Bed Bugs: Tips to Avoid an Infestation

Bed Bug
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Although bed bugs are fairly innocuous they are about as welcome in a home as a poisonous spider! If you do end up playing host to these unwanted houseguests the best thing to do is call an exterminator in Portland. Bed bugs are nearly impossible to get rid of on your own. With local outbreaks on the rise here are some tips to avoid bringing bed bugs home.

Bed Bugs in Portland

Check beds for eggs. If you are sleeping in any bed outside your own home check the crevices around the edge of the mattress. If you find small, dark brown or black specs about the size of ground pepper then you have located bed bug eggs. Stay away for any room where you find them.

Watch what you bring home. Of course, items that have spent time in a hotel, such as luggage, are at risk for having bed bugs tagging along on them, but anything that has been in someone else’s home is also a concern. Hand-me-down clothes, boxes of used books, old moving boxes—all are possible culprits. When you buy or are given used items, inspect them for bed bugs before bringing them into your home.

Be aware that visitors may bring in bed bugs. Kids coming home from dorm-housing as well as any person who stays the night mayl carry these critters inside. Be diligent about washing bed clothes as soon as it is politely possible. Continue to check the mattress and furniture for at least a week after the person leaves. Even dogs and cats can carry these in, so check the bedding and favorite lounging places where your pets hang out.

Be aware of the places bed bugs propagate. These insects like warm places and have been known to enter electronics. In general, however, the majority have been proven to be found within 15 feet of a bed. This means furniture around the bed, carpeting around heating vents. and any dry, warm place inside a bedroom are likely hosting places for bed bugs.

Portland Bed Bugs in Portland

If you are staying in a hotel, be prepared: Check the Bedbug Registry. Call ahead and ask what bed bug prevention is enforced at the facility. Locations with regular extermination targeting bed bugs is desirable. Inspect the room upon arrival. If your inspection turns up bed bugs, ask for a room at least two floors away. Take a plastic container to store your luggage in and keep it off the floor, bed, and furniture in the room.

Following these tips will go a long way toward keeping your home free of bed bug invasion. If you do find them in your home act quickly. Call for a free estimate and seek professional pest control in Portland right away.

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