American Pest Management | Manhattan & Kansas City

December 22, 2009

Several clients over the past year have suffered through a bed bug infestation. Since many of us travel over the holidays here are few tips to help ensure you do not bring home any unwanted guests.

1. Keep Luggage Closed and Away from Bed Bug Prone Areas – Keep all zippers closed and do not place or store luggage on or next to beds, upholstered furniture or in a closet (do not use the luggage rack in a hotel) The further away you store your luggage from these areas the better. The bathroom is the least common area for bed bugs.

2. Keep items that cannot be laundered in sealed plastic bags – Items that cannot be laundered upon returning home such as electronics, books, toiletries, jewelry, etc. should be kept in sealed plastic bags when not in use, especially during nighttime hours while your are sleeping.

3. Conduct a Very Basic Inspection of the Bed – A well established infestation of bed bugs may be detected by pulling back the bed linens and checking the visible edges of t the mattress and box spring. You are looking for evidence of live bed bugs, dark brownish to black spots/stains or shed skins from bed bugs.

4. Notify Property Management Immediately if You Suspect Bed Bugs – If at anytime during your stay you see evidence of what you believe might be bed bugs or you begin to develop itchy welts on your body notify management. Just because you see these symptoms does not mean that bed bugs are present, but management should be aware of your concern so the possibility of bed begs can be investigated.

These four tips are posted by bedbugcentral.com. For a complete list of Basic Steps to Take for the Concerned Traveler click the link below or visit www.bedbugcentral.com

bedbugtraveltips.pdf