Top 5 Prevention Methods To Fight Off Bed Bugs

While bed bugs can reside in some unlikely places, there are a few key hot spots to pay careful attention to when preventing an infestation. Specifically in the bedrooom, hot spots include: Bed frames, mattresses, box springs, cracks in wood floors, and under carpet flooring.

Mattresses and Covers With Inverted Seams – One of the most common places that bed bugs hide and lay eggs is at the seams of the mattress.  From there, they are able to migrate into the mattress, where the infestation continues to spread. By purchasing a mattress with inverted seams, you are eliminating one of the top hot spots for bed bugs entering your mattress.

Double Sided & Fluid Proof Mattress Cover/Encasement – Whether the mattress has a cover/encasement to protect against bed bugs getting in, or to prevent the infestation from getting out, a double sided cover is essential. Once the mattress has been infested, the cover/encasement must stay on the mattress for at least eighteen (18) months. This is because bed bugs can survive for this amount of time without feeding.

Metal Over Wood If You Can Control It – Once bed bugs have infested the area, wood becomes a popular place for hiding. Beg bugs are able to hide in the wood grains and cracks that they form from both old age and rotting it away through infestation. While this risk for beds, box springs, and frames is everywhere, it is especially prevalent in bunk beds for residence halls and summer camp settings. If the option arises, try to always pick metal materials over wood.

Cleanliness and Maintenance Routines – Regular cleaning routines that consist of vacuuming boxsprings/mattresses/carpets/encasements, as well as washing the bedding in enclosed bags on high heat will always aid in prevention.

Traveling, New Guests and Laundry – Any situation that involves people coming in and out, reusing mattresses, or bringing luggage around, requires a deep clean. This does not apply just for the summer camps and residence halls, but for any individuals home which the luggage is being brought into. Suitcases and duffle bags are filled with items that have been exposed to another location and need to be cleaned immediately upon returning to prevent infestation being transferred to the next location.

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