Baltimore tops the list for worst bed bugs situation once again

Beg bugs are quite a problem in many US cities. According to the latest data from Orkin, Baltimore once again tops the list of the 50 cities with biggest bed bugs issues. This is the third year in a row for the city to top the list.

The data by Orkin is based on the most bed bugs treatments the company performed in cities from December 1 2017 to November 30 2018. It includes both homes and businesses.

“Bed bugs are the number one urban pest in many cities today,” said Chelle Hartzer, an Orkin entomologist in a release. “They are master hitchhikers, so no one is immune. Sanitation has nothing to do with prevention: from public transit to five-star resorts, bed bugs have been and can be found everywhere humans are.”

So, you shouldn’t really panic about bed bugs. Yet, you shouldn’t just leave it be. There are some simple tips you can do to make your life easier.

Orkin gives the following tips for the home:

Inspect your home for signs of bed bugs regularly. Check the places where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames.
Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs.
Inspect all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.
Dry potentially infested bed linens, curtains and stuffed animals on the hottest temperature allowed for the fabric.

And here are the tips for traveling:

Inspect the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.
Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.
Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on counters.
Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and once you return home from a trip. Always store luggage away from the bed.
Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting after you return home.

The full list features the following cities: