How To Prevent Bed Bugs
If you live in Los Angeles, preventing a bed bug infestation is important to maintain a comfortable and healthy living space. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to prevent bed bugs from invading your home.
First, be cautious when traveling. Inspect hotel rooms and vacation rentals for signs of bed bugs, such as brown or red stains on bedding or furniture, or small brown insects. Keep your luggage off the floor and away from the bed, and consider using luggage liners or plastic bags to protect your belongings.
Second, be careful when purchasing used furniture or clothing. Inspect these items for signs of bed bugs before bringing them into your home.
Third, keep your home clean and clutter-free. Bed bugs can hide in cluttered areas, so reducing clutter can make it easier to detect and eliminate an infestation.
Fourth, consider using a bed bug mattress cover to protect your bed from infestation. These covers can help prevent bed bugs from nesting in your mattress and make it easier to detect and eliminate any infestation that does occur.
Lastly, if you do suspect a bed bug infestation in your home, seek professional help immediately. Bed bugs can reproduce rapidly, and the longer you wait to address the problem, the more difficult and expensive it will be to eliminate.
Remember, preventing a bed bug infestation is much easier than correcting one. Taking these preventative measures can help keep your home bed bug-free and give you peace of mind.
Avoid Bed Bugs While Traveling in Los Angeles
Don’t let bed bugs ruin your vacation memories! When staying in a hotel or other accommodations away from home, take precautions to avoid bringing bed bugs back with you. Here are some tips to help prevent bed bug infestations:
Check for Signs of Bed Bugs: Before settling into your room, inspect the bedding, bed frames, and mattresses for small black stains. Pay close attention to cracks and seams. Be sure to lift the mattress and box spring and check the underside seams for bed bugs.
Protect Your Luggage: If the hotel provides a luggage rack, inspect it before use and keep all luggage elevated off of the floor. Never put your suitcase on the bed or floor.
When You Return Home: Take these steps to prevent bringing bed bugs home with you:
- Initially, put your luggage outside, including purses, diaper bags, and portable cribs.
- Empty the contents, such as clothes, into plastic bags.
- Wash and dry all clothes and linens on the highest heat possible.
- Place the empty suitcase into a large black plastic bag.
- Place the bagged suitcase in the sun to cook for several days.
- Flip the bagged suitcase twice a day to ensure thorough heating.
- Keep the suitcase sealed in the bag until the next use.
If you suspect that bed bugs were present at the hotel where you stayed, contact a pest control professional to treat your luggage before bringing it back into your home. Remember, preventing bed bugs is far easier than treating a bed bug infestation.
Prevent Bringing Bed Bugs Home From Work in Los Angeles
If your workplace has a bed bug infestation, it’s crucial to follow these steps to avoid bringing bed bugs home with you.
Decontamination Procedures:
Our team members will set up a decontamination area on your property, ideally in the garage or laundry room. After work, strip your work clothes and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Wash contaminated clothes and dry them on the hottest setting in the dryer. Follow linen sanitation instructions. Take a shower to remove any bed bugs that may be on your person, paying attention to any bugs that may fall off during the shower.
Other Tips:
Have a designated work bag that does not enter your property past the decontamination area. Have designated work shoes that do not enter your property past the decontamination area. Park your vehicle in the sun with the windows up to kill any bed bugs that may be inside. We can also pre-treat your vehicle to kill any bed bugs that may be introduced.
How to Sanitize Your Linens to Prevent a Bed Bug Infestation
Sanitizing your linens is crucial to prevent bed bugs from invading your home. Here are some tips for sanitizing your linens:
- Seal your linens in trash bags before entering your home or the washing facility. This prevents bed bugs from escaping into your home.
- Place the bag inside the washing machine and untie the top.
- Reach around the outside of the bag and grab near the bottom.
- Pull upward on the bag from the bottom and let the clothes slide out of the bag.
- When the bag is empty, immediately grab the open end and seal the empty bag. Bed bugs may be hiding in the empty bag.
- Immediately remove the empty sealed bag from your home and dispose of it to prevent bed bugs from escaping.
Following these steps will help to ensure that your linens are sanitized and free of bed bugs.