Bed bugs in the Kansas City area are now common, and they are good at hitchhiking. They can move from an infested area to a new location on bedding, furniture, boxes, clothing, and luggage. The EPA recommends a few ways to keep them from entering your home.
Beds are the most obvious favorite spot for bed bugs in Kansas City. 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 bed bugs. You can also purchase a cover that is pre-treated with pesticide to control bed bugs.
One of the most likely ways of bringing bed bugs into your Kansas City home is on second hand furniture. Thoroughly inspect used furniture, especially in seams and between cushions, for signs of them before bringing it into your home. Look for reddish or rusty stains on light colored pieces caused by bed bugs being crushed or dark spots of excrement that bleed like a marker. You should also look for live bed bugs and their eggs and shells, which are only about 1mm and have pale yellow skins that the nymphs shed as they grow.
You should also inspect all bedding and furniture when traveling, as bed bugs can travel back to Kansas City in your luggage. 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 infestation, and fold your clothes at home. Luggage should be sealed into a plastic bag for several months to a year, as bed bugs can survive that long without feeding.
Clutter serves as an ideal hiding place for bed bugs. Clean up any clutter in your home, and avoid cluttered areas in places you suspect an infestation or are unable to thoroughly inspect like offices and schools. Vacuum your home frequently, and if you suspect bed bugs may have caught a ride in, dispose of the vacuum bag immediately.
Bed Bugs in Kansas City homes are nearly impossible to remove on your own, but the experts at Everett Milberger Pest Control are here to help. If you suspect an infestation, call us at (816) 761-1313 in Missouri or (913) 384-6760 in Kansas right away for a free inspection.
