The National Pest Management Association has declared this week, June 5-11, National Bed Bug Awareness Week! While that might not seem like something to celebrate, we’re always excited to be able to share bed bug facts, prevention tips and information about elimination services to our friends and customers. Twenty years ago, nobody but frequent international business travelers knew what bed bugs were or had ever come in contact with them. Now, you can find them just about anywhere in the United States. In fact, Oklahoma City was recently named one of the worst cities for bed bugs in the country! Yikes.
If you have a bed bug problem or if you are gearing up for some summer travel and want to keep yourself safe, you’ve come to the right place. The professionals at Arrow Exterminators are your Oklahoma bed bug experts and we have a wealth of information about how to spot an infestation, keep yourself and your family from getting bit and make sure you don’t carry any of these unwanted pests home in your clothing or luggage. We also know how to get rid of bed bugs if you are faced with an infestation. Here are our best tips:
- A recent study has shown bed bugs are attracted to red and black, but typically avoid green and yellow. So consider investing in some colorful luggage to reduce the risk of transporting bed bugs in your suitcase.
- When you travel, pack your clothing inside Ziploc backs inside your suitcase. This will keep bed bugs from getting into your clothing and hiding there. When you are not using your suitcase, place it inside a plastic trash bag and tie up the ends to deter bed bugs from getting inside the suitcase.
- Vacuum out your suitcase as soon as you return home from a trip—before you even bring the suitcase back into the house. This will remove any stowaway bed bugs that have manage to hide in your luggage.
- Also, immediately wash all the clothing that was in your suitcase in hot water, even the clothes you didn’t wear. This will kill any bed bugs or bed bug eggs inside your clothes.
- At home, frequently wash your sheets in hot water to kill any bed bugs or bed bug eggs and always do a bed bug inspection before you put fresh sheets back onto the bed.
- Signs of bedbugs include reddish stains and small black spots (it might look like pepper sprinkled on the mattress). Bed bugs also leave behind shed skins, which are reddish-brown in color and about the size of half your fingernail. Bed bug eggs are very small, round and light-yellow.
- Seeing a live bed bug is also a surefire sign of an infestation. However, they are sneaky and very quick and so you are unlikely to one unless an infestation is severe.
- Do a thorough bed bug inspection of your own home periodically and any place you stay when you travel, whether it’s a hotel or the home of friends or family. Inspect the bed, couches, chairs and all other furniture for the signs mentioned above.
- Pay special attention to mattress corners and the undersides of chair and couch cushions as these are common bed bug hiding places.
- Take precautions against bed bugs everywhere you go, as infestations have been reported in places other than homes and hotels. Movie theaters, libraries, tourist attractions, airports and more have all been the sight of a bed bug infestation.
- If you do identify a bed bug infestation, call the professionals at Arrow Exterminators immediately. The only way to kill bed bugs is with high heat, specifically a treatment known as Thermal Remediation®.
Arrow Exterminators is the only company in Oklahoma using this state-of-the-art Thermal Remediation® technology. So if you’re ready to get serious about eliminating bed bugs once and for all, call the bed bug eradication experts at Arrow Exterminators. We offer pest control services in communities across the state, including in Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Edmond, Moore, Muskogee, Oklahoma City, Owasso, Stillwater, Tulsa, Yukon and the surrounding areas. You can schedule a free, no obligation evaluation on our website or give us a call. You can also reach out to us on social media for information. We are on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
