If you’re planning on doing some traveling over the next few months, it’s important to be on the lookout for bed bugs. Since bed bugs are notorious travelers, it can be very easy for them to hide in your luggage or even your clothes and allow themselves to be carried into your home, and once bed bugs take up residence it’s extremely difficult to get rid of them.
If you think you have a bed bug problem in Hot Springs, have bed bug bites in Conway, or just need tips to get rid of bed bugs in Little Rock, Clark Exterminating can help. We’ve been getting rid of bed bugs around Little Rock for over 30 years, and we know that, while bed bugs are annoying and tenacious, we have the tools to get them out of your home and life.
Fortunately, the easiest way to get rid of bed bugs is to keep them out of your house in the first place. A recent National Pest Management Association (NPMA) survey showed that 75% of pest control professionals have encountered bed bug infestations in hotels and motels, but if you’re staying in a hotel there are some easy tips to make sure you don’t take any stowaways with you when you leave.
Where do bed bugs live?
Bed bugs primarily hide in the mattress, so if you’re at a hotel pull back the sheets and take a look at the seams (most of all the corners) for signs of bed bug infestation. If there is a problem, you will likely be able to see some bugs or stains and spots. If you do see something, tell management and find another room or hotel. However, if you change rooms make sure not to stay adjacent, above or below the infested room as those rooms have a high chance of containing bed bugs as well.
After looking at the most common bed bug habitat, the bed, you should continue to inspect the room for signs of bed bugs. In particular, you should look in the sofas, chairs, behind the headboard and around the curtains. You may even want to bring some plastic trash bags to store your luggage in to protect them from infestation.
How to keep bed bugs out of your home
Make sure that even if bed bugs hitched a ride in your suitcase or on your clothes they won’t be able to take up residence in the rest of your home. When unpacking your suitcase, take all clothes directly to the washer and wash them in hot water to get rid of all bed bugs. Also, you may want to vacuum or steam clean your suitcase. The most important thing is to keep bed bugs from getting in your closet, so these steps will help stop infestations in their tracks.
Unfortunately, sometimes even serious prevention techniques aren’t enough. If you have a bed bug infestation or are seeing bed bug bites around Central Arkansas, give Clark Exterminating a call today and let us give you back your home and peace of mind. Visit our blog for more pest prevention tips, our services page for a full list of what we do, or our contact us page to get in touch.