How to Prevent Bugs When Moving

When you move, packing is usually the hardest part. Whether you meticulously label every box weeks in advance or start the night before, there’s one thing you don’t want going on the moving van: bugs. Roaches, fleas and bed bugs can follow you or, perhaps, they’re already living where you’re headed, so it’s important to consider how to avoid them when you’re moving in or moving out.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent having a bunch of bugs as your roommates. Whether it’s cockroaches that hitched a ride on the van, bed bugs from the hotel you stayed in on the way to your new home or fleas in the carpet of your new space, Terminix® can help you battle pest headaches come moving time.

ROACHES

Cockroaches are difficult to get rid of once they’ve moved into a home. Regardless of whether they’re left over from the previous tenant or hitched a ride on your moving truck, you need time to lay out a plan for eradicating them and keep them from ever coming back.

How to get rid of roaches:

1. Using a bait they carry back to their nest can cause an immediate effect and is potentially the most permanent solution.
2. Glue traps can also be effective, though they’re best used to identify high-traffic areas where you’ll eventually want to put bait down.

How to prevent them:

1. Thoroughly inspect all boxes before packing away your belongings. Those nasty pests may already be hiding away and looking to make your new home their new home.
2. Check the perimeter of the house for small cracks and crevices and seal them off with caulk to keep the roaches from being able to enter.

FLEAS

Most people think of fleas as being pet-based pests, but these bloodsuckers also live in carpet. Their eggs can lie dormant, so even if you don’t have a pet, you can find yourself in an itchy situation after moving into a new place.

How to get rid of fleas:

1. If pets are involved, make sure they’re bathed thoroughly and take them to the vet for a recommendation on medication.
2. Then, move everything off of your carpet and thoroughly vacuum the home. Vacuum any surface you can, including carpet, tile floors, furniture and drapes.
3. Last, but not least, use an insecticide. It’s necessary to bring up the fleas in the carpets for the insecticide to be effective. Do this every other day until you don’t see any signs of fleas or their eggs. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it to keep your family comfortable.

How to prevent them:

1. Follow your vet's recommendation for flea control medication for your pet.
2. Keep your carpet and home vacuumed and act the first time you see a flea, rather than waiting to see if there are more. With one flea capable of laying 2,000 eggs in her short lifetime, there probably are.

BED BUGS

Bringing these bad boys home from a hotel is any homeowner’s worst nightmare. If you’re traveling to your new home and need to make overnight stops, make sure you’re checking for bed bugs at every stayover.

How to get rid of bed bugs:

With an infestation, it’s best to call in the professionals immediately. Terminix uses an innovative system to freeze the bed bugs in all their life stages. Removing bed bugs often involves disassembling furniture, looking under carpets and more. In this instance, a good defense is the best offense.

How to prevent them:

1. Inspect any furniture or bedding you may be sleeping on or bringing into your home. This means any time you stay at a hotel, check the bed frame, mattress and even headboard for bed bugs or the telltale brownish red spots they leave behind.
2. If you think you may have encountered bed bugs on a trip, carefully inspect your luggage before bringing it into your home.

Remember these tips when it's time to make the big move. And remember that Terminix is ready to help protect your new home from the nastiest of neighbors.