Anyone who’s ever had bedbugs will probably be quick to tell you that the experience is no fun. Not only are bedbugs expensive and complicated to get rid of, they have also been known to cause anywhere from a little to a significant amount of discomfort as the result of their nasty biting habits. Therefore, most people are willing to do whatever it takes to avoid bedbugs entirely.
The tricky thing about preventing bedbugs is that it can be difficult even for experts to know what exactly causes them to pop up seemingly out of nowhere. While some are of the opinion that a dirty, messy home can contribute to the presence of bedbugs, others know better than to blame a lack of cleanliness for their appearance. One thing that everybody will agree on is the fact that bedbugs are pesky, irritating creatures that, once discovered, need to be stopped in their tracks.
As president of Boston’s Ultra Safe Pest Management Inc., Vic Palermo has plenty of tricks up his sleeve when it comes to nipping bedbug problems in the bud. However, Palermo also agrees that when it comes to bedbugs, the best option is to take steps to avoid them in the first place. While no preventive measures can guarantee that you’ll never fall victim to an attack, you can do a number of things to minimize your chances of getting bedbugs.
For starters, a good way to avoid bedbugs is to make it your business to never pick up any type of furniture piece or mattress that has been discarded or left out on a sidewalk for trash pickup. The same rule applies to yard sale or flea market furniture. While the idea of free or low-cost furniture might seem appealing at first, consider the fact that old, worn furniture items with cracks in them are classic hideouts for bedbugs. And since bedbugs have the ability to go for many days without food, they are able to travel from location to location without so much as missing a beat. Therefore, in an attempt to save money by helping yourself to a selection of secondhand furniture items, you might cost yourself far more in time, aggravation, and physical discomfort by unknowingly bringing bed bugs into your life.
Another thing that you can do to avoid bedbugs is to have any future antique purchases inspected with care. Even high-end antique stores have the potential to carry bedbugs in their respective inventories. Therefore, if you’re a fan of antiques, then have your new purchases inspected by a professional before integrating them into your permanent home collection. Antique furniture pieces in particular have a higher likelihood of housing bedbugs. To avoid a problem, have a pest control expert who specializes in bedbugs perform a thorough inspection before bringing your new pieces into the house. It won’t cost you that much, and you can always store such items in a garage or, if possible, outside for the interim. If you’re really against the idea of paying for a preemptive bedbug inspection, then at the very least, keep those antiques in isolation for a few days before bringing them indoors. Since cold temperatures are known to kill bedbugs, by leaving your new possessions outside or in an unheated garage, you might end up avoiding a problem by using the cold-weather extermination method.
One final way to avoid bedbugs is to be extremely vigilant when you travel. Remember, you don’t have to stay at a budget motel to wind up with bedbugs as even nice hotels can get infested as well. To protect yourself, do a thorough room inspection before dumping your clothing all over the place and making yourself at home. The best thing to do is to focus your attention on the bed. Pull back the sheets, inspect the corners of the mattress, and keep your eyes out for signs that bedbugs are lurking (such as tiny blood droppings and empty bedbug shells). While the idea of playing forensic investigator on your vacation might not be all that appealing, it could prevent you from coming home with some unwanted mementos. Even if you’re unable to detect any signs of bedbugs in your hotel room, it’s still a good idea to hang your clothing in a closet instead of putting it in drawers. Finally, keep your suitcase on a luggage rack instead of storing it under the bed or on a carpeted floor, where bedbugs could easily be hiding.
Bedbugs are a wretched problem that no person deserves to encounter. By taking a few simple precautions, you can increase your chances of never having bedbugs become a part of your life.
