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HOW IT WORKS
STOP! DON'T THROW ANYTHING OUT!
Almost everything can now be treated to remove bed bugs and their eggs.
1
The initial inspection. This determines the level of infestation and how much prep you will need to do prior to the treatment. Most people only need to wash their clothing and blankets.
2
The treatment. I use a combination of vacuum and steaming. Pesticide application is available, but in most cases is not necessary. Treatments start at $400.
3
The followup. Shortly after the treatment I will check in with you to make sure the treatment was successful.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW HEAT WORKS BELOW.
Heat is far more effective than any pesticide you can purchase.
I talk about pesticides here because people need to be informed. There is far too much misleading advertising on the products you can purchase at the local hardware store. Have you noticed there aren't very many bed bug products to choose from? This is because the manufactures are aware simply spraying some pesticide in your bedroom won't eliminate the infestation. They bank on the fact that most people panic when they find bed bugs and their immediate response is to go out and purchase bug spray instead of waiting for an exterminator. I'm not suggesting you shouldn't purchase any bug sprays, only that pesticides by themselves won't solve the problem. So the question then becomes how much money are you willing to spend on store bought products before you call me? Either way, you will end up calling me, and I could save you time, frustration, and money.
The bed bug must come in contact with the pesticide. Spraying an aerosol around the room only drives them deeper into their hiding spots. So what happens to those little buggers who are hiding inside the box spring, or under the baseboards? Its only by chance that they emerge from their hiding spots while the pesticide is still active. Most pesticides are only active while they are wet. As they dry they loss their effectiveness. Dusts and powders stay active for a long time, but again the bed bug must come in contact with them. Dusts and powders are good in wall voids where they can remain undisturbed. You certainly shouldn't spread dusts and powders throughout your home where your children, pets and family members can come in contact with them. In almost all cases people over apply dusts and powders. If you can see it, you've used too much.
Pesticide Resistance
All of the research studies agree: bed bugs become resistant to the pesticides over time. Heat is the only treatment strategy that has remained effective year after year. Your local big box store is restricted to selling bed bug products that have 0.25% or less of the active ingredient. Shop around, our local hardware stores carry products with 0.50% active ingredient. Licensed pest control companies are able to purchase and apply pesticides that range from 0.25% to 0.50% of the active ingredient, however most professional exterminators agree a heat treatment is more successful. Again, pesticide application is only effective if the bug comes in contact with it.
Vickie the Vacuum, Stella and Stephen the Steamers
Yes, that's right, I like to name my equipment.
118 degrees Fahrenheit is the lethal target temperature!
Over the years I've had the opportunity to work with different kinds of steamers. My favourite is the VaporJet 2400 Professional System. This is a commercial steamer and there's no comparison with your tiny clothing steaming. I run my steamer between 130-150 degrees Fahrenheit which kills all stages of bed bug activity. Moving the steamer nozzle at approximately 1 foot per minute, the steam has the chance to penetrate deep into the cracks and crevices of the furniture and baseboards. Vickie and Stella are my dynamic duo. While my steamer is warming up, I search out and vacuum up as many bugs and eggs as I can find. My steamer is able to be refilled as I work, which means there's no down time, and I can get a steady stream of heat throughout my entire work day. My vacuum is equipped with a bag and a Hepa filter, so there's no chance any of those little buggers will get away from me.
Stephen is the newest addition. This steamer from Dupray reaches temperatures over 300 degrees Fahrenheit and has an additional tank for mild detergents. At this temperature, I am able to move faster which allows me to be more efficient.
Delicate Items & Collectibles
What about your favourite books that were beside the bed? You wouldn't want to spray those with pesticide. In this circumstance we would place your books inside a heat chamber and slowly bring the temperature up to kill any bugs and their eggs. In one particular case, a customer liked to lay in bed and knit. She kept her bag of yarn beside the bed. Since the balls of yarn could not be laundered without ruining them, we placed them in the heat chamber for 4 hours.
It has arrived and it's the only one of its kind in our city!
ZappBug Heat Chamber
No need to purchase those expensive mattress and box spring covers. All of your large furniture can be heat treated inside this pop up room. It's especially good at heat treating those delicate pieces of furniture that should not be exposed to moisture.
The Bed Bug Lady Warranty - It's Simple.
Follow all of the instructions I give you and together we will eliminate all of the bugs.
Often when people find bed bugs in their apartment or house their immediate response it to start moving furniture around. Stop! Don't move anything. I want those bugs to stay exactly where you found them. When you disturb their hiding spots, they run and spread to other areas of the room.
Try not to do any extensive reading on the Internet. There are a lot of horror stories on the net that will only exacerbate your worry and concern. A lot has changed in the past few years. There is new research and treatment strategies. Every situation is different, and no two treatments are exactly the same.
Sleep in the same spot every night. People are tempted to switch bedrooms or sleep on the couch. Stop! Don't do that. The bugs will leave your bedroom and seek you out, causing the infestation to spread to other areas of the apartment or house.
Do all of your laundry as I instruct you to do during the initial inspection.
Follow all of the post treatment instructions. It's extremely important you sleep in your bed each night following the treatment. So don't plan your treatment for a time when you'll be on vacation or out of town. You can find more information under the PREP tab.
30
DAY
60
DAY
90
DAY
I offer 30, 60 and 90 day warranties. During the initial inspection we will discus which warranty is best suited for your treatment.