How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Once You’ve Been Exposed

Prevention is the key to making sure you never have to deal with bedbugs, which is why as soon as you are exposed to a bed bug infestation, it is essential that you take some helpful steps towards making sure you’re not bringing any of them home to you.

If you suspect that you’ve been exposed to bed bugs while you’ve been traveling here are a few things you should do:

1. Check All Cracks

Carefully examine your luggage. Though they can be hard to see, they are not invisible. Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown, flat parasitic insects that like to hide in dark places. Be sure to check-folded clothes, duffel bags, and outerwear – even the crevices inside of the suitcases themselves.

2. Heat Your Clothes

Take all of your clothing and washable items and wash in hot water and dry them right away. They should be in the dryer for a minimum of 30 minutes on moderate to high heat. The high heat will kill any remaining bed bugs that may be hiding in your clothing. This should include any clothing that you wore home from your trip, as bed bugs are notorious for hitchhiking on people’s clothes.

3. Place Luggage in Garage/Away from Sleeping Areas

Although bed bugs can live for as long as a year without feeding, they are still more likely to be able to feed and breed when they are placed inside of the home near the bedroom. Away from home, like the garage, bed bugs are at higher risk for predators and would have a much further distance to travel if they wanted to reach your skin.

Be judicious in looking for signs of bedbugs in your home for the first week after you return. Check your mattresses, around the edges, especially between the mattress and box spring, as well as the corners of fitted sheets. You should also check around any baseboards, and if you see any bites, call a bed bug removal services immediately. The earlier you treat for bed bugs, the easier it is to ensure they are all eliminated.

Bed Bug Heat Treatment Vancouver, BC

Canada Bed Bug
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(604) 239-1549