Home for the Holidays? How to Prevent Bed Bugs
The holidays are the busiest time of the year, and Thanksgiving is known as one of the most hectic times to travel. Bed bug infestations notoriously start after people come home from traveling, which is why it’s important to learn how to prevent bed bugs during the holiday season. Bed bugs are in hotels and can spread through suitcases, which is typically when they’re brought into homes. To prevent bed bug problems in your home, keep reading to learn expert tips from the team at New Mexico Pest Control.
Winter Bed Bug Behavior
Bed bugs are known to be extremely resilient pests and can survive under a number of conditions. Although they don’t hibernate, bed bugs may enter a state of diapause in extreme cold temperatures. For the most part, though, they are perfectly apt to live in your New Mexico home throughout the winter and all year long. To avoid the frustration of getting an infestation from your Thanksgiving trip, it’s crucial to prevent bed bug problems from starting in the first place.
4 Ways to Prevent Bed Bugs While Traveling
Whether you’ve booked a hotel, have an upcoming flight, or are simply packing a suitcase, it’s important to stay vigilant. There are a number of things you can do to prevent bed bugs while traveling:
- Do your research.
- Before booking a hotel room, look at the hotel’s reviews for any mentions of bed bug problems.
- Thoroughly inspect hotel rooms.
- Pull back the bed sheets to look at the mattress for live bed bugs or signs of past activity.
- Protect your suitcases.
- Always use a hard-case suitcase and protect clothes in plastic bags inside your suitcase.
- Place luggage on suitcase racks inside of hotel rooms to keep it above ground.
- Prevent bugs after your trip.
- Wash all clothing from your trip in hot water and dry on high heat.
- Ideally before bringing it indoors, steam-clean your suitcase and pay attention to the lining and pockets.
When to Call a Bed Bug Exterminator
If you’ve discovered the signs of bed bugs in your property after a trip this holiday season, it’s time to call your local bed bug exterminators right away. The team at New Mexico Pest Control can provide bed bug removal and will also help you learn how to prevent bed bugs in the future!
