Jiminy crickets, Baltimore MD and Washington DC have ranked #1 and #2 on the 2017 Orkin extermination company’s list of top cities with bedbug problems. That’s too close to home for our comfort.
What are Bedbugs?
Bedbugs are small, flat insects about the size of an apple seed that feed human and animal blood, and are often found in areas where people sit or lie down, such as upholstered chairs and beds. They cannot fly, but can move about quickly over floors, ceilings, and walls.
How Do I Know I Have Bedbugs?
One way to detect bedbugs is to look for rusty or reddish stains on your sheets or mattresses. These are caused by bedbugs that have been crushed. Also, look for small dark spots that indicate bedbug excrement. Check especially along seams of cushions or mattresses and under the plastic corner guards for their pale yellow eggs or eggshells. Even wooden furniture can contain cracks and seams where bedbugs can and do hide.
Many people discover they have bedbugs because they are experiencing bites, or see bite symptoms such as itchy welts on their bodies when they wake up.
How Do I Help Get Rid of Bedbugs Myself?
- Clean your bedding frequently in hot water and dry everything on the hottest setting.
- Use a stiff brush, especially along mattress or cushion seams to dislodge bedbug eggs, then vacuum the area thoroughly. Immediately place the vacuum bag into a sealed bag and dispose of it in an outdoor garbage bin.
- Encase your mattress in a bedbug-proof mattress cover. Keep in mind that bedbugs can live up to a year without food.
- Declutter and repair wall cracks or other niches where bedbugs can hide.
Simply throwing away your mattress may not eliminate your bedbug problem. They not only live on your bed; after feeding, they can crawl into dressers, clothing, floorboards, behind switchplates or into other dark and snug places to hide and digest, emerging again when they are hungry.
Experts recommend wrapping your mattress and other infested furniture completely in thick plastic, sealed with duct tape before removing it from the home. This helps keep mature bedbugs and their eggs from dislodging and falling onto other furniture or into the carpet. The mattress should also be clearly marked with the words “BED BUGS.” You may even want to slash the mattress and cushions to prevent others from picking up your disposed-of item for their own use.
Once the infected items have been removed, you will need to treat your home to prevent bedbugs from reappearing. Simply replacing the items will not ensure that you are free from the pests.
123JUNK Cannot Haul Bedbug-Infested Items
As a junk hauling company, 123JUNK is always vigilant about protecting our workers—and the general public—from further bedbug infestations. That means we cannot accept items for hauling that are infested with bedbugs. In fact, if we know that your property has been infested, we can require documentation from a pest control company that states that bedbugs, fleas or roaches have been exterminated.
We also empower our employees to decline a job if they feel their health is at risk from insect infestation once they arrive at a job site. Even though our guys are hardy and we are not afraid to go into some tough environments, we won’t put our staff at risk.
We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause to our clients throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
