At last, you're finally on vacation. You set your bags down and can begin to relax during your time off. However, after the first night, you wake up itching. What's going on? You may have bed bugs in your rental home. Consider these tips if this has happened to you.
It's important to get to know these pesky creatures. Regardless of how clean your rental property might be, that doesn't mean it isn't vulnerable to bed bugs. Bed bugs are happy to live in any environment that has plenty of traffic, Vacation Home Rentals stated. The more popular the rental property is, the higher chance that bed bugs have made themselves at home. Bed bugs are vagrants - they like to move from place to place. If you're not careful, they'll come home with you. Guests should also know that getting rid of bed bugs can't be done with quick vacuuming or sweeping. Bed bugs are also incredibly small and difficult to spot with the untrained eye. The only evidence of a possible bed bug infestation is red, itchy spots all over your body.
If you're suspicious of a bed bug issue and know you'll be staying for more than a few days, follow these tips.
Bed bugs like to come out at night, and usually will hide during the day. There are a few places that bed bugs love to hide. These spots include the mattress, box spring and bed frame. They also like to hide in headboards, so look in small cracks and crevices for signs of an issue. It's important to conduct a thorough search of your rented space before contacting the landlord. Bed bug bites are commonly mistaken for mosquito and fly bites. Use a magnifying glass and an LED light to aid in your investigation.
If you do discover that you've got bed bugs, you need to contact the landlord right away so he or she can hire a bed bug exterminator. You may not be the only one with this problem. You also want to eradicate the pests to keep them from coming home with you. If you don't realize you've got an infestation for a few days, you'll need to clean your property. Throw all potentially infested clothes in a wash with hot water. Clean clothes can just be run in a hot dryer. Search your travel bag well for bugs, and replace it if necessary.