Bed Bug Treatment

So you think you have bed bugs? The Pest Force has the solution.

Bed bugs are notoriously insidious, hiding during the day and emerging at night to feast on unsuspecting sleeping hosts. In fact, it is possible to have a bed bug infestation without ever seeing one of the parasitic insects—a flat broadly oval mahogany colored bug, about the size of a tick. Many times the first signs of bed bugs are the bites that may appear. These are actually an allergic reaction to the bed bug saliva and not everyone who is bitten will exhibit the flat red oval welts that appear in a line on the skin. Other signs of an infestation are small spots of blood on your bedding or walls, tiny spots of dried excrement around their favorite hiding spots, or the small dried shell casings left in your bedding which can be seen fluttering down as you lift the sheets. Bed bugs give off an obnoxiously sweet odor, similar to raspberries which is particularly noticeable when a large infestation is present.

Bed bugs have been proven to carry at least 41 human diseases according to the Department of Entomology at Clemson University and can be responsible for vitamin and mineral deficiencies as well as allergic reaction in children and adults. There is also often a stigma that comes with bed bugs, that may cause you to put off seeking help—don’t. Bed bugs come from a variety of sources: used clothing and furniture, luggage, people visiting your home from infested dwellings, on your clothing when you visit an infested building, etc. It is important to seek professional help as soon as you suspect you may have a problem.

Our Customer Service Specialist will schedule an appointment for a specific time at your convenience for a thorough bed bug inspection and estimate. Our Pest Management Professional (PMP) will meticulously examine your home for bed bugs including beds and bedding, mattress seams, bedframes molding, bedroom clutter, personal items, furniture creases and crevices, cracks in wooden floors, around baseboards, and more. This thorough inspection will likely involve moving things around in your home, so you may find things repositioned. He will report his findings to you in writing and also give you an estimate for treating your home. The cost of the inspection will be deducted from the total if you choose to have the treatment done by The Pest Force.

Eliminating bedbugs requires three treatments and you must vacate the premises during and for 2 hours after each treatment. So keep this in mind when scheduling your appointments.

In preparation for treatment you should wash all bedding and dry it on high heat for at least 30 minutes to kill any live bed bugs and destroy bed bug eggs and larvae. Immediately place the bedding into trash bags or rubber bins and tightly seal them until after the treatment. Any loose clothing or stuffed animals should also be placed in the dryer on high for at least 30 minutes and placed in sealed bags. Clean clothing does not need to be re-washed, but should be run through the dryer cycle and set aside in the bags until after treatment. To prevent transferring bed bugs to other places you should wear clothes that come directly out of those bags/bins or your dryer before leaving the house. The floors and furniture should be vacuumed and the bag should immediately be emptied into an out side trash bin and any canister washed out.

On your first appointment your Pest Management Professional will go over treatment procedures, have you sign some paperwork and receive payment. We accept cash, check, Visa and MasterCard for your convenience. Once you have departed your PMP will thoroughly treat all harborage areas in your home—cracks and crevices, bedframes, baseboards, under carpet edges, etc.

When you arrive home you will see that many items have been moved and handled. Often the cushions on furniture will be removed. You may find large black plastic bags filled with items that will need to be run through the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Do not re-use these bags and discard them immediately.

On your second appointment your PMP will do another thorough inspection. If appropriate, any beds that remain in the home will be fitted with bed bug covers. Remaining harbourage areas will be treated. Monitoring stations may be installed to assess the infestation.

On the third appointment another thorough inspection will occur. By this time it is expected that the bed bugs will be eliminated. Bed bug covers will be fitted if they were not installed on the 2nd visit. If there are remaining bed bugs, they will be treated and a final inspection will be scheduled.

Once the full treatment schedule is completed, bed bug covers are installed and all instructions have been completed, we guarantee our treatment for 60 days. If you find live bed bugs in the home during the 2 month period following the last inspection, we will return to spot treat at no additional charge. At that time we will determine if they have been re-introduced and bring that source to your attention.

It is important to be diligent in preventing bed bug infestations or re-infestations

At home:

• Inspect all secondhand items brought into your home from garage sales, thrift stores, flea markets, or any other source for signs of bed bugs: furniture, beds, clothing, toys, etc.
• Enclose mattresses and box springs in covers labeled “allergen rated,” “for dust mites,” or “for bed bugs.”
• Periodically check for rips or openings and tape these up.
• Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs.
• Don’t store items under your bed.
• Vacuum frequently.
• Repair cracks in plaster, repair or remove any loose wallpaper, and tighten light switch covers.
• Apply caulk to seal crevices and joints in baseboards and gaps on shelves or cabinets.
• When traveling:
• Place luggage on a hard surface such as the bathroom floor while you inspect the bedding and area around head board for signs of bed bugs. Immediately vacate the room and ask to be re-assigned if any evidence is found.
• When you get home, if there is any concern that you have been exposed to bed bugs, unpack directly into a washing machine. Wash all items and dry on the highest setting for at least 30 minutes. The heat from the dryer kills the bugs, eggs and larvae.
• Inspect and then vacuum luggage. Empty the vacuum or seal and dispose of its bag outside of your home after each use.

At work:

• Don’t hang your coat on a shared coat rack.
• Keep your personal items separated from other’s items in a rubber bin if necessary.
• When working in residential units or motel rooms examine for evidence of bed bugs before you begin work.
• When working in a unit that has a known bed bug infestation, do not sit on any furniture or beds. Try not to brush up against draperies.
• At the end of the day strip down and put all clothing into a trash bag and seal it. Put on fresh clothes before entering your vehicle. Place bag contents in laundry immediately, drying the clothing for 30 minutes on high heat. Discard the bag in an outdoor receptacle. Shower. Brush off shoes outside or over a plastic bag which should be discarded in an outside receptacle.
• Do not sit or lay down on any furniture at home before these precautions are taken.

The Pest Force services the following areas for Bed Bug Treatment: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Longs, Conway, Carolina Forest, Socastee, Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach, and Pawleys Island.