Stay bed bug–free this holiday season with 12 simple prevention tips from ECO Bed Bug Exterminators Baltimore. Keep your home cozy, guest-ready, and pest-free with professional advice and proven tools.
🎶 On the First Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me… a Bed Bug-Free Home!
December is full of joy, travel, and family gatherings — but also plenty of opportunities for uninvited guests (the six-legged kind). Bed bugs love warmth, luggage, and cozy homes just as much as we do, which makes the holiday season a perfect time to brush up on prevention.
So instead of caroling about partridges in pear trees, let’s count down the 12 Days of Bed Bug Prevention — your easy, cheerful guide to keeping these pests away all winter long.
🧳 Day 1: Inspect Holiday Luggage
Before and after any trip, check the seams and zippers of your suitcases. Bed bugs often hitchhike home from hotels, airports, and even rideshares. Store luggage in plastic bins or sealed bags — never directly on your bed or carpet.
🏨 Day 2: Travel Smart, Sleep Smarter
Staying in a hotel or rental? Do a quick 60-second bed check: pull back the sheets and look at mattress corners for black dots or reddish smears. A flashlight from your phone works perfectly. If you see anything suspicious, request another room far from the one you inspected.
🛏️ Day 3: Use Mattress and Box Spring Encasements
Encasements seal out bed bugs and make spotting them a breeze. They also protect your mattress investment long-term.
ECO recommends:
• 🛏️ SureGuard Mattress Encasement (Queen)
• 🪲 SureGuard Box Spring Encasement
Install them on every bed in your home, especially guest rooms before company arrives.
🪳 Day 4: Add Bed Bug Interceptors Under Bed Legs
Interceptors are small traps that catch bed bugs as they climb. They’re discreet, inexpensive, and incredibly effective for early detection.
Try:
• ECOPEST Bed Bug Interceptors
Check them once a week — if they stay empty, you can relax with your hot cocoa in peace.
🧺 Day 5: Wash and Dry on High Heat
After guests leave or luggage returns home, wash all bedding, clothing, and travel items on the highest safe heat setting. Dryers are your best defense — 30 minutes on high heat kills all life stages of bed bugs, from eggs to adults.
🛋️ Day 6: Check Couches and Recliners
Bed bugs don’t just live in beds. They can hide in seams of couches, recliners, and even behind baseboards. If you’re noticing bites while watching holiday movies, it may be time for a professional inspection.
🧹 Day 7: Declutter Like You Mean It
Bed bugs love clutter — it gives them more hiding spots. Before decorating or hosting, tidy up bedrooms and living spaces. Focus on under-bed storage and piles of clothes or papers. (Bonus: you’ll finally find where last year’s wrapping paper disappeared!)
🐾 Day 8: Be Cautious with Pet Beds
While bed bugs don’t live on pets, they can hide in pet bedding or near crates. Wash your pet’s bedding on high heat regularly, and avoid placing it against your bed or couch.
🧠 Day 9: Know the Early Warning Signs
Early detection is everything. Watch for:
• Tiny dark droppings or reddish stains on bedding
• Shed exoskeletons (translucent shells)
• Clusters of itchy bites that appear overnight
If you’re not sure what you’re seeing, snap a clear photo and email it to ecollcbedbugs@gmail.com or text it to 410-929-3420. ECO’s experts can identify the issue quickly.
🏡 Day 10: Schedule a Preventive Inspection
Even if you haven’t seen activity, a professional bed bug inspection (link placeholder) offers peace of mind — especially before the holidays. Our trained technicians can check every room visually or with canine assistance.
💨 Day 11: Consider a Preventive Treatment
For frequent travelers or households with guests, a bio-fungicide treatment creates a protective barrier that kills bed bugs on contact for up to 90 days.
It’s discreet, safe once dry, and perfect for keeping your home protected throughout the winter season.
😂 Day 12: Laugh It Off (and Stay Vigilant)
Because let’s face it — everyone’s stressed enough this time of year. The key is staying informed, not fearful. Bed bugs aren’t a reflection of cleanliness; they’re just opportunistic hitchhikers.
So pour yourself some cocoa, take a deep breath, and remember: prevention beats panic every time.
And if you ever need a little backup? ECO Bed Bug Exterminators is only a call or text away.
✨ Bonus: Quick Bed Bug Prevention Checklist
✅ Inspect luggage before and after travel
✅ Use encasements on all beds
✅ Place interceptors under bed and sofa legs
✅ Wash and dry bedding on high heat
✅ Keep clutter to a minimum
✅ Schedule your professional inspection
💬 Final Thoughts
Whether you’re hosting family, traveling, or cozying up for the season, a few simple habits can make all the difference. These 12 days of prevention aren’t just catchy — they’re your secret to staying comfortable and confident all year long.
Start the new year fresh, safe, and bed bug–free.
🪲 Ready to Protect Your Home?
ECO Bed Bug Exterminators offers expert bed bug inspections and preventive treatments in Baltimore and surrounding counties. Our team specializes exclusively in bed bugs — no gimmicks, no guesswork, just proven results.
Schedule your inspection today and enjoy a cozy, pest-free home for the holidays.
Have questions? Email a photo of what you’re seeing to ecollcbedbugs@gmail.com or text us at 410-929-3420 for quick professional feedback.
