What's That On The Bed? How To Avoid Bedbug Infestations This Summer

Summer is synonymous with vacation travel. Unfortunately, the more you travel—and the more guests you have in your home—the more likely it is that you'll come in contact with bed bugs. If you've ever dealt with bedbugs before, you know how difficult they can be to get rid of. If you've never had to deal with bedbugs before, you definitely don't want to start. They're nasty creatures that will invade your home and take months to get rid of. Now that summer is on the way, here are four steps you should take to make sure that bedbugs don't invade your space.

Take Care When You Travel

Whenever you travel, you run the risk of coming in contact with bedbugs, especially when you stay in hotels. Unfortunately, hotels are notorious for having bedbug problems. This problem isn't due to uncleanliness, but rather due to the sheer number of guests that come through. To avoid bringing bedbugs home with you, it's important that you follow a few simple safety procedures, including the following:

• Keep suitcases off of beds and floors

• Hang your clothing up

• Place dirty clothing in ziplock baggies

Take Precautions With House Guests

If you're going to be having out-of-town guests staying at your home—or your children will be having sleepovers—it's crucial that you take the appropriate steps to avoid a bedbug infestation. You never know when guests are going to carry bedbugs into your home in their personal bedding. The best way to avoid that is to provide the bedding for your guests. That way, you know the bedding isn't infested, and you can wash it all in hot water as soon as your guests leave.

Avoid Bringing Used Furniture Into Your Home

During the spring and summer, many communities offer large-item pickup dates through their local trash companies. It's also the time of year when more people are hosting yard sales. If you like to find bargains and bring them home, be sure to avoid bringing upholstered furniture home with you. The furniture could be infested with bedbugs.

Call an Exterminator at the First Sign of Bedbug Activity

When it comes to bedbugs, one of the little creatures is too much. Now that the vacation season is about here, it's time to start inspecting your home for bedbug activity. You should be checking your beds at least once a week. Your weekly inspections should include checking your sheets for small spots of blood, about the size of a pin drop. You should also check the seams of your mattress for signs of the bugs. If you notice anything that resembles bedbug activity, you need to call an exterminator at a company like Arab Termite and Pest Control right away. Waiting too long to resolve the problem could result in a full-blown infestation.