How To Keep From Bringing Bed Bugs Into Your Fort Worth Home

Have you heard that bed bugs are only found in dirty homes? What would you say if we told you that bed bugs don't choose what homes they live in? It's true. Bed bugs spread passively. They don't come into your home, check to see if it has what they're looking for, and then go back outside if it doesn't. They're carried into your home by accident. A bed bug might climb into a duffel bag, bookbag, pocketbook, or a piece of luggage, and be carried home with you. A bed bug might climb into the pocket of your coat, pants, or shirt, and come home with you. A bed bug might be living inside a chair, and you may buy that chair and bring it home with you. Do you see how it works? Good. Because understanding how bed bugs get into your home will help you keep from bringing them home. Here are some prevention tips to help you keep your home free of bed bugs.

Bed Bug Prevention Tips

There are some places that are more likely to have bed bugs than others. When you're in these places, bed bugs can get into your stuff and you can bring them back home with you. Hotels, motels, resorts, cabins, even a bed and breakfast can be a hub for bed bugs. Any business that offers sleeping accommodations is at risk because bed bugs go from home to business to home.

Use these tips to prevent this from happening:

• Put your bags on the tiles in the bathroom, or leave them in your vehicle (if possible) as you take a moment to do a quick inspection of your room.
• Check the sheets and pillowcases for small black or brown stains. Inspect between the mattress and box spring for bed bugs, shed skins, white eggs, or dark stains. To be thorough, run a credit card along the seams of the mattress to dislodge skins, eggs, or bugs hiding in this tight space.
• Keep an eye out for bed bugs. They may be as small as 1 mm or as large as 4.5 mm. They may be pale, tan, or white. They have six legs and transparent skin that makes it possible to see blood or black feces inside their bodies.
• Keep an eye out for bites. Each individual bed bug bites several times, and bed bugs bite in the same region as a group. This makes bites look like a path across the skin.
• If a luggage rack is provided, we recommend using it. This will elevate your luggage and make it more difficult for bed bugs to get into it while it is open.
• Refrain from laying clothing on the bed or over a chair as this gives bed bugs a perfect opportunity to climb onto your clothes.
• Put laundry items in a sealed plastic bag; bed bugs are attracted to the scent of clothing that has touched the skin.
• When you return home, wash and dry all your clothes. The heat of a dryer is enough to kill bed bugs in all stages of development. Be sure to dry for at least 30 minutes.

Friends And Relatives

Be aware that bed bugs aren't only found in hotels and motels; they can also be found in the home of a friend or relative. It can take several months for a bed bug infestation to become obvious. If you spend the night somewhere, it's a good idea to use the prevention tips listed above to protect yourself from bringing bed bugs home with you.

Public Places

Despite popular belief, you don't have to spend the night somewhere to get bed bugs. You, your spouse, and your kids can pick bed bugs up in public places. There is no way to prevent this, but you can reduce the risk by keeping a careful watch for bed bugs or the warning signs bed bugs leave around while out in public.

Used Furniture

You can introduce bed bugs into your home by bringing a mattress, box spring, bed frame, furniture item, or electronic inside as these are common hiding spots for bed bugs.

Bed Bug Control In Fort Worth

If you ever find yourself dealing with a bed bug problem in your Fort Worth home, we can help! At White Knight Pest Control, we provide professional bed bug inspections and treatments in the Fort Worth area. We know what's required to effectively locate and eliminate bed bugs. For more information on our bed bug treatments, contact us today!