Bedbugs spread like wildfire. Once they’ve found a way to enter a residence, the infestation will progressively worsen. Unfortunately, eliminating an infestation is much harder than preventing one. Therefore, homeowners should take steps to stop the infestation in the first place.
What are the most common ways for bedbugs to spread? The guide below will cover these topics as well as ways to protect a dwelling from a bedbug infestation.
How Do Bedbugs Spread?
Bedbugs can spread from building to building by hitchhiking on clothing and luggage. They can also travel from one condo or apartment to another. The top infestation methods will be broken down in greater detail below.
Hitchhiking
Bedbugs can hitchhike from one area to another. It is common for individuals to experience a bedbug infestation after traveling on a bedbug-infested bus or spending the night at a bedbug-infested hotel.
Bedbugs can go without feeding for days so they can hide in your clothes or inside your suitcase until you return home. Once they’ve found a way inside, reproduction will likely begin and the problem will rapidly worsen. This is possible whenever someone visits any property with bedbugs, including motels, condos, apartments, stores, libraries, and more.
Traveling Short Distances
Bedbugs typically do not travel over long distances. If you live five hundred feet away from a neighboring residence, a neighbor’s infestation probably won’t create issues for your household. However, bedbug infestations commonly spread among apartments, condos, and townhouses.
Since bedbugs are so small, they can slip through small holes. Therefore, individuals living in apartment and condo complexes will be much more likely to experience an infestation.
Thrift Shopping
Consumers can also run into problems when thrift shopping or purchasing used goods. Bedbugs can sometimes survive up to 400 days without feeding. Therefore, they could seemingly hide inside a picture frame or inside a pocket for a year. This increases the risk that someone is going to experience an investigation after purchasing used products.
Bedbugs could be hiding in the used Levis you purchased for your son or daughter. Alternatively, these bugs could be sheltering on a piece of furniture you picked up at an area thrift store.
Although this method is less common, it is still another way for bedbugs to spread.
Visits
Unfortunately, bedbugs can travel on clothing. Therefore, it’s possible for a person to carry bedbugs from one building to another. If you have a friend with bedbugs, it would be a good idea not to invite them over until the matter is resolved.
Otherwise, their visit could open the door for bedbugs to enter your dwelling.
Protecting Your Home From Bedbugs
Although bedbugs are difficult to remove from a dwelling, they’re typically not hard to prevent. It requires patience and persistence because one slip-up could lead to an infestation. Use the advice below to avoid an infestation.
Buying Secondhand
Many people prefer buying secondhand because doing so is significantly cheaper. Just remember that this could lead to a bedbug infestation. Consumers must take extra steps to protect their homes from bedbugs when buying used furniture, clothes, and other items. If you’re going to buy secondhand goods, check the items thoroughly first.
Make sure they’re free of bedbugs and other pests. It is also a good idea to clean the items thoroughly using heat before bringing them into your home. Clothing can be washed and dried using a high-heat setting to eliminate such problems.
Returning Home
After a trip away, it is always a good idea to take steps to protect your home from bedbugs. After all, you may have picked up bedbugs at the Airbnb, airport, or motel. If bedbugs are hiding in your luggage, you’re going to bring them in with you. Take your clothes and immediately wash and dry them.
Use the hottest setting on your dryer to ensure that the bedbugs are killed. You can also use a clothing steamer.
Don’t Invite Guests
Unfortunately, you may need to avoid inviting guests to your home to avoid an infestation. If you know a friend has bedbugs at home, don’t invite them over. Otherwise, they could bring the pests into your home and turn your life upside-down. Tell them to resolve the problem before sending them an invite.
Sealing Entries
It can be more difficult to prevent bedbugs when living in an apartment or condo complex. A neighbor’s problem will be more likely to become your problem because of the close proximity of the units. Nevertheless, there are ways to reduce the risks. For instance, you must eliminate any bedbug entry points.
Make sure that any holes are blocked so bedbugs cannot find a way to enter your apartment.
Extermination When Necessary
Once an infestation has begun, the problem will be difficult to fix. The best solution is to hire a professional who uses heat to eliminate bedbugs. Once the bugs are gone, use the tips below to prevent them from returning.
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