CHICAGO, Dec. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sure, they look beautiful and smell wonderful, but did you know Christmas trees, wreaths and firewood are one of the most common ways for pests to enter your home during the holidays. These uninvited guests can wreak havoc on your holiday cheer, hiding deep in the crevices of wood or branches, even laying eggs, creating an overwhelming pest infestation. And don't forget the decorations, lying dormant all year they are the perfect hideout for spiders, rodents and more.

Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. If you have family or friends coming to visit this holiday season or if you are travelling yourself, you may want to take extra precautions. Planes, trains, buses and hotels are hot spots for bed bugs. These hitchhikers will attach themselves to virtually everything and are notoriously hard to get rid of. So, what can you do to keep critters from creeping into your holiday cheer?

TOP FIVE HOLIDAY HACKS:

1.  Christmas Trees, Wreaths & Firewood

• Inspect
• Search for unwanted guests before you bring them into your home
• Shake It Off
• If you suspect critters, give your greenery a good shake before bringing inside

2.  Decorations

• Open Outside
• Take the boxes outside first, search for signs of gnaw marks, droppings or webs
• Check for frayed lights
• Store in plastic bins, year-round, to prevent pests from getting in to begin with

3.  Travel

• Pack Smart
• Store clothes in sealed plastic bags to keep bed bugs out
• Before you leave, spray your luggage with 91% alcohol
• Inspect your bed if staying at a hotel

4.  Guests

• Invest
• Purchase nylon mattress covers and pillow protectors to keep bugs out
• Spritz all guests' luggage/clothes with 91% alcohol

5.  Food

• Be Smart
• Clean up after yourself, throw all unwanted away, seal and store the rest

ABOUT R.B. PEST SOLUTIONS:
With more than 30 years of experience, R.B. Pest Solutions is changing the landscape of pest control throughout Chicagoland by educating customers and putting jobs back into the community. Specializing in residential and commercial property, R.B. Pest Solutions puts control into the owner's hands by educating them not only how to get rid of them, but also how to keep them away for good. It's an approach unlike any other company in Chicago is doing, by educating the customer so their services are no longer needed.

LOCATION: 8243 S. Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, IL 60619

CERTIFICATIONS:

• MBE, Minority Business Enterprise
• WBE, Women Business Enterprise
• DBE, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

SOURCE R.B. Pest Solutions