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Millions of Americans are planning on a spring break, with most heading toward the sunny climes of Mexico and the Caribbean. However, with travel comes travel problems, and in some cases, travelers risk finding unexpected visitors in their clothing and travel belongings. Those who suspect their hotel has a bed bug infestation should take the following steps.Remove luggage and clothing from the bed. Bed bugs are named because they tend to stay around beds, primarily because it's their source of food. Because humans tend to move around too much during the day, bed bugs rely on feeding when their subjects are asleep. Removing luggage and clothing from the bed significantly reduces the likelihood of an infestation spreading.
Talk to the hotel immediately. Some have bed bug policies, and they should immediately take action to eliminate the bed bug problem. After all, the hotel's reputation is on the line, and it's up to management to prevent an infestation from becoming a serious problem.
If no action is taken or it's impossible to do anything, there is a risk that bed bugs could travel home. As soon as travelers get home, those affected should segregate their luggage and keep it in a garage or outside where possible. Do not bring into the house immediately. Place washables inside a trash bag, seal it and take it to a washing machine. Quickly shake the clothes out of the trash bag and directly into the washer. Run the machine on the hot cycle for at least an hour to ensure that all bed bugs are dead. The trash bag should be sealed and disposed of outside the house. This is to prevent bed bugs from travelling from the garbage bag into the house.
Items that cannot be washed at all should either be heat-treated or cold-treated. Heat-treating involves heating items up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to kill bed bugs. This is usually the most effective as bed bugs and bed bug eggs cannot withstand temperatures above this for more than 90 minutes. A glasshouse or a sunny area in the yard may be a suitable spot to heat-treat. Alternately, a temporary hothouse can be created by placing sheets of glass on bricks and putting items enclosed in plastic bags underneath the glass.
Cold treatments are less effective, but those who have a chest freezer can place items inside a plastic bag and leave it inside the freezer for two or three days. This will kill the vast majority of bed bugs, providing the freezer maintains a temperature of lower than 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatives include fumigant strips that are placed inside plastic bags to distribute an insecticide, typically dichlorvos. Again, these are less effective than heat treatment, and the organophosphate poses particular risks to humans, pets and waterborne animals.
These actions can ensure that those who stay in a hotel with a bed bug infestation don't suffer when they get home. Environmental Heat Solutions can also help if the infestation isn't seen immediately and it spreads.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HEAT SOLUTIONS
Environmental Heat Solutions is a bed bug extermination company serving the northern Virginia, Maryland & Pennsylvania region. They pride themselves on expertise, professionalism, and environmentally friendly bed bug heat treatment methods. Their inspections utilize canine teams proven to be effective in uncovering bed bug infestations.
Contact Info:
Name: Scot Small
Email: Send Email
Organization: Environmental Heat Solutions
Address: 417 Browning Court Suite A Purcellville, VA 20132
Phone: 800-936-1182
Website: http://www.greenbedbugsolutions.com/
Release ID: 182385
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