My husband just got back from a week abroad, and he came home with this unusual bite on his face. After some investigation (and a call to the doctor’s office) we discovered that it was, indeed, a bedbug bite. Naturally, I was repulsed at this revelation and made my husband strip to his underwear before walking into the house. I started washing his clothing immediately! Fortunately, none of the creatures stowed away in his luggage. But the experience did make me a little concerned about finding bedbugs in my own home! Here are a few easy ways you can prevent bed bugs or other harmful mites in your home.
Use Mattress And Furniture Covers
Naturally, the first line of defense when it comes to bedbugs is making sure you use any mattress and furniture covers. If you are bringing a piece of furniture home from a thrift store, cover your furniture with a piece of plastic and inspect it carefully before bringing it inside. And regardless of if your mattress is new or not, you can extend it’s life by a long shot if you always use a mattress protector.
Clean And Vacuum Regularly
Bedbugs and mites don’t like clean, dust-free environments. So prevent it by regularly cleaning, vacuuming, and dusting the nooks and crannies of your furniture regularly. Vacuuming will help prevent any successful intruders from actually doing damage in your own home.
Seal Cracks And Crevices
If you’re living in a shared apartment complex or home, it can be even trickier to protect your space from bedbugs. However, if you seal up any cracks in windowsills, drywall, along baseboards, or along outlets, you can help prevent any stragglers. Additionally, invest in a door stop to prevent those yucky bugs from traveling underneath the doors.
Transport Laundry To and From Home In Plastic Bags
Whether we like it or not, laundromats are commonly hit with bouts of bedbugs. Keep your clothing safe by transporting it to the laundromat in clean bags. Bring the laundry home in a different set of fresh, clean bags, and keep them off of the floor. You won’t regret it! And while traveling, bring dirty clothes home in air-tight plastic bags. Plus, doing this will create more room in your suitcase.
What If I Have Bed Bugs?
If you think you may be dealing with a bed bug infestation in your own home, your best bet is to control the infestation until a professional can help. Keep rooms with bedbugs sealed off, and contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible. Bed bugs are horrible, and I wouldn’t want to have to deal with them on my own!
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