Bed bugs, or Cimex lectularius as they are scientifically known, have become a growing pest problem in recent years. Most people bring them home as holiday souvenirs or by buying old furniture. The main reason why they spread so rapidly is that travelers transport the small parasites from place to place in their luggage unnoticed, thus ensuring the spread of the blood-sucking bugs. Not long after, the first bites appear. Bed bugs are always a special challenge and should therefore always be eliminated by professional pest controllers.
Only professional pest control offers effective help with bed bug infestations. Get more detailed information on the following topics here:
- How do you recognize bed bugs?
- Dealing with bed bugs
- Combat and eliminate bed bugs
- The Rentokil 3 pillar bed bug program for hotels
- Frequently asked questions about bed bugs
Detect bed bugs
Most people are initially downright shocked when there is a concrete suspicion of a bed bug infestation. Although one repeatedly notices annoying red stings or bites on the skin, bed bugs are usually not seen. For this reason, it makes sense to first know which opponent you are dealing with and what effects an infestation can really have.
The bed bug is a crawling insect and is visible to the naked eye. Brown in color, the bed bug is flat but looks a little plump when it has just finished a blood meal. An adult bug is 5 to 7 mm long.
Bed bugs cannot fly and hide in the crevices of furniture, beds (mattresses, bed legs, behind the headboard…), and even in the parquet floor in the case of a severe infestation. They prefer dark places and have a tendency to hide when you turn on the light.
Bed bugs found? Act fast!
Bed bugs feed on blood throughout their life cycle. They cause very unpleasant bites , which in some cases can cause allergic reactions.
Bed bugs are attracted to heat and the CO 2 released by humans . This makes places where we often spend the night (the bed we sleep in each night and the surrounding area) an ideal food source for them.
You may see marks such as black spots (feces), red spots (blood) or molting residue on your mattress: these are often signs of a bed bug infestation. However, there may be times when no other signs are seen apart from actual bed bug sightings.
Dealing with bed bugs
In order to determine an infestation with bed bugs in your home without a doubt, it is important to know the typical signs and to interpret the first signs correctly. This also includes knowing where bedbugs often hide, as they usually hide in every conceivable crack, crevice and cavity during the day.
If such a detection succeeds at an early stage, the chances of combating it quickly and without complications also increase, since bed bugs can otherwise spread rapidly to neighboring rooms and ultimately throughout the house.
Combat and eliminate bed bugs
If the evidence of a bed bug infestation accumulates, good advice is expensive. Now it’s a question of correct behavior. The most important tip in advance: Under no circumstances should you try to solve the problem yourself with thoughtless measures to combat bed bugs and so-called home remedies against bed bugs. It won’t work. What should I do if I have a bed bug infestation?
Successful bed bug control can only be ensured by a professional exterminator.
The treatment is very complex. If bed bug control is not carried out carefully and correctly, there is a risk that the bed bug infestation cannot be completely eliminated and the typical symptoms of infestation will show up again in a very short time. Rentokil offers various methods to effectively combat bed bugs and prevent them from spreading.
Our control methods help both private individuals and companies (e.g. hotels) to professionally eliminate a bed bug infestation. We work regionally and nationwide. With the Rentokil Entotherm heat process , our exterminators eliminate bed bugs with heat, making it possible to kill all developmental stages of the life cycle.
The Rentokil 3 pillar bed bug program for hotels
Travelers today attach great importance to the reputation of a hotel or inn and to the opinions of other guests on specialized websites or in social networks. A single comment mentioning bed bugs will put your guests off. If you are manager or owner of a Hotels , one Youth hostel , a pension or a boarding schools , you must act quickly to maintain your institution’s reputation and protect your customers and residents.
Bed bugs are stubborn and fighting them is extremely challenging. With the Rentokil 3-pillar bed bug program , we offer you systematic help against bed bugs by minimizing your risk of becoming a victim of a bed bug infestation and giving you reassure others that Rentokil is the right partner when it comes to getting rid of bed bugs quickly and effectively.
Bed bug training
- Sensitization of relevant personnel departments, such as room staff, through training on the subject of bed bugs.
- Special training for hotel management.
- Guideline “Complaint management for bed bug infestations”.
- Provision of qualified educational materials such as leaflets and brochures.
- Goal: The early detection of bed bugs prevents further spread and as a result reduces the effort and costs due to downtime in the affected rooms and the bed bug control.
Preventive inspections
- Regular room inspections by Rentokil bed bug experts
- Recommended inspection cycle: at least twice a year
- Localization of infestation focal points
- Expert control of purchased furniture to avoid importation
- Goal: The earlier an infestation is detected by our trained experts, the earlier the problem can be solved by targeted bed bug control
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