Bedbugs have been on the rise lately, and according to sources like the CDC, it could be due to increased international travel and the bug’s growing resilience to common pesticides. One of the most proactive things you can do is to protect your home from invasion. Here are some ways to prevent bedbugs in Charlotte, NC.
Protecting Your Home
Bedbugs don’t come into your house uninvited. Someone unknowingly brings them in. So the first way to protect your home is by being extra vigilant with objects you bring into your house.
- Always check furniture, mattresses, couches, and clothes for bedbugs or bed bug residue.
- Vacuum often to remove any eggs, larvae, or bedbugs that may be around.
- If you use a communal laundry area then inspect the equipment before you use it and do not place your clothes on the tables or floors. Instead, transport your laundry by bags; one set of bags to bring your clothes and another set of bags to take clean clothes home in.
- Dry all of your laundry on high heat. This kills any bedbugs or eggs.
- Reduce clutter inside of your home so that bedbugs are easier to spot and have fewer places to hide.
- When traveling, always inspect the room you are staying in for signs of an infestation.
- Never put your luggage on or near the bed when traveling. Instead, hang clothes up in the closet or on wall hooks.
- When bringing luggage home, take your clothes and immediately wash and dry them on high heat.
If you fear you may already have bed bugs then here are some tips to help you.
Finding A Bed Bug
Bed bugs are small insects, about 5 mm long, and typically the size of an apple seed. They are oval in shape and brown or red. Their bodies are flat and they crawl along the cracks and creases of your mattress. Bed bugs cannot fly. If you think you found a bedbug, the best thing for you to do is take it to an experienced exterminator for identification. If you do have bed bugs then it is important to start preparing for bed bug treatment services. Early detection and aggressive action against bed bugs is the best path to bed bug extermination.
Preparing For Treatment
Experienced exterminators will have you prepare your house before they begin bed bug treatment.
Here is a list of common things you can do to get ready for your bed bug treatment services:
- Wash all bed sheets, blankets, clothing, and towels and dry them on high heat. High heat from a drier will kill bedbugs and any eggs or larvae they leave behind.
- Vacuum all areas of your floor and mattress thoroughly and empty the bag outside of your house immediately.
- Steam-clean your mattress, fabric furniture, carpets, and rugs.
- Use an encasement for your mattress and box spring. Good encasement will trap bedbugs and make it easier for you to spot any that do get on your bed.
These steps alone will not solve your infestation. Exterminating bed bugs is a long, difficult process that requires diligent cleaning and various bed bug treatment services. Hiring an experienced exterminator is the best way to make sure you get rid of bedbugs.