Bed bugs are a common pest that can be found throughout North America. These insects can invade your home and feed on the blood of both humans and pets, but calling our Kitchener bed bug control team can help eradicate them. After treatment, there are a few steps you can take to prevent re-infestation and ensure you do not accidentally invite these creatures into your home again.

1. Inspect Previously Infected Areas 

Once we treat your home, remain vigilant about watching for any signs of adult bed bugs, moulted shells or the smaller larvae. Adult bed bugs are usually easier to see, as they are light brown or rust-coloured, especially after a recent blood meal. A few weeks after treatment, inspect mattresses, carpets and areas around the previous infestation.

If you keep your pet’s bedding in your bedroom, wash or replace it to ensure no bed bug larvae are hiding in the seams or in the pile. You could suffer a re-infestation if any new insects hatch there.

2. Vacuum Often 

Once treatment is complete, it is a good idea to vacuum throughout your home, as this could pick up any lingering or dying adults and their eggs. Empty the canister away from your home, such as into an outdoor dumpster, to ensure what you vacuumed up does not have the chance to re-enter your home.

If you own a vacuum with a removable canister, consider washing and rinsing it thoroughly after each time you use it. If you have a vacuum that uses disposable bags, remove and dispose of them right away.

3. Buy a Mattress Seal  

Calling us for bed bug control can eliminate the insects living in your mattress, but if you decide to replace it, you may want to buy a plastic mattress seal as well. These enclosures have zippers that cover your mattress and box spring to keep bed bugs out and protect the bed for up to a year or more.

As you shop for a mattress seal, look for those designed with zippers specifically to keep bed bugs out. These insects are small and can squeeze their way into sealants with larger zippers, so shop carefully to provide your new mattress with the best protection possible.

4. Travel Wisely 

Many families pick up bed bugs when they travel, as these bugs will hitchhike on luggage, in clothing and in the storage compartments of trains, planes and buses. Once they reach your home, they find a host and start to breed, which causes the eventual infestation. If you plan to travel, read hotel and resort reviews before you leave to ensure any locale you visit does not have a bed bug problem.

Once you return home, wash all your clothing immediately and check the seams of your luggage for any hitchhiking bedbugs. Wash the exterior of your suitcases and travel bags and then seal them in plastic for future use, as this can suffocate any lingering bugs.

5. Avoid Buying Used Furniture

While you might love a bargain, a used recliner or sofa may come with tiny uninvited guests that could invade your home. Unless a piece of furniture has been sealed in plastic since its purchase, it is difficult to know whether it might be housing bed bugs, so consider avoiding used furniture or shop for deals with extreme caution.

If you do buy a piece of used furniture, have it steam cleaned to ensure any bed bugs hiding out in the seams are eradicated. You may want to store the item in plastic in an outdoor shed or storeroom until you can clean it thoroughly.

You may worry about suffering a re-infestation of bed bugs once we treat your home. However, taking a few steps to keep them away can ensure that these pests do not return. Contact us today for more information on how we can help.