Hardier than cockroaches, bed bugs can survive for months without feeding on blood and live through the most extreme temperatures. In fact, bed bugs are know to survive in temperatures over 125 degrees Fahrenheit! They’re also smart, elusive and tiny. They can hide behind wallpaper, inside mattresses and even behind electrical outlets. Like vampires, they only come out at night when it’s dark and they can smell the carbon dioxide you exhale while sleeping.
While no method is fool-proof for preventing a bed bug infestation, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk of becoming a bed bug’s next nighttime meal:
Inspect Hotel Rooms When Traveling
Before you open your suitcase, take the time to inspect mattresses and box springs as well as furniture crevices. Use a magnifying glass if you have trouble seeing tiny brown spots on colored backgrounds. Waking up with pinpoint-sized red bites anywhere on your body warrants a trip to the hotel office and immediate attention by the manager.
Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Home
Unpack suitcases in your garage when you arrive home and wash all clothes in hot water. Dry them on the hottest dryer cycle you have. Next, disinfect suitcases with no pest sticky strips by leaving them in your closed suitcase overnight. Put used no-pest strips in garbage bags and leave them there for at least two weeks. No-pest strips coated with pesticide will kill the remaining bed bugs.
Reconsider Buying Used Furniture
Unless you trust the person from who you are purchasing furniture, don’t buy furniture or beds sold at garage sales or flea markets. You just never know !
If you do find bed bugs infesting your home, don’t waste time with over the counter products. Call a professional bed bug exterminator at MTB Pest Control as soon as possible. They know how to quickly and effectively get rid of bed bugs using industry pesticides and high heat techniques. If you’re a victim of a pest infestation and need a pest control company, contact us today. We are the leading bee, ant, cockroach, and bed bug pest control experts in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area.