Bed Bug Safety Tips When Buying Vintage Clothing
Noting is cooler than vintage clothing. Sock hops, theme parties – even just a different look. But be careful not to bring bed bugs into the look. Noting vintage about these blood sucking pests!
Here's what you can do to keep bedbugs away!
Bedbug tips when buying vintage clothing:
- Second hand or ‘vintage’ clothing is great, but be aware of the bed bug threat before you can bring home those items that originated in someone else's house.
- If you must have that second hand blouse, check it thoroughly inside and out for signs of bed bugs. This is especially important for clothes with ruffles, creases, seams etc.
- Is the store very cluttered with piles of clothing or clothes on the floor? These conditions provide extra spaces for bed bugs to hide, so be cautious and check your clothing before purchasing.
- The cleaner the store, the less likely it will have bed bugs.
- If traveling home on public transportation, keep clothing bags elevated, preferably in your hand or on top of metal, which bed bugs cannot easily climb on.
- Check exterior and interior of clothing again before entering the house.
- Wash newly purchased clothing as soon as you get it using high temperatures ensures that any bed bugs that may have been laying in wait cannot survive.
- If you do discover you bought clothing with bed bugs, wash it immediately in the hottest setting you have, and notify the store so they don't continue selling clothing that may have bed bugs.
- Using a public dressing room? Try not to put your stuff down on non-metal and un-elevated surfaces. See a pile of clothes that aren’t yours? Keep them separate from your own.
More bedbug tips for protecting your clothing:
When shopping (communal dressing room)
When using a health club locker room
When doing laundry
When using a Laundromat
When living with room mates
When using a dry cleaner
When renting your wedding dress
When renting your tuxedo
When buying secondhand clothing
