Bed Bugs Control and Removal
Bed bugs are probably Australia's most hated pest, not only causing allergic reactions and lost hours of sleep, but also ruining reputations of hotels and cafes. Found in virtually every place including homes, schools, hotels, offices, stores and even public transportation; these critters are transported easily via clothing, luggage, furniture and bedding.
Bed Bug Removal Services
Steps in treatment
- Inspection: of harbourages such as mattress, base, slats, carpet edges, tack board below carpet, cracks & crevices, wardrobes and cupboards.
- Sanitising: In case of severe infestation, we destroy the affected sheets, mattresses etc. Anything valuable is sealed in plastic, taken out of the room and sanitised in sunlight or by freezing. Bed linen is washed in hot water and heat dried.
- Treatment: Permitted pesticides are applied to all affected places, if chemical treatment is required. Physical removal is enough in less severe cases.
- Quarantine: The premises have to be quarantined for 7-10 days if chemically treated, followed by a second inspection.
Bed Bug Life Cycle
Extremely secretive during the day, they are attracted to the warmth of our bodies and our exhaled CO2 when we sleep at night. They get along for quite long without feeding.
A bed bug's life can be divided into five stages, each lasting a week:
- Eggs: About 1 mm in size and cream in colour, these are laid in cool, dark places. They hatch in 10 days at room temperature.
- Nymphs: The name for when they emerge from eggs. Paler in colour and 1-4mm long. As nymphs grow, they shed their skin, which is left behind on bedding as moults.
- Adults: Rusty brown, wingless insects, that become reddish after sucking blood. Oval in shape and 5-6mm long, they live for 6-9 months. After mating, each female can lay 2-3 eggs a day throughout her life.
Signs of Bed bug Infestation
- One of the best signs is dead bugs and moults on your bedding. If you see live bugs, you know it for sure.
- Tiny spots left on your sheets, especially on the mattress seams tell you there are bugs.
- Cream-coloured eggs in nooks of the bed, under it etc are another sign.
- Bed bugs leave a 'sickly-sweet' smell; this usually means a severe infestation requiring immediate professional attention.
- Bit marks may or may not be from bed bugs, but if you also see dot-sized bloodstains on the sheet, call us at Protech Pest Control immediately, from anywhere in Melbourne.
Prevention
At home:
- If you don’t have an infestation, vacuum your beds and bedding regularly to prevent them from nesting.
- When back from a vacation, leave the luggage in the garage and wash all clothes in hot water.
- Leaving things to dry in the sun removes bed bugs if any, as they can’t stand bright light.
- If you’ve had an infestation, destroy the infested items. If not possible, wash them in boiling water.
Travelling:
- Check reviews of every hotel. Avoid if there is more thn one review mentioning bed bugs as these are persistent pests.
- Even if a hotel is marked safe, inspect the bed (mattress, headboard, bed frame) and other furniture. They like hiding behind pictures.
- Check your luggage thoroughly before moving out.
- Hang your clothes as far as possible.
Commercial Premises:
- Train your staff on spotting bed bug infestation signs.
- Keep an SOP to handle customer complaints of bed bugs.
- If bugs are spotted in a room, check that they haven't spilled over into adjacent rooms. Seal that room and call a bed bug exterminator.
Why Choose Protech Pest control?
When you hire Protech Pest Control, we first inspect your house and its surroundings for all places infested by bed bugs (they can get anywhere dark enough) We will then exterminate the pests using non-toxic chemical and physical methods, and give you advisory on preventing them from coming back. If you run a hospitality business, we can train your staff to look out for signs and ensure a bed bug-free environment.
Call us from anywhere in Melbourne on 1300 780 980