A Healthy Homes Guide

Preventing and Getting Ridof Bed Bugs Safely

A Guide for Property Owners,Managers and Tenants

Using This Guide 1

Recognizing a Bed Bug 1

How Bed Bugs Grow and Reproduce 2

The Health Effects of Bed Bugs 3

Preventing Bed Bugs from Infesting 3Your Home

Inspecting for Bed Bugs 4

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs 6

About the Use of Pesticides 7

What Can Be Done to Support 8the Work of a Professional

Trap and Kill Bed Bugs 9

Clean and Disinfect 10

Seal Cracks and Crevices 11

Get Rid of Infested Items 11

What Landlords and Building Managers Can Do 12

More Information Inside Back Cover

Contents

Recognizing a Bed Bug

From its appearanceBed bugs are small insects that feedmainly on human blood. A newly hatchedbed bug is semi-transparent, light tan incolor, and the size of a poppy seed. Adultbed bugs are flat, have rusty-red-coloredoval bodies, and are about the size of anapple seed.

Bed bugs can be easily confused withother small household insects, includingcarpet beetles, spider beetles and newlyhatched cockroaches (nymphs).

From its markings, droppingsand eggsBlood stains, droppings and eggs canbe found in several locations including:

• Mattress seams and tufts, sheets, pillowcases and upholstered furniture.

• Crevices and cracks in furniture.

• Baseboards of walls.

Carpet beetle

Spider beetle Cockroach nymph(juvenile)

Bed bug adult(fed & unfed)

From its biteSome people do not react to bed bug bites.But for those who do, bite marks mayappear within minutes or days, usuallywhere skin is exposed during sleep. Theycan be small bumps or large itchy welts.The welts usually go away after a fewdays. Because the bites may resemblemosquito and other insect bites, a bumpor welt alone does not mean there arebed bugs.

How Bed Bugs Grow and Reproduce

Bed bugs are most active when we sleep. They crawl onto exposedskin, inject a mild anesthetic and suck up a small amount of blood.Most people never feel the actual bite.

Bed bugs need a blood meal to grow and lay eggs. A female lays5-7 eggs per week and if fed, will lay 200-500 eggs in her life. Eggstake about 10 days to hatch. Bed bugs are fully grown in 2 to 4months and can live as long as a year.

Egg Second StageNymph

First StageNymph

Third StageNymph

Fourth StageNymph

Fifth StageNymph

Adult

The Health Effects of Bed Bugs

Although bed bugs and their bites are a nuisance, they are notknown to spread disease.

• Bed bug bites can be very itchy and irritating. Most welts heal ina few days but in unusual cases, the welt may persist for severalweeks. Usually an anti-itching ointment will help, but if bitesbecome infected, people should see their doctor.

• The anxiety about being bitten can lead to sleeplessness, whichcan affect one’s wellbeing. Properly and effectively responding tobed bugs helps to keep anxiety in check.

Some people become so desperate that that they use illegal orexcessive amounts of pesticides that can lead to poisonings.This guide provides advice on how to get rid of bed bugs safely.

Preventing Bed Bugs fromInfesting Your Home

Bed bugs can enter homes by latching onto usedfurniture, luggage and clothing, and by travelingalong connecting pipes and wiring.

• Never bring bed frames, mattresses, box springsor upholstered furniture found on the street intoyour home.

• Check all used or rented furniture for bed bugs.

• When traveling, inspect the bed and furniture.Keep suitcases off the floor and bed, and inspectthem before you leave.

• If you suspect you have been around bed bugs,immediately wash and dry your clothing on hotsettings or store it in a sealed plastic bag untilyou can.

• Seal cracks and crevices with caulk, even if youdon't have bed bugs. This will help prevent bedbugs and other pests from coming in.

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Check mattresses, box springs,bed frames and bedding• Check the top and bottomseams, tufts and any ripsin the covers of mattressesand box springs.

• Look underneath the bedand along the bed frameand headboards.

• Use a flash light to inspectcracks and crevices offurniture, windows anddoor frames.

• Swipe a putty knife, an oldsubway or playing card intocracks and crevices to forcebed bugs out. A hot blow-dryer on a low setting will

also work. If live bugs docome out, crush them with apaper towel and throw themaway outside your building.

• Remove drawers fromfurniture and check theinside, top and bottom,joints and even screwholes.

Check cracks and crevices in bedroom furniture, floorboards and baseboards, windows and door frames

Inspecting for Bed Bugs

Look for bed bugs, blood stains, droppings and eggs (a flashlight and amagnifying glass will help). Start by looking in an area 10-20 feet aroundwhere you sleep or sit. That's the distance a bed bug will usually travel.Keep a written record of every room and location where you find signsof bed bugs. Share this record with a pest control professional.

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• Remove and checkzippers, seams andtufts in cushions ofupholstered furniture,and their frames.

