Calls for bed bug removal hit their high this time of year as students return to school. These common pests are accomplished hitchhikers that can easily catch a ride from an infested area to a new location on a coat or backpack.
The EPA recommends a few ways to prevent them from getting into your home in the first place, and Everett Milberger Pest Control is here for your bed bug removal needs if you suspect they are already there.
Inspect Backpacks And Jackets Thoroughly
One of the most likely ways of bringing bed bugs into your home is from personal items that have been stored with other people’s items. Thoroughly inspect any clothing or bags kept in a common area during the day for signs of them before bringing them back home. Look for reddish or rusty stains on light-colored pieces caused by bedbugs being crushed, or dark spots of excrement that bleed like a marker.
You should also look for live bedbugs and their eggs and shells, which are only about 1mm and have pale yellow skins that the nymphs shed as they grow. Adult bedbugs are very small, about the size of a tick. In fact, they are often mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches, which sometimes delays identification and treatment.
Wash And Dry In High Heat
Clothing should be washed and run through the dryer on high heat when you return home. If you use shared laundry facilities, you should carry your laundry in a plastic bag. Remove laundry from the dryer directly into a new plastic bag if you suspect an infestation, and fold your clothes at home.
Bed Bugs Thrive In Clutter
Clutter serves as an ideal hiding place for bedbugs. Clean up any clutter in your home, and avoid cluttered areas where you suspect an infestation or cannot thoroughly inspect at school or the office. Vacuum your home frequently, and if you suspect bedbugs may have caught a ride in, dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.
Use Bed Bug Proof Covers On Mattresses And Box Springs
Beds, obviously, are a bed bug’s habitat of choice. Use a high-quality, tear-resistant protective cover that encloses your mattress and box springs to eliminate many of their hiding spots. The cover’s light coloring makes the bugs easier to see, and you should inspect it frequently for holes as well as signs of bedbugs. You can also purchase a cover that is pre-treated with pesticides to control bed bugs.
Your Bed Bug Removal Experts
Bed bug removal is practically impossible to successfully DIY, but the experts at Everett Milberger Pest Control are here to help. Bed bugs can be difficult to identify and even harder to get rid of. Our technicians are specially trained to thoroughly inspect your home or business to find all the places they may be hiding and determine how best to target and treat the sites where they are located, then provide you with a quote at no cost or obligation to you.
If you suspect that you may have bed bugs in your home or business, click here or call us right away for a free inspection.
