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House-Prep: Things To Do Now So You Can Enjoy A Carefree Summer

summer relaxation outdoors

Home Maintenance Checklist For a Carefree Summer

Summer might be officially here, but there’s still time to knock out last minute house-prep before your true vacation starts. Complete this home maintenance checklist now, and then coast into the summer sun with ease:

1. Get rid of clutter

This goes for in and outdoors. Grab garbage bags and fill them up. A good basic rule is if you haven’t used it in a year or if it has any damages, toss it. You can also ask yourself ‘Would I buy this if I saw it in a store today?’ If you are seeding out your garage, make sure to check with local government policy regarding waste disposal of old paint, solvents, and other toxic substances you might have.

2. Clean oven, stove, microwave, dishwasher and garbage disposal

Lemon juice is the answer to all things kitchen. Microwave a bowl of lemon to soften grime in the microwave, grind it in the garbage disposal to clean out the area, and spray it in the oven and dishwasher for a great scent! In the midst of all your cleaning, don’t forget to toss all the expired food from your fridge (and junk food to get a jumpstart on swimsuit season).

3. Clean outdoor furniture and welcome mat

With all the spring showers we’ve had, your furniture and welcome mat might look (and smell) a little musty. A deep clean will do wonders. If you’re battling rust, scrub the affected areas with sandpaper to get them shining new.

4. Inspect and change furnace filters and inspect water heater for leaks

That AC will be working hard the next couple of months. Check and replace the air filters, if needed. For more HVAC help, download our free HVAC Evaluation Guide.

5. Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Check your detectors and batteries to ensure that everything is working. Also, make sure everyone in the house knows the plan to evacuate safely and calmly if an emergency were to occur!

6. Clean and inspect outdoor lighting

We can’t stress the importance of maintaining your outdoor lighting. In addition to adding major curb appeal, outdoor lighting will keep your yard fully lit, preventing possible crime from coming onto your property. Make sure the light bulbs are still working and that any built-up rust and cobwebs are removed.

7. Yard work

Cleaning up never felt so good. De-weed the yard, trim the trees and bushes and mulch your garden beds to get your yard looking in tip-top shape. Summer is the time to host cookouts and outdoor parties, so you want to show off a yard you’re proud of. Check out our lawn services and let us help you prepare your summer yard.

Cheers! You’ve finished the maintenance checklist and can now sit back and enjoy your clean, summer-ready house!

But, if anything does happen to come up that needs fixing, don’t hesitate to schedule a service with us.

House-Prep: Things To Do Now So You Can Enjoy A Carefree Summer

Bedbug inspection

How to Know if Your Hotel Has Bedbugs

Upon entering a hotel room, do you typically reach for the tiny toiletries, take a leap onto the bed, or perhaps start by inspecting for bed bugs? Knowing what to look for is essential. Anticimex Carolinas Service Manager Christian Tweed has shared valuable insights on identifying bed bugs in your hotel room and preventing them from hitching a ride back home with you. And if bed bugs do become an unexpected part of your vacation, remember that Clark’s Pest Control is here to assist!



Q&A with a Pest Professional


How do bed bugs get inside hotels?


Bed bugs are primarily hitchhiking insects as opposed to foraging ones, meaning that they get carried around on people’s clothes and belongings. Someone with an active infestation in their home can easily bring bed bugs to their hotel, but they can also be picked up during travel (airplanes, taxis, and rideshare services) and brought to a hotel room.


What do people misunderstand about bed bugs in hotels?


From a probability standpoint, all hotels will deal with bed bugs at some point in time. If you think about a bed bug’s method of travel, there’s literally nothing a hotel can do to stop them from being carried in. What I have realized is that luxury hotels are more likely to have an aggressive response to dealing with a bed bug case once it’s identified as they tend to have a higher quality of service and a reputation to protect. While this isn’t always the case, it has been my experience more often than not.

Got bedbugs? Call Clark’s at 866-781-4991 today!

What do you recommend travelers do when they get to their room to check for bed bugs?


Most hotel headboards hang directly on the wall. I start my inspection here before even looking at the bed itself. I have found bed bugs, their exoskeletons, and the telltale black stains they leave behind around the edges of or in the crevices of headboards. If the headboard looks clean, move on to looking over the pillowcases and comforter for any signs or stains. You can dig into the bedding as deep as you want here, but I encourage people to look over the top layer of things at the very least.


What are some lesser-known signs of bed bugs in your hotel room?


The specifics of the black stains they leave behind, which as gross as it sounds, are just digested blood as that’s all that bed bugs feed on. If the stains are on a hard surface, they will be small dots as if left behind by an ink pen and will smear into a brownish gray when moisture is applied. If they’re on fabric, they will usually bleed along the fibers making a small diamond, square or X shape.


If there are bed bugs in your hotel room, can they travel home with you?


They absolutely can, however this is easy to prevent. While staying in a hotel, keep as much of your clothing and luggage off the beds as possible. Storing suitcases in the bathroom might sound odd, but it’s an effective method of prevention.

Don’t tackle bedbugs yourself, call Clark’s at 866-781-4991!

What should you do with your suitcase if you suspect your hotel has bed bugs?


When arriving home from a trip, leave your luggage in the garage or on a porch and bring your clothes in one load of laundry at a time. If the clothes are dirty, wash them like you normally would, if they’re clean then run them through the dryer for at least forty-five minutes. Once your suitcase is empty, vacuum over it meticulously (don’t forget to empty the vacuum when you’re done), or if you’re in the right climate, expose it to heat for a few days by placing it in your vehicle (parked in the sun) or for a few weeks in your attic.


The Clark’s Solution


If you brought bed bugs back to you home, Clark’s is here to help. Our Bedbug Control service is designed to eliminate bedbugs and create a safe, comfortable environment.


A Clark’s Pest Professional will do an inspection and recommend a plan of attack to get rid of bed bugs now and prevent them from hatching in the future. Call Clark’s at 866-781-4991 today for more information.



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