If you're planning on visiting, traveling, or otherwise staying the night at any location other than your home, you will be risking a potential bed bug exposure for the rest of the year. Bed bugs are one of those dangers that are constantly around but rarely remembered. There was a short time in the mid-1900s where their activity became almost extinct, but with the rise of big cities and the fall of more traditional (and more toxic) treatment programs, this household menace is seeing a renaissance of untold proportions.
Here in the Salt Lake City area, the threat of bed bugs is becoming more and more frequent. It doesn’t take a dirty or unkempt home to attract these creatures to your neighborhood. In fact, all bedbugs really care about is a place to hide, a place to sleep, and a warm body on which to feed. Bed bugs are particularly bad apples, and quickly transfer from person to person in almost any environment. It’s a scary reality that could happen to anyone. It could even happen to you.
Bed bug infestations usually start when a victim comes into contact with an ‘infected’ substance. These substances are often linens or fabrics stored in areas with lots of human traffic, which pest professionals refer to as ‘bed bug hot spots.’ A shortlist of these hot spots include:
- Motels, hotels, and Air BnB’s
- Train stations, airport terminals, and bus stations
- Educational areas such as colleges, universities, and elementary schools
Bed bugs are often carried into homes on luggage, clothing, backpacks, and secondhand furniture items. Thanks to the large amounts of travel and tourist venues in Salt Lake City, the presence of the bed bug is greater than ever. If you are planning to keep these pests out of your house during the height of the vacation season, you are going to need to get extremely serious extremely fast.
Prevent Picking Up Bed Bugs With These Helpful Tips
You know where bed bugs come from, how they travel, and what they tend to look for in potential victims. Now it’s time to evaluate the strategies you can take to get rid of them before they show up!
Like many other types of pest prevention, bed bug control comes with some good, bad, and downright ugly treatment efforts. We are going to provide you with a shortlist of bed bug prevention options that really do work.
- If you want to prevent yourself from picking up bed bugs in potential hot spot zones, you will need to get a little creative. Store your bags and backpacks up off the floor and in overhead compartments.
- If buying secondhand furniture, check the seams and all upholstery for signs of bed bug activity. Bear in mind that early infestations may not produce any signs at all. If you cannot trust the source of the furniture, it is better not to buy.
- After returning from a trip, wash all clothing and linens on the highest heat settings possible.
Need more help? For assistance with bed bug treatments in Salt Lake City, get a bed bug inspection from White Knight Pest Control now.
Beat Bug Bugs At Their Own Game With White Knight Pest Control
No matter how hard you try, bed bug prevention can never be 100%. Between kids and work or travel and vacation destinations, there will always be some level of risk associated with daily activity. If you think or know that you have transferred bed bugs to your home, please contact the White Knight Pest Control professionals right away. Let’s take care of your pest problems together!