How Bed Bugs Spread in Apartments

Can bed bugs spread in apartments? Bed bug issues are increasing in apartment complexes. There is an urgent need for tenants and landlords to know about these insects and how to improve the chances to get rid of them. 

So… what exactly are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are little insects that feed on human blood during the night. They keep to themselves during the day, hiding in cracks and crevices until emerging at night to feed. The bed bug bite is painless, and it may or may not leave a red mark or cause itching.

Do I have Bed Bugs? 

Bed bugs may go overlooked at first due to their small size and painless bite. You may have a problem if you wake up with itching welts, see tiny red stains on your sheets, or think you’ve seen the bugs. Bed bugs don’t build nests, but they do congregate in convenient hiding spots. These places may have a sweetish odor and be distinguished by little dark patches and stains.

Will Bed Bugs Hurt Me?

Fortunately, bed bugs are not known to transmit any diseases to humans, though bed insect bites can cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people. Bed bugs are generally disliked and can be a source of tension and anxiety for those who live and travel within infested residences.

How Bed Bugs Get Into the Apartments – How Bed Bugs Spread

In apartments, bed bugs are no longer an uncommon problem. Bed bugs have resurfaced as a major issue in the United States since around 2000. Bed bugs are sometimes introduced into an apartment through travel by infested luggage from a hotel or hostel. Bed bugs are more likely to infiltrate a residence in an apartment complex from a nearby afflicted flat, during moving, or by picking up used or recycled furniture or mattresses. Bed bugs can easily move from one afflicted unit to another once they’ve been introduced into an apartment building.  Sometimes there needs to be commercial office cleaning services to form a baseline and eliminate hiding spots.

What to Do if You have a Bed Bug Problem – Bed Bug Specialist Needed

If you think you notice a bed bug, try to catch it. Put it in a leak-proof container, ideally with rubbing alcohol, and show it to your apartment manager to verify its a bed bug. If you feel you have a bed bug problem, you should notify your building manager even if you are unable to capture one of the insects.

When beg bugs are discovered in one apartment unit, the pest management industry considers it common practice to investigate all units surrounding the afflicted flat. If no bed bugs are discovered, the nearby flats are not need to be treated. However, if a neighboring apartment is found to be infected, it should be treated, and all neighboring flats should be investigated as well. 

How Do I get rid of Bed Bugs from the Apartment? – Bed Bug Infestation & Landlord Responsibilities

If you live in an apartment or condominium, you should notify the property manager as soon as possible (preferably by phone and in writing). A manager-coordinated bed bug management effort by a pest control business is usually required in multi-family housing. Bed bugs easily spread from apartment to apartment, and many individuals are unaware that they have a problem, so you’re unlikely to be able to eliminate a bed bug infestation on your own. If one apartment is infested, all neighbouring units (left, right, above, and below) should be assumed to be infested unless examination or surveillance proves otherwise. It’s not enough to just ask tenants if they have bed bugs. Only half of inhabitants in a large apartment with bed bugs knew (or admitted) they had a real problem, according to one case study.

The treatment for bed bugs is a thorough inspection, vacuuming, and treatment of any bug hiding locations discovered. Treatment is time consuming and might take up to several hours each flat. It will most likely take numerous visits and treatments to permanently eliminate a bed insect infestation.

What do I need to do as a tenant for Bed Bugs in my apartment?

As a tenant who pays rent, your first duty is to report any suspected bed bug infestation as soon as possible. It will be your responsibility to arrange your flat after your treatment appointment has been set. The following pointers will assist your pest control company and you in getting rid of bed bugs as quickly as possible.

• During or before the therapy, do not move any of your belongings to another residence. When you recover your stuff, you risk transmitting bed bugs to the other apartment and re-introducing bed bugs to your newly-treated flat.
• All loose items in bedrooms and other rooms to be treated should be picked up and double bagged. Clutter makes it difficult for maintenance staff to search every aspect of your unit, and it provides more hiding spots for bed bugs. Follow your pest control company’s cleaning and inspection procedures to ensure you are not returning bed bugs to the treated room before returning these items.
• Prior to disinfecting the room, all potentially contaminated clothing should be double-bagged and de-infested before returning to it. According to new research, bed bugs can be killed by dry cleaning, washing in hot water, or tumble drying for 30 minutes on high.
• Even while bed bug treatments are mostly focused on bedrooms and living rooms, it’s still a good idea to put all food away in the kitchen and dining areas, as well as cover tables, counters, and other surfaces to prevent contamination. Despite the fact that your pest treatment professional will be cautious and the chemicals employed should pose little dangers to people, taking this step will reduce your chance of pesticide exposure and lower maintenance costs.
• It’s not very effective (or inexpensive) to get rid of your mattress, box spring, or bed unless you’re planning on getting a new one anyhow. Rather, invest in a high-quality, bug-proof mattress encasement. Encasements are customized sacks that fit over a mattress or box spring and are designed to keep allergens at bay. The zippers on bed bug-proof encasements are made to be tight enough to keep even the tiniest bed insect life stages from escaping. Encasements that are truly bed bug-proof are also robust enough to keep bed bugs from biting you through them. A proper encasement will catch all bed bugs on the inside of the mattress and box spring, and will be smooth on the exterior, leaving few hiding areas for bed bugs. Bed bug-proof encasements are available in stores like Sears, Target, and Walmart, as well as online. Using the search term “bed bug mattress protectors,” look for different brands and reviews of mattress encasements online.
• Before a pest control service, vacuum your couches, chairs, and recliners thoroughly. Bed bugs are commonly discovered in couches and upholstered chairs in flats. To avoid reintroducing or spreading any bed bugs collected in the vacuum, double-bag it and throw it away in an outdoor dumpster right away.
• Before starting therapy, make sure all drawers in nightstands and dressers near to beds are empty. The pest control firm will be able to inspect and treat these furniture pieces more easily as a result of this. Before returning these items to the treated furniture, bag them and clean or examine them according to your pest control professional’s instructions.

To acquire total bed bug control, you’ll need to work with management and your pest control professionals. Bed bugs can be tough to control after they’ve established themselves, especially without the support of tenants like you.