Tips for avoiding bedbugs

by Madeleine Baran, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Pest control experts say that a few basic precautions can reduce the risk of bedbug infestation. Among the recommendations:

*Avoid buying used furniture, or picking up discarded furniture or mattresses from streets or dumpsters.

*Don't set your bag or purse on the floor when you're sitting in a movie theater, clinic or other crowded places. Keep it in your lap, instead.

*When staying in hotels, check mattresses and luggage racks for the reddish-brown insects. Also check for dark fecal spots on sheets and mattresses, as bedbugs often retreat to other areas during the day.

*Place your luggage away from beds and walls in hotel rooms.

*Check your skin for itchy, red bumps, particularly on your arms, neck, or other exposed areas.

*Contact your landlord or an exterminator immediately if you suspect that bedbugs have entered your home. Bedbugs can spread quickly, and early intervention could reduce the cost of extermination.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 09/03/2010, 4:48 p.m.