Cowleys Pest Services Q&A

As often happens, many homeowners attempt a DIY treatment prior to contacting a professional pest control service. Unfortunately, you can't get rid of an ant infestation, or any social insect infestation for that matter, by killing the foraging workers. Foraging ants are expendable, and there are plenty more where they came from! To resolve an ant infestation, you have to kill the colony and the breeding queen. These DIY sprays simply chase away the ants to every hiding place they can find. The also make it more difficult for the technician to find out the source of the ant infestation because they disrupt their pheromone trails. To control kitchen pests we apply a crack and crevice treatment along the back of the counter and the backsplash on the other side of the stove. After observing even more ants trailing along the cabinet kick plates underneath. These are typical "hot spots" attracting kitchen pests. We pull out the stove and usually find the culprit - some sort of food that has managed to roll underneath. Often, homeowners are very conscientious about sealing all of the food in their cabinets or on their counters, but overlook hidden food sources for pests, especially food that winds up on the floor and gets stuck underneath kitchen appliances. After cleaning underneath the stove to remove the insect attractant, we finish the treatment with a non-repellent product that will be carried back to the colony, killing the queen and the other pests. Now, the homeowner's kitchen pest problem will be properly resolved.

Two technicians are scheduled for the initial treatment of bed bugs. Initial treatment is started with a thorough reinspection of all the rooms in the structure including rooms not thought to have any problems.  Vacuuming While one technician is conducting the inspection, the other tech is thoroughly vacuuming all live bedbugs from the rooms with confirmed sightings using a HEPA vacuum.  Encapsulation of Mattress and Boxsprings and Monitors Mattress and Boxspring encasements are installed on the beds to prevent reinfestation. Bed leg monitors are then placed where applicable and a light liquid application to these areas. Bed Bug Treatment We use a proven formulation of EPA approved products that not only eliminate the bed bugs themselves, it also eliminates the eggs. First Follow up 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. Final inspection In a few weeks we conduct a final inspection to make sure the structure is completely free of bed bugs. We reapply a light chemical application to any continuing areas of concern.  Bed Bug Warranty Our 90 day no bite no sight warranty goes into effect after the final inspection 

These are the key steps for preparation for bed bug treatment in NJ. They should be done all at once, not gradually, as close to treatment day as possible so that bed bugs lose the opportunity to move to another location in your home and regroup. Collect all washable fabric items (pillows, sheets, blankets, clothing, rugs, curtains, towels, etc) from ALL rooms (closets, bedrooms, living room, bathrooms, and kitchen). Place all of the fabric items in plastic bags. Seal the bags with ties. Remove the bags from your home. On your scheduled treatment day, your beds should be stripped bare. Bed frames, headboards, and mattresses are the bed bug's "ground zero." It is a critical treatment area where the technician needs complete access. Wash all of the collected fabric items in hot water in a washing machine. Dry all items on the highest heat setting. Bed bugs die when exposed to high temperatures. Washing and drying all of your fabric items is your chance to drown and 'fry' the bed bugs and their eggs taking refuge in your belongings. Use commercial equipment outside of your home. Commercial drying machines have higher drying temperatures than home dryers and with the volume of clothes to be washed and dried, you'll want to do multiple loads at once. Remember to seal and throw away the empty (and potentially bug-infested) trash bags. When done washing and drying, put the clean laundry into NEW unused bags and tie closed. Do not bring the clean bags of clothing into the home until after the treatment. Bring in only those items you need until after the bed bugs have been eradicated or leave them sealed in an unaffected room in order to avoid reinfestation. Empty the contents of closets, dressers, nightstands, and any other furniture in the affected rooms. Yes, it's a lot of work. But it needs to be done. Bed bugs thrive in the nooks and crannies of clutter. By removing clutter, you remove their harborages. Bag and seal all of your non-washables like toys, alarm clocks, picture frames, etc. Books are not exempt. Bed bugs can and do infest books! Closely inspect the items as you are placing them in the bag. With a portable vacuum or using a hose attachment, vacuum the surfaces of these items, especially the cracks of picture frames. Bed bugs are small enough to squeeze into the smallest, thinnest of places. Seal the bags and place them in another room. Vacuum all room surfaces with a strong suction vacuum using hose attachments to get in small areas. Vacuum all those things you normally don't vacuum -- mattresses, box springs, bed framing, headboards, and sideboards. Vacuum up under shelves and drawers as well. If it is a place bed bugs can hide, it is a place to vacuum. A thorough cleaning with a good suction vacuum is essential to get rid of bed bugs. Immediately dispose of the vacuum bag outside by placing the vacuum bag in a trash bag, sealing the bag, and leaving it in a waste container outside of your home. Finally, expose the bed bug's hiding places in the room such as the floorboards. Furniture flush against the walls gives bed bugs more places to hide. Beds and furniture need to be moved away from the walls, with at least 3 feet of space. The technician will want to treat baseboards, wooden trim around doors and windows, and edges of your carpet. A Cowleys Pest Services representative will go over the specifics of what will happen on the day of treatment and answer any questions that you have. You, your family, and pets need to be away from the premises during the treatment.