Do you think these young ladies are worried about picking up a bed bug on their shopping spree? Probably not.
The fact is, most of us don’t give a second thought to the the possibility of bringing home a bed bug from the mall. But it can happen. As we head into the holiday season, you will likely find yourself in a shopping mall or two. Follow these simple tips to help prevent bringing a bed bug home from your next shopping trip.
Bed bugs are everywhere. All it takes is a bed bug to hitch onto a person’s clothing or crawl into their bag. They go shopping, and the bed bug crawls out of their bag or off their clothing, finding a new host. Make sure that new host isn’t you. Reports have been cropping up of bed bug sightings in shopping malls. Many times, they simply find their way into the mall from an attached hotel or movie theater.
Mayfair Mall theater treated for bedbugs
Dozens of reports of bed bug findings at malls on the Bed Bug Registry
How You Can Prevent Bringing a Bed Bug Home from the Shopping Mall
Here are a few simple steps you can take to help prevent bringing a bed bug home the next time you go shopping at the mall or at a retail store.
Keep your bags off the floor.
One way that a bed bug can hitch a ride to your home is by crawling into your shopping bag or purse. Do not place your bag on the floor. Either ask your shopping partner to hold it for you, or wear a bag that you can sling over your shoulder.
Look over the dressing room.
You found the perfect thing to wear to the next holiday party – good for you! Now it’s time to try it on. Don’t assume that hanging your things on the provided hooks in a dressing room will safeguard you from picking up a bed bug. They can crawl up walls. The good news is you can usually see them. Before placing your personal belongings in the dressing room, take a moment and look around. Be sure that you do not see any bed bugs crawling on the wall or on the seat/bench.
Don’t rub against clothes racks. Walk in the aisles.
When given a choice, you should prefer to walk in store aisles. Try to avoid walking through crowded clothing racks, allowing them to brush up against your clothing. If a bed bug is on the clothing rack and you brush against it, you risk it attaching onto your coat or your clothing.
Check seating before sitting down.
You’ve been shopping for hours, your feet are sore and your back is killing you. Time to sit down and maybe enjoy a coffee or an ice cream. Before taking a seat on shopping mall benches and chairs, look down before sitting. Make sure you don’t see any bed bugs crawling around on the seat.
Inspect new items before bringing them into your home.
Your credit cards are maxed out, your trunk overfloweth, and you are finally home. Take just a few minutes to look over each item as you unpack your bags. Make sure you don’t see any bed bugs or signs of bed bugs on your newly purchased items.
Don’t forget to look inside your shopping bags!
Finally, take a peek inside the shopping bags, paying careful attention to the areas where there are folds. Ensure there are no bed bugs crawling inside the shopping bags.
Put new clothing in a hot dryer for 20 minutes.
Check the label on the clothing first if you aren’t sure! If a bed bug is on a piece of clothing that is dried at temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, it will die. This article explains how to use your dryer to kill bed bugs in further detail, and even has recommendations for dry-clean only clothing:
How to Kill Bedbugs on Clothes With Heat in the Dryer
Don’t panic!
Don’t let the worry of picking up a bed bug ruin your holiday shopping experience. The point of this article is not to cause panic, but simply to make you aware of different ways to prevent picking up a bed bug while you shop at a mall. When you are aware, you make better choices and reduce your risk of bringing a bed bug home with you.
Sometimes, you cannot be too careful and you discover that you have a bed bug infestation in your home. When caught in the early stages, usually a bed bug infestation can be brought under control in one service visit. Contact Titanium Laboratories right away if you suspect that you have bed bugs and our bed bug expert will be happy to provide you with a free telephone consultation.
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