To help you avoid a possible bedbug infestation, we’ve compiled a short list of all the things you can do to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place.

1. Do a quick inspection when staying in hotels

When staying in hotels, it’s always best to conduct a quick inspection of the room, particularly the bed and mattress, to make sure there are no signs of bedbugs. Check the edges of the bed and mattress, look in the corners and the seams and continue searching throughout the rest of the room, including the carpets and the closets. Look out for reddish-brown spots and moulted bedbug skin with dark brown colour, which are some of the most common signs of bedbug activity. **2. Steam clean second-hand furniture ** Remove any washable covers or pillows from the furniture and throw them in the washer. Use a high setting to get rid of all bedbugs that may be hidden in the fabric. Vacuum up the entire surface of the furniture then use a steam cleaner to kill any potential bed bugs or eggs that can be found in it. Alternatively, you can put all the cushions in a black plastic bag and place them under direct sunlight. This method can kill off bedbugs in all stages of their growth. This also goes for other items that are made from some sort of fabric such as luggage, bag packs, purses and so on.

3. Wash all second-hand before wearing them

Wash all second-hand clothes on a high setting, as soon as you bring them in your home to make sure you don’t bring bedbugs with them as well. If you can’t do the washing right away, you can store them in sealed plastic bags until you can get them washed. These last two methods are also applicable in case of an infestation, not just as a preventative method. So if you do end up having to deal with a bedbug problem, make sure you follow these two simple steps to clean your furniture, clothes and other items that are made of fabric so you can slow down the infestation and stop it from spreading.