If you've heard that bed bugs have been found in your South Carolina school, you probably have questions. Lots of questions. We know what you're feeling. Bed bugs can seem scary. But we assure you that it is likely that your South Carolina school has taken measures to control bed bugs and to protect students. Here's what you need to know most.
Should I keep my kids out of school because of bed bugs?
No. This isn't necessary, for many reasons.
It is best to let cooler heads prevail. It is unwise to allow bed bugs to impact your kid's education. There are methods to contain bed bugs and reduce the risk of infestations spreading. With proper precautions, you should be okay.
Keep in mind that bed bug infestations in schools are rarely widespread. When a student is found to have bed bugs on them, school staff know to follow procedures and isolate the student discreetly.
If you understand how bed bugs spread during the day, you can reduce the risk of an infestation in your home. Bed bugs are far less likely to crawl across a floor to go from one bag to another during the day. In a school, they usually spread by contact between carriable items or clothing. If your kids don't put their bags near the bags of other kids or their clothes near the clothes of other kids, you can significantly reduce your risk of them bringing bed bugs home.
Bed bugs spread through schools all the time. Most of the time, you don't hear about it because it goes undetected. It is better to consider ongoing prevention than to react to a bed bug incident.
What can you do to prevent a bed bug infestation?
There is no way to completely protect your home and your family from bed bugs. But you can reduce your chances of an infestation.
- Understand that bed bugs are highly attracted to clothing that has been worn. When your kids go to school or stay at someone's house for the night, they should always put their laundry items in a sealed plastic bag. A garbage bag and a bread tie can do the job. This will also keep those stinky laundry items from making their other clothes smell less-than-fresh. It is a win-win.
- When your kids come home from school or a friend's house, be sure to wash all of their laundry in a hot wash and run it through a 30-minute drying cycle. Heat kills bed bugs in all stages of development.
- If you find tiny white eggs in the seams or creases of a bag and you're able to put the bag in the dryer for 30 minutes, that is the best way to deal with those eggs.
- If you find tiny white eggs in an item that can't be put in the dryer, apply rubbing alcohol to the eggs. This will dry them out and kill the bed bugs. But keep in mind that where there are eggs, there may be bed bugs hiding.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
It is extremely difficult to get rid of bed bugs. To put this in perspective, consider that bed bugs are indoor pests that have been living almost exclusively with humans since the dawn of recorded history. Some scientists even believe that bed bugs were in the caves with our ancestors. If bed bugs were easy to exterminate, they would be extinct by now. We strongly encourage you to seek the assistance of a licensed pest control professional. If you live in our South Carolina service area, we'd be happy to help.
When bugs start bugging you, it is time to call the Bugman. Reach out to us today to schedule a free inspection.
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