Bed bug control & removal in Plainfield, NJ - One of the worst we've seen.

Challenge

I was sent to one of my commercial properties in Plainfield for which I handle all of their pest control needs. A tenant with a skin rash thought that she may be having an allergic reaction to a soap or shampoo. This problem had been going on for a while unbeknownst to the property management company until she finally contacted them.  After ruling out personal hygiene products as the cause of her rashes and discomfort, I was asked to inspect her unit for a possible infestation. 

Upon entering the bedroom, I found myself in the midst of a full blown bed bug infestation. Once I stripped the bed of sheets (see picture), I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of bed bugs crawling over the mattress, box spring, frame, and floor areas directly under the bed. 

Most people who are bitten by bed bugs display welts. Bed bug bites can feel tender or ooze discharge such as pus. However, sometimes with bed bugs, the person being bitten doesn't feel or realize that they are being bit or does not have the mental wherewithal to recognize that they are surrounded by a severe and growing infestation. This may happen because of old age and associated diminished mental capacity or reduced sensory perception. Also, certain medications a person may be taking such as corticosteroids can dull the symptoms and prevent the rash associated with bed bug bites. When this happens, bed bug infestations can grow rapidly, unknown to unsuspecting victims who are living in a unit that is heavily infested by bugs.

It seems unfathomable that someone can be surrounded by biting insects for weeks or even months, but I’ve seen it time and time again. By the time we are called, we are dealing with a heavy, deeply entrenched infestation where the entire building is put at risk. In multi-unit buildings, pest infestations, whether cockroaches or bed bugs, can quickly jump from one unit to the next. It is so important to educate tenants about pest awareness and timely reporting problems to management. In nursing homes and other residential units housing elderly populations, it is critical that the staff is aware of the signs of bed bugs and that they conduct periodic inspections of the units in order to avoid any unnecessary delay in treatment. With bed bugs, every day counts. Even a single bed bug or two can quickly escalate into a severe infestation.

Solution

Fortunately, I always carry my trusty hepa vacuum with me, and sucked up as many live bed bugs that I could find, carefully vacuuming the edges along the seams of the mattress, undersides of box spring, bed frame, and wall junctures.

After the rooms and contents have been thoroughly vacuumed the first technician follows with a commercial grade steamer to all cracks and crevices of common hiding areas such as on bed frames and other bedroom and living room furniture.

Mattress and box springs encasements are installed on the beds to prevent reinfestation. Bed leg monitors are then placed where applicable and a light chemical application to these areas.

A two week followup is then scheduled. During this visit we will conduct a thorough inspection and then we apply an additional chemical application to areas of concern.

In about two to three weeks we conduct a final inspection to make sure the structure is completely free of bed bugs, and reapply a light chemical application to any continuing areas of concern. Our 90 day no bite no sight warranty goes into effect after this visit. scheduled with the same procedure.

Although we try to salvage furniture, the bed bug activity was so high that we sealed the bedding and furniture and carted it out of the unit. We needed to resolve this infestation as quickly as possible to minimize the chance of it spreading to other units. I will be conducting another inspection/treatment in two weeks to determine whether there is still activity, and if so, continue treatment.