The resurgence of bed bugs as a concern has left many people wondering how they can prevent bed bugs. At Canady’s Termite & Pest Control, we know it can be frustrating to have a preventative pest control plan in place and realize that didn’t stop you from getting bed bugs. Even ongoing pest control doesn’t help because bed bugs don’t invade your home from the outdoors. A barrier isn’t going to be useful for a pest that gets carried in. You can follow bed bug control protocols that can reduce your chance of a bed bug infestation.
- Be cautious when buying secondhand furniture- Inspect any furniture before bringing it into your home. It is rare to find bed bugs in new furniture, but they can hide in secondhand furniture, including beds, couches, chairs, and other upholstered furniture.
- Vacuum frequently- If a couple of bed bugs manage to find their way in, they’ll breed before long. You can nip that in the bud by vacuuming them up before they get the chance.
- Use mattress cover- Bed bugs will be deterred if you encase the mattress and box springs with a protective cover.
- Seal shared walls- If you live in an apartment, condo, townhouse, or otherwise have a shared wall, seal it up well, so your neighbor’s bed bug problem doesn’t become your bed bug problem.
- Careful using shared laundry- If someone else has bed bugs and you use the same laundry machines, you could bring home hitchhikers. A dryer does kill bed bugs, but only if on high heat.
- Inspect luggage- When returning from a trip, inspect your luggage thoroughly, preferably before bringing it into the house.
- Be observant- If you notice a bite, begin the search immediately. The sooner you start bed bug control, the smaller the infestation will be.