Bedbugs: Eight (8) effective ways to move and leave bedbugs behind

By Tonny Abet

With the global explosion of bedbugs it is no news finding yourself trapped in the middle of the infestation of these blood thirsty bugs. Have you found yourself in a bedbug infested apartment or new home or you are just planning a travel but not sure whether you will not import back the bedbugs? well this shall be a good read.

Once bed bugs have been confirmed in the living area of an individual or family, there may be good reasons to move them to a different area or apartment while the infested one is treated. However bed bugs are so swift and may be transferred with personal belongings, causing more trouble in the new living space.

With 4 years of dedicated experience working with people battling with bedbugs, I understand that you probably just want to exit for good the current residential because of the heavy psychological and financial stress associated with managing bedbugs and you want how best to do it, you are at the right place.

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Long stories short, let's look at these eight (8) secrets of moving and leaving bedbugs behind for good.

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·         1. Place all potentially infested belongings in clear plastic bags that are tightly sealed.

·         2. Keep items that cannot be sanitized inside clear plastic bags and employing aerosol pesticides may be recommended for a faster solution or placing the sealed items under scotching sun for a day or two.

·         3. Ensure each individual shower and change into clean clothing and shoes and bag up the current (possibly infested) clothes for laundering.

·         4. Ensure only those belongings confirmed bedbug free especially after laundering are brought into the new home or apartment.

·         5. Employ vinyl or bed bug proof covered mattresses for the beds of each member of the household. Also cover box springs if they are present.

6. Whether you move permanently or temporarily, leave furniture behind if possible to allow it to be treated. 
7. Treat furniture before moving it. Take with you as few items as possible at first.

8. Pets must be relocated during treatment. Leave behind their bedding and cages, unless these items can be thoroughly washed.

About the Writer:

Tonny Abet holds Ba. Biomedical Lab. Technology of Makerere University. He has been doing research on public entomology especially on cost-effecttive ways to prevent and manage bedbug infestation in the dynamic 21st century. His final year research project at Makerere University RTC Research Laboratory was on this very subject, he has continued studying the bugs till now. Tonny is writing an e-book on the cost-effective bedbug management strategies for homes and institutions. The e-book shall be released in February 2019. Tonny enjoys writing on a number of other social and scientific topics  for different organizations and he loves farming.