Holiday Travelers can Avoid Bed Bugs

During the holidays, people traveling can bring bed bugs back home.  Online shopping also creates the possibility of the spread of bed bugs.  Bed bugs have become a national epidemic.  Suburban Exterminating is expertly trained to remove bed bugs from your home, but here are a few tips to avoid a bed bug infestation during the holidays.

When traveling, here are some tips to avoid bringing bed bugs home:

• Before you book a hotel, check any bed bug hotel registries to see if your hotel has been infested at any point within that last couple of weeks.  While many hotels do not get removed from these lists, you can see if there was a recent outbreak.
• Once in your hotel conduct a thorough inspection of area around the headboard.
• Keep all luggage and carry-on bags off the floors, beds and out of closets. The safest spots are a table or desk or the bathroom floor. If you have a garment bag, place it over the door and keep it zipped.  
• Don’t bring luggage inside your home.  Empty them outside.
• Wash all your clothes as soon as possible in hot water.

Online shopping has changed the way we shop for holiday gifts.  The convenience of not having to wait on long lines at malls while getting exactly what you need outweighs any shipping fees.  However, be careful when purchasing items from websites like eBay or Craigslist.  Non-retail sites or used goods could spread bed bugs.

• Pick an area in your home to inspect all delivered packages. Discard boxes and wrapping in a garbage bag.
• Avoid buying used clothes, bedding or furniture.  Wash these purchases as soon as possible if you do buy them online.
• Make sure you’re buying from a reputable source.

Because bed bugs are not a public health issue, most government agencies issue a “Buyer Beware” warning.  Be proactive in your bed bug protection, but be informed, as well.  There are many pesticides you can buy to get rid of bed bugs, but there are many dangers in self-application.  There is also no standardization in these pesticides, and the claims of the product do not have to be proven.

If your suspect that you have bed bugs, the best solution is to call Suburban Exterminating at (516) or (631) 864-6900.  The holidays can be stressful. Following these tips so hopefully you can avoid a bed bug infestation.  Happy Holidays from Suburban Exterminating!