Will bed bugs be visiting you this holiday season? You love seeing your college students home for the holiday, but they may bring some unwelcome company home with them this year.
Pest-control experts report that dorm rooms and college apartments experience a high incidence of infestation from these pervasive pests and, thanks to the transient nature of students, the problem is spreading rapidly.
Here are a few tips for avoiding an unpleasant holiday infestation at your home.
How Bed Bugs Spread Bed bugs procreate rapidly, and even a single bug or egg can spur an infestation.
College students tend to move often, and many don't place a high priority on good housekeeping practices.
The insects move easily between clothing and furniture, so even something as simple as having a friend crash overnight on the couch can introduce these pests to your student's dorm room or apartment.
Colleges around the country are battling this problem.
Ohio State University and the University of Florida recently launched aggressive campaigns to control bed bugs.
Reports of these pests at Brigham Young University recently rose by almost 95%.
No city or school is immune to this growing problem.
Keeping Bed Bugs Out of Your Home Play it safe over the holidays and assume that your wayward scholar will be bringing home unwanted guests.
Keep suitcases away from furniture and soft surfaces, as bed bugs love to travel on luggage.
Store bags in the garage or storage room if possible.
Meet your student at the door with a new set of fluffy pajamas or track suit and take all clothes straight to the laundry.
Run everything through the wash on the longest, hottest cycle possible, then dry them on high for at least 60 minutes.
An extended drying cycle is effective for coats and other items you may not want to wash.
At 118 degrees, their eggs take 90 minutes to die, so dry them for at least that long if they haven't been through a hot wash cycle.
For dry-clean only items, seal them in plastic bags for transport.
Place shoes and books in bags and freeze them overnight or longer if possible.
Unfortunately there is no safe, reliable way to eradicate bed bugs in electronic equipment such as laptops and MP3 players, which are often infested.
Keeping these devices away from beds and furniture is your best line of defense.
Helping Your Student Control Bed Bugs at School Educate your college students about bed bug infestations, how they spread and what to look for.
Urge them to report any suspected infestation promptly to their landlord or dorm resident manager.
Unfortunately, not all pest-control efforts are effective at eradicating the problem.
Over-the-counter products will be ineffectual once an infestation has taken hold.
Professional-strength pesticides, applied by technicians familiar with bed bug invasions, is the only way to get rid of the problem.
Ongoing treatment is necessary on college campuses, as the problem tends to reappear again and again.
When winter break is over and your students have returned to school, consider having a professional pest-control service in to evaluate your home for these and infestations.
A preventive treatment will give you peace of mind and make sure that bed bugs don't set up shop in your home this winter.
Pest-control experts report that dorm rooms and college apartments experience a high incidence of infestation from these pervasive pests and, thanks to the transient nature of students, the problem is spreading rapidly.
Here are a few tips for avoiding an unpleasant holiday infestation at your home.
How Bed Bugs Spread Bed bugs procreate rapidly, and even a single bug or egg can spur an infestation.
College students tend to move often, and many don't place a high priority on good housekeeping practices.
The insects move easily between clothing and furniture, so even something as simple as having a friend crash overnight on the couch can introduce these pests to your student's dorm room or apartment.
Colleges around the country are battling this problem.
Ohio State University and the University of Florida recently launched aggressive campaigns to control bed bugs.
Reports of these pests at Brigham Young University recently rose by almost 95%.
No city or school is immune to this growing problem.
Keeping Bed Bugs Out of Your Home Play it safe over the holidays and assume that your wayward scholar will be bringing home unwanted guests.
Keep suitcases away from furniture and soft surfaces, as bed bugs love to travel on luggage.
Store bags in the garage or storage room if possible.
Meet your student at the door with a new set of fluffy pajamas or track suit and take all clothes straight to the laundry.
Run everything through the wash on the longest, hottest cycle possible, then dry them on high for at least 60 minutes.
An extended drying cycle is effective for coats and other items you may not want to wash.
At 118 degrees, their eggs take 90 minutes to die, so dry them for at least that long if they haven't been through a hot wash cycle.
For dry-clean only items, seal them in plastic bags for transport.
Place shoes and books in bags and freeze them overnight or longer if possible.
Unfortunately there is no safe, reliable way to eradicate bed bugs in electronic equipment such as laptops and MP3 players, which are often infested.
Keeping these devices away from beds and furniture is your best line of defense.
Helping Your Student Control Bed Bugs at School Educate your college students about bed bug infestations, how they spread and what to look for.
Urge them to report any suspected infestation promptly to their landlord or dorm resident manager.
Unfortunately, not all pest-control efforts are effective at eradicating the problem.
Over-the-counter products will be ineffectual once an infestation has taken hold.
Professional-strength pesticides, applied by technicians familiar with bed bug invasions, is the only way to get rid of the problem.
Ongoing treatment is necessary on college campuses, as the problem tends to reappear again and again.
When winter break is over and your students have returned to school, consider having a professional pest-control service in to evaluate your home for these and infestations.
A preventive treatment will give you peace of mind and make sure that bed bugs don't set up shop in your home this winter.
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