule an appointment for a bed bug inspection if you suspect you’ve picked up bed bugs during your summer travels. Even if you’ve not been traveling, it’s still possible to bring these pests home with you from public spaces, or for them to be introduced into your home on a piece of furniture or even a house guest. The professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions know all about bed bugs and can help identify and treat an infestation immediately.