Thousands of children are heading back to school and will be taking home new knowledge about math, language arts, science and… bed bugs. Here is what you, as school administrators, should know to protect the children, staff and the school environment.
Bed bugs are invaiding homes, theaters, motels, and schools at an alarming rate. Every day someone wakes up with red welts that weren’t there the day before. What causes these bites? Bed Bugs! The next question is, “How did we get bed bugs?!”
Bed Bugs travel very easily on clothing, shoes, book bags, coats, bedding, and sports bags. Bed bugs transfer by crawling from one person to another. Close contact at school is the perfect highway to other homes for the bed bug. Bed bugs multiply rapidly so you can have an infestation very quickly.
Many bed bug victims have never seen the culprit that bit them but they are there o be found if you look in the right places. They hide in furniture cracks, carpet, clutter, baseboards, electronic devices and mattresses. Have parents check he bedding and upholstered furniture for rusty spots and bed bug nests. Special attention to any tears in the upholstery, corded areas, and buttons. Bed bugs are visable to the naked eye and sometimes are seen on the victim themselves. Still can’t find them? Look at night with a flashlight and check all areas of the room.
- Vacuum the entire area including upholstered furniture, desks, lockers, coat, and book bag storage areas. use crevice tool for baseboards, cabinets, and tight areas.
- Remove bag from vacuum and discard in a sealed bag outside of the building.
- Remove all clutter
- Wash anything washable in hot water and dry in hot dryer. This kills bugs and eggs.
- Place laundered items in sealed bags to prevent re-infestation.
- Apply Cimexa Dust into walls behind switch plate covers, outlet covers, where pipes come out of walls under sinks, and cracks in a wall.
- Spray Transport GHP, Tempric FX or Bedlam on all surfaces, following directions on the product.
- Spray shoes, coats, and book bags to kill any bugs brought into the facility.
- Repeat all steps once every seven days for three weeks in a row. Any eggs missed will hatch out and re-infest the area.
Be pro-active to the bed bug problem in our community to be ready with a plan and the proper professional strength Bed Bug Products!