Bed bugs are a persistent nuisance. They invade our personal spaces, causing physical, emotional and financial stress. Once these pests infest a home they are notoriously difficult to eliminate. Their small size, ability to hide in cracks and crevices, and resistance to over-the-counter treatments make them a formidable enemy.
Professional pest control is often the only answer to a full scale bed bug infestation. One part of bed bug eradication that often gets overlooked is laundry services. Professional bed bug laundry services can be an essential part of a comprehensive eradication strategy.
The Role of Laundry in Bed Bug Control
Bed bugs like to hide in soft materials such as bed linens, clothing, and upholstery. These are safe places where they can find shelter and safely reproduce. When treating a home for bed bugs the primary focus tends to be on furniture and they’re immediate surroundings. However, neglecting infested fabrics can often allow bed bugs to re-infest previously treated areas of the home.
Washing and drying laundry at the appropriate temperatures can kill bed bugs, as well as bed bug eggs, that may be hiding in bed linen and other fabrics. Professional bed bug laundry services offer thorough and cleaning options beyond what many homeowners can manage on their own. These services safely remove bed bugs, bed bugs eggs, and other potential allergens like fecal matter and molted exoskeletons.
How Do Bed Bug Laundry Services Work?
Professional bed bug laundry services are designed with bed bug eradication in mind. The process itself consists of a series of carefully controlled steps:
- Collection and Isolation – The first step is to collect the items earmarked for laundering. All items are carefully collected and isolated to prevent the spread of bed bugs to other areas. In most cases items will be moved into sealed airtight bags to ensure no bed bugs escape.
- Inspection – Items are then examined for signs of infestation. This includes living bed bugs, eggs, and blood or fecal stains. This step determines the severity of the problem and helps to set-up the cleaning process.
- High Temperature Wash – Bed bugs cannot survive exposure to high temperatures. Bed bug laundry services use industrial grade washing machined set to a minimum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The high temperature kills living pests as well as eggs. In some cases special detergents may be used to help break down any staining caused by the bed bugs themselves.
- High Temperature Drying – Dryers set to high heat (in excess of 130 degrees Fahrenheit) ensure the complete eradication of any remaining bed bugs or eggs.
- Folding and Packaging – Once cleaned all items or folded and sealed in airtight bags to prevent re-infestation. Sanitized items are then returned to the clients home after the main pest control treatments are complete.
What are the Advantages of Using a Bed Bug Laundry Service?
While it is certainly possible to wash and dry bed bug infested fabrics at home, professional services offer a number of distinct advantages over doing it yourself.
- Effectiveness – Bed bugs are notoriously resilient and can easily survive DIY treatments if they are not handled correctly. It’s also worth noting that home washers and dryers aren’t designed to reach the temperatures needed to kill bed bugs and their eggs. Professionals have both the equipment and the experience to do the job effectively.
- Saves Time – Dealing with an infestation is stressful and time consuming. Laundry services can help you save time so you can concentrate on other aspects of pest control.
- Safety – Professional laundry services rely on non-toxic and heat-based treatments to eliminate bed bugs and their eggs. These methods are safer for people and pets.
- Prevents Re-Infestation – Thorough cleaning and proper packaging of your belongings helps ensure that treated items do not become a source of re-infestation. This is critical to effective pest control.
- Convenience – Dealing with a bed bug infestation can be overwhelming to say the least. Leaving infested laundry to experts is not only more convenient it relieves some of the stress that comes with fighting a bed bug invasion.
When to Choose a Laundry Service
Bed bug laundry services may seem like a luxury, and it’s true that they can add to your overall pest control costs. But there are times when using a professional laundry service pays big dividends.
Bed bug laundry services are particularly beneficial when faced with any of the following scenarios –
- Widespread Infestations – When bed bugs have infested multiple rooms or a large amount of fabric items using a professional laundry service helps to eliminate the pests and prevent re-infestation.
- Time Sensitive Situations – When a rapid response is required to eliminate and infestation laundry services can reduce the time it takes to clear the infested areas. This is particularly applicable to public facing businesses such as hotels.
- Health Concerns – If someone in your family is allergic to bed bug bites or sensitive to cleaning chemicals using a professional service protects them from unnecessary exposure.
- Peace of Mind – The purpose of any pest control operation is to leave your home free of pests. A professional bed bug laundry service helps to eradicate living bed bugs as well as eggs. It also helps to prevent re-infestations.
Bed bug laundry services are a valuable addition to any bed bug treatment plan. By addressing the fabrics and soft goods that often harbor these pests, professional services supplement pest control operations and help ensure total elimination of bed bugs in your home. Whether you’re dealing with a minor infestation or a widespread invasion, using a reputable laundry service can help you save time and reduce stress as you eliminate bed bugs from your home.
Published by Scott Palatnik
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