KEEPING YOUR HOME BED BUG-FREE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

We’ve made it! In a matter of a few days, it will be 2019! Crazy, right!? Where did the time go? One thing is sure, we are going to end this year with some celebration, especially since we have so many holidays to celebrate. Families will visit, meals will be shared and, unbeknownst to us, pests will try to hitchhike their way into our homes. That’s right, the holiday season is prime time for hitchhiking pests such as bed bugs. The real question is, is your home safe from bed bugs? If not, what can you do to make it safe?

Unexpected Travel Guests

Bed bugs, unlike most other pests, need people’s help to invade. Due to their incredibly small size, it is not hard for them to hide in your luggage before you embark on this holiday season. It’s also possible to pick up bed bugs at hotels on your way to your destination. In fact, hotel rooms are often hot spots for bed bug activity. Something you can do, when traveling, inspects your hotel room before settling in. Look for small maroon spots on mattresses and bedsheets. These spots are bed bug excrement, a byproduct left behind after they have had a blood meal. Another undeniable sign of a bed bug infestation is seeing bed bugs themselves. Don’t be afraid to move things around a bit and look in the cracks, creases, and folds of beds for tiny reddish-brown bugs roughly the size of an apple seed. If you do find bed bugs crawling around your hotel room, we highly recommend demanding a new room, or going to a new hotel altogether, as the trouble bed bugs bring is much worse than the effort it takes to drive a few more miles to a non-infested hotel. Finally, if you suspect your luggage has been infiltrated by bed bugs, consider finding a laundromat nearby. Throw your clothing in a dryer at the highest heat they can take. This will eradicate any unwanted bed bugs that may be lurking within, and ensure that you do not unintentionally bring an infestation to your relatives or friends, or home with you, this holiday season.

Bed Bug Prevention

When it comes to bed bug prevention, the best thing you can do as a homeowner is to be informed and to inform others, especially those who may be traveling this holiday season. If you live in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Eastern Shore of Maryland consider your local experts at Viking Pest Control for all your pest control needs. There are a lot of horror stories out there of pest control companies not handling bed bug infestations properly, or DIY methods ending badly. This is why Viking Pest Control only uses top-of-the-line equipment, follows all safety guidelines, and always makes sure our staff is as informed and as well trained as possible. Keep your home safe this holiday season by calling Viking to learn more about our residential bed bug control options.