Bed bugs are making a comeback, and they’re showing up in more places, including clothing stores. Bed bugs can easily make their way into a store with customers. In January 2020, a manager at a Walmart supermarket in Pennsylvania discovered bed bugs in a sealed pill bottle hidden inside a boy’s coat for sale.
The insects were proven to be bed bugs by a health safety company that was dispatched to the store. More bed bugs were seen crawling around a men’s dressing room by the pest controller. A second closed pill bottle containing dead bugs was also discovered in the men’s apparel area two days after the bugs were initially spotted. With this being said here are some tips to avoid bringing those little unwanted pest home.
To avoid bed bugs in stores and reduce your chances of bringing the pest home with you, follow these guidelines:
* When trying on clothes, be aware of any unusual stains. These could be blood spots left by bed bugs that have been fed.
* Before purchasing clothing, thoroughly inspect it for bed bugs. Even if you choose an item from an undisturbed pile, bed bugs may find their way onto your clothing. Pay close attention to the inside seams for any evidence of sticky white eggs, shed skins, or bugs themselves. Notify the store manager right away if you suspect the clothing has bed bugs. Before trying on clothes, check behind dressing room mirrors and any other crevices where bed bugs could hide, including wall sockets.
* To avoid bed bugs in your clothes, hang them on hooks instead of laying them across cushioned seats in dressing rooms or on the carpeted floor. These are popular and safe havens for bed bugs.
* For the trip home, keep clothing in the store bag, tied and sealed if possible. Before bringing items into the house/apartment, shake them out outside. Launder the clothing immediately in hot water or steam/dry clean delicate items.
If you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home, contact ECO Exterminators Maryland right away to schedule an inspection.
