As temperatures rise in the summer so will the level of bed bugs in commercial buildings. The small parasitic insect reproduces rapidly in the summer months and can cause a number health issues including skin rashes and allergic reaction.
Western Pest Services, a New Jersey-based pest control company, has six tips to help keep your building bed bug free this summer. It’s important for your staff to understand the various ways bed bugs can penetrate your building defenses.
- Travel is the most common way bed bugs spread. When you travel, inspect your hotel room for bed bugs. Lift up the mattress and look for adult bed bugs, cast skins and any dark spots that come from feces. In addition, bed bugs are often introduced into a residence by guests. Often, without knowing, they will bring bed bugs that were picked up from another infested location into your home.
- Reduce the amount of clutter in your space. Bed bugs are more likely to develop in hidden, rarely disturbed locations.
- Frequently wash and heat-dry your bed linens, bed spread and any clothing that touches the floor. The heat from a dryer on the hot setting will kill bed bugs and is a great tool to reduce bed bugs without using conventional insecticides.
- Use mattress and box spring encasements. These items will entomb any bed bugs that might be in or on your mattress and box spring.
- Vacuum weekly and dispose of the vacuum bag after each use. Vacuuming regularly can reduce bed bug populations. Target rugs, floors, under beds, around bed legs, bed frames and all cracks and crevices around the room.
- Never bring used furniture into your building. When you purchase new furniture, ask the store to deliver the furniture with the plastic sheeting still intact. Bed bugs can sometimes be introduced from the moving trucks.
"Consider contacting your local pest control provider to set up a bed bug inspection to ensure they don't ruin your summer," says Phil Pierce, an entomologist and technical services manager for Western Pest Services.
