“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!” Sadly, this isn’t just a saying anymore; it can be a reality. Bed bugs have become an increasing problem across the United States. They can pop up anywhere, from homes to apartments to five-star hotels.
What do bed bugs look like?
An adult bed bug is reddish brown, wingless, oval in shape, and about ¼ inch long. Some confuse them with ticks, but ticks have 8 legs and bed bugs have 6 legs.
Where do you look to see if you have bed bugs?
They do not live on people or animals. They do live in cracks, bedding, and voids near where people sleep or lie down (including headboards, seat cushions, and light switches). Pull up the corner of your bed mattress and look for live bugs, dark spots, or tiny whitish eggs.
How do bed bugs get into a home?
They can hitchhike or lay eggs in luggage, furniture, or any item that spent time in an infested room.
How do I prevent bed bugs?
- Anytime you check into a new hotel room, rent an apartment or house, or stay somewhere new, survey the room for infestation. It is not a sanitary issue – they can be found in upscale resorts or one star motels.
- Lift the mattress, box springs, any furniture where you will be resting, and upholstery to check for bugs.
- Pull your headboard away from the wall, especially if the headboard is made of wood.
- Elevate your luggage. Keep items off the floor. Make sure to inspect the hotel’s luggage rack – a metal rack is preferable to a wood rack. Pull the rack away from the wall.
- Check your luggage when packing and then again when unpacking at your next destination. Do this before bringing your luggage into your bedroom!
What do I do if I suspect I have bed bugs?
If you are on assignment, make sure to contact the building’s facility manager as well as your Account Manager right away. They can work with a professional to treat the infestation.
There are so many ways that bed bugs can enter a home, it’s a wonder that the epidemic hasn’t reached critical mass yet…
You can’t control bed bugs that you may encounter while traveling but, you can avoid bringing them into your home. 1) Pack clothes in plastic bags, seal, then place them in your suit case. 2) Do not bring luggage into your home.You can leave your luggage in your car in the summer for a couple of days.The intense heat will kill all stages of bed bugs.3)If its winter you can spray the luggage outside with 97% Isopropyl alcohol.Also spray the exterior of the plastic bags.Leave luggage in your car or garage.Once dry bring plastic bags inside and put your clothes in the dryer set on high.Dispose of the plastic bags outside.
Nice post. I travel for work all the time and stay at different hotels. I always check for bedbugs and always carry bedbug spray just in case. I was concerned about bringing bedbugs home with me. I did pretty good for awhile until now. So now I am looking for ways to get rid of these awful things. I have tried to bomb it but that didn’t work. I read in another article that I should steam clean the entire room. Hopefully that will work! @Garry, thanks for the great tips, I will definitely start following these tips from here on out. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you for this nice article. We are just a beginning company who makes bed furniture. This could be a necessary info to grant to our customers who will ask on a way to treat bed bugs!