How To Prevent Your Child From Bringing Bed Bugs Home From Summer Camp
Bed bugs thrive in densely populated buildings. After all, there are more people to feed on. One area where they are frequently found is in summer camps. All it takes is for one kid to bring bed bugs from home, and before you know it, the whole camp has them. The problem is that bed bugs at summer camp sometimes go undetected. Kids assume their bites are from mosquitoes or other bugs, which are also common at camp, and so nobody knows there is an outbreak to address. Therefore, as a parent, you should always follow these precautions when your child comes home from summer camp in order to avoid introducing any bed bugs to your home.
Wash clothing and bedding in hot water.
Bed bugs cannot survive temperatures above 120 degrees F for very long. So if you launder all of your child's clothing and bedding in hot water, you will kill them. Make sure you do this as soon as you get home; take the clothing directly to the washer. Don't let it sit on the floor or on a shelf even for an hour; this is all the time it takes for a bed bug to escape. Dry your child's clothing on high heat, too, as an extra precaution.
Unpack suitcases outside, and then vacuum them.
Instead of bringing your child's suitcases and luggage inside to unpack them, do this outside. Wipe down any hard items one by one with sanitizing wipes, and put any clothing directly into the washer as described above. Then, give the luggage itself a good once-over with the vacuum before bringing it inside. This should remove any hidden bed bugs and bed bug eggs.
Vacuum cots and air mattresses.
If your child slept on an air mattress or cot at camp, treat this item with the utmost caution, as it is the place where bedbugs are most likely to be hiding. If it's a cheap air mattress and you have reason to seriously suspect bed bugs, just throw it away. Otherwise, spray it down with insecticides (do this outside) and let it sit for a day or two. Then, give it a good vacuuming before bringing it inside.
Bed bugs are often brought home from summer camp. They can hide in clothing, bedding, and luggage. Luckily, with the tips above, you can protect your home from these annoying invaders.
For more information about bed bugs, contact a pest control service.