Check walls andwall hangings• Using crevice tools,check paintings, posters,pictures and mirrors.

• Check cracks in plasterand peeling wallpaper.

• Inspect the face plates ofelectrical outlets and lightswitches (by eye only –do not insert anything intoareas with wires). Lookin phones, clocks, smokedetectors and toys.

Bed bug infestations usually require the use ofpesticides. Only professionals should apply pesticidesfor bed bugs. Foggers and bug bombs are noteffective against them.

Ask the professional to:

• Use the least-toxic pesticide labeled for bed bugs thatwill be effective.

• Follow all instructions and warnings on product labels.

• Tell you when it's safe to re-enter a treated room.

• Never spray the top of mattresses or sofas, and ifneeded, to use only small amounts of pesticides ontheir seams only.

About the Use of Pesticides

8

What Can Be Done to Supportthe Work of a Professional

Everyone should learn how to identify bed bugs and inspect for them.Cleaning and disinfecting will help to reduce bed bugs and their spreadbut may not get rid of them totally.

• Bright flashlight

• Small mirror,ideally one with ahandle, availablefrom hardwarestores

• Magnifying glass

• Blow-dryer

• Paper towels

• Vacuum withcrevice tool,brush and plentyof vacuum bags

• Putty knife,playing card orsubway card asa crevice tool

• Garbage bags

• Plastic packingtape, cockroachsticky traps ormouse glueboards

• Bucket ofsoapy waterand sponge

Tools You Can Use

Trap and Kill Bed Bugs

• Force bed bugs out of cracks and crevices with a putty knife or anold subway or playing card, or with hot air from a blow-dryer onlow setting. Catch them with sticky packing tape or crush them inpaper towels. The heat from blow-dryers will kill bed bugs after30 seconds of continuous contact.

Clean and Disinfect

• Get rid of clutter to reduce places bedbugs can hide. After checking them forbed bugs, consider putting non-essentialbelongings into storage until the bed bugsare gone from your home. Check all itemsagain before returning.

• Wipe off dead bugs, blood stains, eggsand droppings with hot soapy water.

• Wash all items showing bed bug stainsin hot water (140oF) and dry on the highestsetting for at least 20 minutes. Otherclean items suspected of having bed bugsshould be placed in a hot dryer for at least20 minutes to kill bed bugs. After dryingstore items in sealed plastic bags until youare sure you have gotten rid of bed bugs.

• Vacuum carpets, floors, bed frames,furniture, cracks and crevices daily, usingthe brush and crevice tools. Empty thevacuum or seal and dispose of its bagoutside of your home after each use.

• Enclose infested mattresses and box springsin a cover that is labeled “allergen rated,”“for dust mites,” or “for bed bugs” for atleast a full year. Periodically check for ripsor openings and tape these up.

Seal Cracks and Crevices

• Repair cracks in plaster,repair or remove anyloose wallpaper andtighten light switchcovers.

• Apply caulk to sealcrevices and joints inbaseboards and gapson shelving or cabinets.

Getting Rid of Infested Items

• Usually, it is not necessaryto get rid of furniture orbedding at the first signsof bed bugs. Cleaning andenclosing is often adequate.

• Box springs should onlybe discarded if theycannot be covered andare heavily infested.

• Use plastic sheeting(shrink /pallet wrap) orplace securely in plasticbags any items to bethrown away. Label witha sign that says “infestedwith bed bugs.”

What Landlords and Building Managers Can Do

• Provide tenants with informationabout bed bugs. Share this guide.

• Encourage everyone to reportbed bugs as soon as they knowof a problem.

• Notify tenants, and inspect allunits adjacent to, above andbelow apartments found tohave bed bugs.

• Hire a pest management professionalto treat for bed bugs. Be wary ofcompanies that make unrealisticclaims that bed bugs can be controlledwith one visit.

• Help tenants if they cannotmove furniture themselves orneed help to get rid of clutter.

• Give advance notice of theplanned use of pesticides.

• Inspect upon vacancy and ifnecessary treat units to ensurethey have no bed bugs or otherpests before renting.

NOTICEBed bugs werefound in a nearbyapartment.

Please schedulean inspection ofyour apartment.

More Information?

Key Messagesabout Bed Bugs

• Learn to identify the signs of bed bugs.

• Dirty living conditions do not cause bed bugs but cleaningand removing clutter will help in controlling them.

• Anyone can get bed bugs. Seek help immediately if youfind them.

• Sealing cracks and small holes will help to reduce hidingplaces and prevent bed bugs from crawling betweenapartments.

• Cooperate with your neighbors, landlord and pestmanagement provider. Getting rid of bed bugs needsto involve everyone.

• Do not use pesticide bombs or foggers to control pests.They can make conditions worse.

• It is hard, but not impossible to get rid of bed bugs.The advice in this guide will help.