Having just a couple of bedbugs in your home can lead to a severe infestation of bedbugs in the house. And, one of the most common situations you can get bedbugs in your home is from the laundromat.
If you have bedbugs in your home, employ pest control services, and use the precautions below to avoid further infestation.
Precautions to Avoid getting Bedbugs from the Dry Cleaners
Dry your cloth at a higher temperature for a longer time
Bedbugs can not survive at a temperature of 113 degrees Fahrenheit, while their eggs can not survive at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you might not kill all the bugs in your clothes because some might be in the clothes’ cooler parts (pockets) and survive.
So, if you wish to get rid of all the bugs, ensure you keep the dryer at a high temperature for at least 15 minutes. The weight of the cloth can determine how long it will spend in the dryer. For light or dry clothes, ensure it takes at least 15 minutes. And for heavy or weight clothes, ensure it takes more than an hour.
Check each cloth after drying
Even though checking each cloth after drying can be stressful, it is a great way to prevent going home with bed bugs. After taking each item out, spread them and check the pockets or other cool places where bed bugs can hide.
Wash your laundry bag
Bugs can easily hide in your laundry bag while sorting out the laundry. So, after taking care of your laundry, wash and dry your laundry bag.
If you take your clothes to the laundromat with a plastic bag, take an extra one. And when you are done with the laundry, dispose of the old bags, and move them into the new ones. Seal the bag shut and inspect for holes or passages for bed bugs.
Be wary of the Environment
Bugs can be anywhere in the laundry room, so you must be careful when placing things on the surfaces. Before placing your laundry bag on any surface, inspect the joints and surfaces to ensure there are no bugs.
Also, be careful so that the bedbugs do not creep into the clothes you are wearing or any other item you will take home.
Do not fold at the dry cleaners
Folding your clothes at the laundromat means placing your clothes on different surfaces and giving bugs enough time to creep into the new clothes.
So, endeavor not to fold your clothing at the laundromat, but if it is unavoidable, go along with an alcohol wipe to clean the surface. And place the clothe one at a time so that you will not miss when a bedbug comes near it.
Conclusion
Ridding your home from bed bugs can be difficult because they hide in crevices and corners that are hard to reach. Bringing more home from the laundromat only makes the matter worse. Check here to get rid of bed bugs and other pests in your home.
