How To Avoid Bed Bugs In Your Storage Unit
Posted on: 5 June 2015
Bed bugs aren't just a concern inside your home or during a hotel stay, they can also infest a storage unit. Whether they are brought there by you or one of your neighbors at the storage facility, prevention and control should be a top priority. Fortunately, it's fairly easy to avoid bed bugs in a storage facility if you know the right way to pack up your stuff
Skip The Climate Control
Climate controlled storage units can offer a real benefit if you are storing electronics, artwork, or other items that are easily damaged by extreme heat or cold. They aren't usually a necessity if you are storing mattresses, upholstered furniture, clothing, or books. This is a good thing, since these items are the ones most likely to attract and harbor bed bugs. By keeping them in a non-climate controlled unit, bed bugs are unlikely to survive the temperature changes, so you are minimizing the chances of an infestation.
Bin Your Stuff
Although bed bugs are small and can work their way into tight corners, they can't chew through plastic. If you're storing linens, clothing, or paper items, opt for plastic storage bins and tubs with tight fitting lids. You may even want to go a step further and seal the lids on with packing tape, so there is no way for a pest to work their way inside.
When storing in plastic, make sure all fabric items are completely dry. Otherwise, mildew can occur because of the trapped moisture.
Wrap It Tight
Anything that is too large to
Wait to wrap items until you have them at the storage unit, this way you will avoid unseen tears in the plastic during transport. Once wrapped, seal the seams closed with packing tape. Bed bugs can't chew through the plastic wrapping to get to your mattress or furniture. If, by chance, your items are already infested, wrapping them in plastic will suffocate and kill the pests.
Clean Your Unit
Most storage units are relatively clean before you move in, but you want to remove any traces of the old occupant. Give the unit a thorough sweeping and treat it with an indoor pesticide, just in case there are any stray bed bugs hiding inside. If you use your self storage unit for the long term, you may want to treat it with pesticide annually. This ensures that no