Learn More About Bedbugs

Bedbugs, they have been making headlines across the country the last few years and their population seems to be growing as they move from hotel to hotel and home to home. Once a very common problem in American homes, the widespread use of DDT in the 40’s and 50’s nearly eradicated them. Today, with the use of safer pesticides and the drastic increase in world travel, these pests have made a very successful comeback. If you are experiencing a bedbug infestation in your house, there probably wasn’t much you could do to prevent it once they made it into your home.

If you house is currently bedbug free, there is a great chance that you would like to keep it that way! There are some precautions you can take to ensure that you keep these pests out. If you found yourself staying in a hotel, the best thing you can do is inspect your room immediately after checking in. Do a once over of the mattress, box spring, and headboard. You need to keep an eye out for not only the bugs (which kind of look like small cockroaches) but small brown spots as well. If you don’t see anything but wake up in the morning with small red bug bites, there may be bedbugs present.

If you do experience bites from a night in a hotel room, don’t fear all is not lost. Once you return home, unpack your suitcase outside of your house. Take your clothes and immediately wash them in hot water or put them through a hot dryer. This will kill any bugs. Treatment of your suitcase will be a little trickier. The first step is to pick up some no-pest strips and disinfect your suitcase. After this is completed, seal your suitcase in a plastic bag for at least two weeks. These steps should help take care of any unwanted passengers.

While hotels may be the most common culprit for the transmission of bedbugs from one location to another: movie theaters, taxis or rental cars, and basically any other place where people may congregate can put you at risk. Bedbugs are attracted to both clean and not-so clean environments so once they crossed your doorway it would be tough to stop them regardless of the state of your home. If you do find yourself battling bedbugs, call in the big guns from Sunstate Pest. We have extensive experience with these persistent pests and will be able to help you!