The ABCs Of Bed Bugs

As the summer ends and the kids head out for another school year, most parents focus on school supplies, routines, and returning to normal. But what if your last-minute vacation also brought back an unwelcome surprise—bed bugs?

Bed bugs are crafty little hitchhikers, and with families traveling more frequently in the summer, it’s no surprise they sometimes tag along when we return home. To help you and your family stay protected during this busy back-to-school season, here’s a quick lesson on the ABCs of bed bugs—and how to manage them.

A is for Awareness

The first step in dealing with bed bugs is awareness. These tiny pests are notorious for being sneaky, hiding in cracks, crevices, mattresses, and luggage. They’re more common than most people think and can quickly and easily spread after summer trips, sleepovers, or even second-hand furniture purchases.

Back-to-school tip: Check luggage, backpacks, and clothing after sleepovers or trips. Bed bugs can easily hitch a ride on items like blankets, stuffed animals, and even books.

B is for Basics of Bed Bug Behavior

Bed bugs are nocturnal pests that feed on human blood (don’t worry—it sounds scarier than it is). They tend to hide in mattress seams, bed frames, and even behind baseboards or picture frames during the day. At night, they come out looking for a meal. They aren’t known to spread disease, but their bites can cause itchiness and discomfort.

Back-to-school tip: If you’re returning from a getaway, especially one where you stayed in a hotel, wash all clothing in the hottest water fabrics will allow and dry on highest heat possible. For a few weeks, check your bed and nearby furniture for bed bug activity. 

C is for Control

Acting quickly is essential if you’ve spotted live bugs crawling on your bed or suspect bed bugs. These biting pests will not go away unless treated. In fact, if you ignore the problem, it’ll only worsen and could spread to other parts of your home. And forget DIY bed bug treatments; contact an experienced pest control company that specializes in bed bug treatments.

Back-to-school tip: Educate your family on the importance of keeping personal items off the floor while on vacation. Also, emphasize the importance of letting you know right away if they find bed bug bites on their skin or notice other signs of bed bugs in their personal spaces.

Extra Credit: Preventing Bed Bug Infestations

You may not be able to completely prevent bed bugs from entering your home, but you can reduce the risk. Here are a few tips to keep bed bugs from taking over:

• Be cautious when traveling: Check your hotel room for bed bug activity before settling in. Inspect mattress seams, box springs, headboards, and other furniture closely.
• Inspect luggage after trips: When you get home from a vacation, inspect your luggage carefully, especially if you stayed in hotels or rentals.
• Quarantine items: After any travel, consider keeping your luggage and clothes isolated from the rest of your house until you’ve washed and dried everything on the highest heat fabrics will allow.
• Be careful of second-hand items: Bed bugs love to hide in upholstered furniture, so inspect carefully before bringing anything used into your home.
• Teach your kids bed bug safety: If bed bugs are brought to school, your children could bring them home on their backpacks and clothing. Please encourage them to keep their belongings off the floor and away from others whenever possible.

Contact Northwest Exterminating for bed bug control in Phoenix & Tucson

Bed bugs might be small, but they can cause big problems if not dealt with promptly. By staying informed and taking preventive steps, you can protect your home as your family shifts into back-to-school mode. However, if it’s too late and you’ve already noticed a bed bug problem in your home, contact Northwest Exterminating right away!

Our locally operated pest control company offers effective bed bug control in Phoenix, Tucson, and Southern Arizona. Our highly trained pest control specialists will:

• Inspect your home for bed bugs.
• Perform a bed bug heat treatment to eradicate all bed bug life stages.
• Issue a 90-day bed bug warranty if your property qualifies.

Why choose our exterminators to solve your bed bug problem?

We realize there are many companies offering solutions for bed bugs, but we’re confident our team is the best. In fact, every specialist undergoes extensive training before they are cleared for service. Areas studied include bed bug biology and research, how to inspect for these biting pests, treatment methods, and how to communicate findings and recommendations to our customers.

When you contact us, you can count on our experts to solve your bed bug problem completely! Contact us today to schedule a bed bug inspection.