Bed bugs are pesky critters that can be notoriously difficult to get rid of from one’s home. There are a number of reasons for this, and among the most well-known are the fact that they are silent and that they typically bite and feed at night. While there are a number of tips you can follow to try to prevent bed bugs from infesting your home, professional bed bug control services are the recommended solution if you already have a bed bug problem in your household. The likelihood of them spreading among people is greater in the summer due to the warm temperatures and the fact that’s when most people prefer to travel. Continue reading to learn more about prevention options for bed bugs during summer travel.

How To Keep Them From Coming Home With You

Bed bugs do not have the ability to fly, which means they hitchhike their way into people’s homes. They do this by hitching rides either on or in your luggage or your clothes. Here are some tips you can follow in order to minimize the chances of bringing these critters home with you from a summer trip:

• Wash your clothes thoroughly when you return from a trip
• ALWAYS perform a thorough inspection where you’re staying
• Get informed about bed bugs so you can properly identify them

Washing Your Clothes After A Trip

One of the safest things you can do to prevent bed bug infestations is to wash your clothes on the hottest temperature immediately after you return from a trip. This process will ensure any and all bed bugs that might be trying to hitchhike their way into your home are destroyed regardless of which stage of development they are in.

ALWAYS Perform An Inspection

Bed bugs can adapt to different environments incredibly well. This includes even the cleanest of environments, such as the home of a family member or friend and many other well-kept accommodations. Before bringing your luggage or clothes into a room, a thorough inspection should be completed on: pillowcases, sheets, upholstered furniture, outlet covers, baseboards, backboards, box spring seams and the mattress. Look for the presence of both adult and immature bed bugs, red or brown blood stains, tiny white eggs, shed insect skins, black patches and black streaks.

Know Your Enemy

You are less likely to see a bed bug when it reaches its adult stage. Before they venture out to find a blood meal, bed bugs will actually wait until the carbon dioxide levels in a room rise. The human body produces more carbon dioxide during sleep than when it is awake. That is why you are more likely to see an immature bed bug trying to feed on you if you are still awake. Telltale signs of bed bugs include a bright red abdomen (if it has already fed), a pale white body and six legs.

Need Help With Bed Bug Control? Simply Call Truly Nolen

There is plenty you can do to keep bed bugs from traveling home with you after a spring trip. If you should have an infestation after taking precautionary steps, a professional approach is the best course of action. When considering reliable and effective companies capable of tackling bed bug infestations that also have a proven track record, look no further than Truly Nolen. The company employs around 1,100 partners and services more than 150,000 customers annually, using only the safest pest control methods and techniques. Contact Truly Nolen today and let the professionals do the hard work.