Where do ants, cockroaches, and mice have in common? They are all pests that belong inside, but that love to venture inside your home. If you do see them inside, you need to take action fast — because this is not where they should be! Pests are not just a nuisance. They can spread disease, destroy your insulation and other building materials, and leave nasty smells behind.
Every homeowner should know the basics about pest control. Yes, you can call in a professional as needed, but knowing the basics will still help you keep the pests outside where they belong. You can learn those basics right here on this blog.
5 Ways To Keep The Bed Bugs Away After Pest Control Treatment
If you recently had a pest control specialist come out to your home and eliminate bed bugs, you will want to take steps to ensure that they don't come back. Keeping bed bugs at bay requires you to change how you take care of your home to ensure that the bed bugs stay away.
1. Keep Stuff Off the Floor
First, you are going to want to keep stuff off the floor. Don't throw your clothing onto the ground when you are done wearing it. Instead, put it inside a hamper. Likewise, don't stack clean clothing on the floor. Rather, try to hang it up or put it inside of dressers. If a wayward bedbug happens to be walking around on the floor, it can latch onto your clothing and then make its way into your dresser or closet when you put that item away.
2. Don't Store Items Under the Bed
Second, you shouldn't store items under your bed as well. Storing items under your bed creates more spaces for bed bugs to hide and hang out near your mattress. By putting items under your bed, you could unknowingly have an infestation on your hands, just lurking under your bed. If you put items under your bed, store them inside sealed plastic containers that will keep the bed bugs away, as they can't easily crawl on smooth surfaces.
3. Encase Your Mattress
Third, as bed bugs can't walk easily on smooth surfaces, you should encase your mattress in a dust mite-proof encasement. It is a smooth barrier that will keep the bed bugs away from your mattress and/or box spring.
4. Wash Sheets Weekly
Not washing your sheets regularly creates the perfect opportunity for bugs to thrive. That is why you should remove your sheets regularly and wash them in the hottest possible water. This will kill any bed bugs and their eggs before an infestation spreads. Regular hot water sheet washing is a great preventative measure to take.
5. Vacuum Regularly
Finally, you should vacuum your bedroom regularly. This is a great way to catch stray bed bugs. Just make sure when you empty the bag or container for your vacuum that you do so outside and away from your home.
If you have just worked with a pest control specialist to eradicate the bed bugs in your home, your job is not done. You need to engage in behavior that will keep the bed bugs at bay, such as keeping stuff off the floor, not storing items under the bed, using plastic containers, encasing your mattress and box spring in a protective measure, washing your sheets regularly in hot water, and vacuuming regularly. These behaviors will allow you to keep bed bugs away and kill any stray bugs as well. Contact a bed bug control company to learn more.