The Growing Bed Bug Problem
Bed bugs are a growing nuisance in the GTA, especially for Toronto’s apartment residents. Calls have jumped about 30 per cent each year over the past two years. Orkin PCO’s Marketing Director, Dan Dawson, recently spoke to CTV about the factors that may have contributed to the problem, as well as steps for prevention.
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“Some people believe that the banning of chemicals like DDT may have contributed to the resurgence. But increased travel may also be a reason because people are sleeping on beds and in places that may have bed bugs and they may be bringing them back home.”
Orkin PCO treats bed bug infestations with a combination of low-odour sprays, dusts, aerosols, vacuums and steam – a process that may take several visits.
Dawson believes with raised public awareness, early detection, and using all the pest control methods in their arsenal, big cities can keep bed bugs at bay.
How to avoid taking bed bugs home with you
- Dawson recommends not taking home used furniture, especially bed frames and mattresses. If you do, carefully inspect the items and consider where they came from.
- When travelling, inspect the bed you will be sleeping on during your stay. Large infestations of bed bugs can create a musty, sweet odor, like soda pop syrup. They also leave behind brown or red spots on sheets. Bed bugs are nocturnal and hide in the crevices of mattresses, box springs, sheets, furniture, upholstery and hollow bedposts, as well as crevices behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper. Take some time to lift and look around all possible hiding spots for bed bugs, not just the mattress.
- Examine your bags and luggage while repacking and once you return home, to make sure no bed bugs have stowed away in them. They are great hitchhikers, so check luggage and clothing for them before bringing your items into the home. Unpack in the garage or utility room.