Experiencing a bed bug infestation in your home is enough to be left terrified of them coming back after extermination. This is why you should spend time learning how you can prevent them from coming back into your home.
It is given that these critters are attracted to the carbon dioxide your body emits. If ever you are visiting or staying in other places that are possibly infested, it is inevitable to attract them. The next thing you’ll know, one or two bugs have latched onto your belongings and came home with you. Since you are not aware that you brought them home, another infestation is bound to happen in no time.
Ways to Prevent Bedbugs from Returning
Being able to kill bed bugs shouldn’t be an assurance that another bed bug infestation will never happen. You should not stop protecting your home from these bugs even after a thorough extermination service. Thus, the need for you to make efforts in preventing new critters from entering your home and start another problem.
The following are different ways how you can contract these bugs and tips to prevent another bed bug problem:
Pets
Aside from you, the fastest way for these critters to enter your home is by hitching rides on your pets. They can also be hitching on pests around your home like rats or sometimes from birds. Since bedbugs can also feed on these animals, there is a high chance that your pets bring them home.
So, what can you do if you suspect that your pets have these bugs? The first thing that you should do is check for any bed bug bite. These bite marks look similar to what appears on humans.
Check your pet’s bedding and wash them in hot water and dry at high heat setting. Toys with holes should be thrown away. You might not see them on your pets’ bodies, but they are most likely hiding in their beds.
Hotels and Cruise Ships
Hotels and cruise ships are almost similar since people have to stay in rooms while away from home. Various people from different places obviously stayed in these rooms and possibly left bed bugs during their stay. Though these establishments use pest management products and pest control services, it may not always guarantee a bedbug-free room.
When entering a room, check the mattress and box spring for any signs of bed bugs. Look for bloodstains, fecal matters, eggs, and other obvious evidence that these insects have been or are still in the room. If there is a metal luggage rack, move it away from the wall and put your bags on it.
Don’t forget to also check the bed frames as well as every piece of furniture in the room. As soon as you notice signs in the mattress or box springs, request for a new room immediately.
Putting clothes in plastic bags before throwing them in your luggage can protect your clothes. This is an advice from the New York City Health Department’s bed bug advisory site.
As soon as you arrive home, throw your clothes in the washer or dryer in the highest heat setting. This will kill all the adult bugs and their eggs. Make sure that you also heat-treat your luggage to kill the remaining bugs hiding in it.
Public Transit
Seeing these reddish-brown insects crawling on seats or any part of any public vehicle is terrifying. Owners may try to eliminate bed bugs through different services. However, it’s ideal that you know how to prevent bed bugs when using public transport.
It is very common for any public modes of transport to have bed bugs. People from all walks of life ride on these, which make them susceptible to an infestation. Thus, making these vehicles a moving home for bed bugs.
So, what should you do? When riding public transit, it is highly recommended that you examine the seats first before sitting. If you are suspecting any bed bug problem, you can just stay standing up than contract the bugs.
Public Establishments
It can be a part of every public establishment to get pest control companies to keep pest-free surroundings. If ever pests are discovered, they also contact these companies to get rid of bed bugs as soon as possible. Each establishment has a protocol done to control and deal with an infestation.
Though establishments may conduct regular inspections and treatments, some bugs still survive and hitch on customers or even employees. Whether it is in the mall, movie theatre, or offices, you can contract these bugs hiding in cracks and crevices. You can also consider hospitals, schools, and universities as public establishments. These are possible breeding places for these bugs as every person may also bring in bed bugs from their homes.
What you can do to prevent bringing them home is by going straight in the laundry area. Put your clothes in the dryer and set it at its hottest temperature before you enter your room. If you have children coming home from schools or universities, you should also do the same with their clothes. Check their bags and luggage for any signs of reddish brown bugs.
Having a thermal container can be used to heat-treat delicate items and those that can’t fit in your dryer. This is also handy equipment when heat-treating any items you bring home from public establishments. This is one way to prevent bugs or even their eggs from escaping and spreading in your home.
Using Passive Monitors after Treatments
If you got extermination services or patiently used pest control products, it is advisable that you use passive monitors. These are products that can help detect any remaining bugs in your home and capture them. You can use them for as long as you want to continuously detect the activities of these pests. Regardless of the success rate, it is ideal that you don’t stop with the initial result.
Passive monitors also act as a detector in case another infestation is starting. Once you’ve installed these products, check them regularly to stay updated of the bed bug situation in your home. See to it that you place them in strategic places to make sure that you can capture any new critters.
In addition, regular inspection of common hiding spots will also help in detecting the presence of these bugs. Remember that early detection helps in eliminating bed bugs before a full-blown infestation breaks out. Make it a habit to check your beds and use detectors and monitors to stay updated of bed bug activities, if there are any.
