The introduction of pesticides nearly eradicated bedbugs. For years, many homes have been spared from bedbug infestation. However, when traveling became much easier and staying at places that have a high customer turnover became the norm for travelers, there has been an increasing rate of bedbug infestation across the country. This is because bedbugs are known hitchhikers that easily hitch a ride on a traveler’s luggage. If he happened to stay at a bedbug-infested hotel, there is a very high likelihood of bringing home a number of these pests. A few bedbugs could easily become an infestation if steps are not done to eliminate them immediately. Furthermore, because of environmental issues, many homeowners have stopped using pesticides that do more harm than good.
You can prevent bedbug infestation from happening in the first place. Here are some ways to keep bedbugs out of your home.
A Clean Home
Before anything else though, bedbugs don’t infest a home simply because it’s dirty. In fact, these pests don’t discriminate between a clean and a dirty house. As long as there’s a steady supply of nourishment, their population will flourish. However, this doesn’t mean that a clean home won’t help prevent bedbug infestation. What a clean home does is to help you detect the presence of bedbugs earlier. The earlier you detect their presence, the easier for you to control their population and eliminate them completely.
A Wise Traveler
As mentioned earlier, the most common way for bedbugs to infest a home is by traveling. You unknowingly pick them up at an infested hotel room and inadvertently bring them home with you. To avoid this, you have to be a wise traveler. This means inspecting the bed and mattress as well as the surrounding areas for bedbug infestation before you put your luggage down. If you see specks of blood on the mattress and draperies as well as insect shells on the floor, bed, mattress, wall, furniture, etc., then ask for another room.
Don’t put your luggage down as soon as you enter the room. If you have to place your bags down, then keep them as far away from the bed as possible. In fact, it’ll be better if you leave them by the door first and then inspect the room if it’s free from bedbugs.
Since bedbugs usually hide in cracks, crevices, and other small places that light doesn’t touch, you can shine a flashlight over these areas to locate them. As soon as the light hits them, they’ll scamper away and look for a new hiding place away from the light. You won’t be able to miss them then.
A Prepared Home
You can also make necessary steps to protect your home against these pests. There are mattress encasements that you can purchase. These can protect your mattress from bedbugs since they are tightly sealed, giving bedbugs no space to infest the mattress. Of note though; encasements like this don’t kill the bedbugs but only protect your mattress from them.
If the bedbug infestation is so severe, then hire a pest control company. Not only can they get rid of the pests effectively and safely, but their product also lasts a long time, protecting your home for months.