Unlike rodents, they don’t carry diseases. Their bites aren’t painful and there’s little evidence to suggest they have much effect on us at all. Nonetheless, bed bugs and bed bug bites are a complete nuisance. And one which is incredibly difficult to get rid of.
After a bed bug infestation, you’ll wake up with itchy, raised red marks all over your hands, neck, and back. They’re extremely uncomfortable. And by the time you notice the marks, it’s likely that bed bugs are already in your clothes, your luggage, and even your furniture. We all know somebody that’s come home from holiday with a bed bug horror story. Unfortunately, now it looks like you don’t even have to go on holiday to put yourself at risk of bed bugs in Canada.
How Does Canada Fit In?
The world is currently suffering something of a bed bug epidemic. Numbers are on the rise and these insects are being inadvertently transported to new places around the world. Canada is no different. Some of Canada’s biggest cities are featured on the list of North American cities worst affected by bed bugs. In Canada, Toronto is number one.
How Can You Avoid Bed Bugs?
So we’ve told you there’s a big bed bug problem – now how do you avoid them? First of all, you’d be wise to learn a little more about them. We’re not suggesting you do any college degrees on them, but learn about some of the most important bed bug habits and you’ll always be one step ahead. Be aware of where they hide during the day (i.e. your bed, sofa, luggage) and what they consume (that’ll be your blood).
In your home, avoid clutter – give them fewer places to hide. Make sure that you regularly clean your home and don’t leave piles of dirty laundry sitting around. If they infect a single item of clothing, they’ll soon have infected all of it.
When you travel on business or to visit friends, take extra care in new surroundings. Conduct a quick inspection of the new bed you’ll be staying in. If there are blood marks on the sheets, or worse, you actually see the bugs crawling around, then you’ll know to avoid it. Another good idea is to place your luggage on a raised platform. By leaving it on the floor, you’re making it an easy target for bed bugs. They may be effective crawlers and hitchhikers, but they aren’t known for their climbing skills.
Before you leave your vacation or your weekend home, make sure to check your luggage. Can you see bed bugs crawling around in your clothes? If so, deal with the problem where you are. If you bring an infected suitcase all the way home, you’ll be part of the problem in spreading these pests around the world.
The Truly Nolen Plan
If you do find bed bugs in your home, DIY treatment will not be effective. These pests are notoriously difficult to get rid of.
At Truly Nolen, we’ve spent a lot of time learning about how best to combat bed bugs. That helped us come up with our Bed Bug Control Program. Pests behave differently in each of Canada’s seasons, and our treatment plan adapts to that so that we can remove the pests from your home in a proactive way. Our Integrated Pest Management approach, along with our experienced and reliable technicians, guarantees to remove the bugs from your home. Not only that, we’ll futureproof the area and leave you with a much lower chance of ever seeing them again.