Stop Bed Bugs Safely

THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE STOP BED BUGS SAFELY

WHAT ARE BED BUGS? The pest control company should: Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human • Inspect your home to confirm the presence of blood. They are usually active at night when people bed bugs. are sleeping. Adult bed bugs have flat • Find and eliminate their hiding places. rusty-red-colored oval bodies. Adult bed bugs are • Treat your home with special cleaning and/or about the size of an apple seed, they are big enough pesticides if necessary. to be easily seen, but often hide in cracks in • Make return visits to make sure bed bugs are furniture, floors, or walls. When bed bugs feed, their gone. bodies swell and become brighter red. They can live Be sure your pest control company hires licensed for several months without feeding on a host. pest management professionals. Ask to see a copy of their license or check directly with DEC by calling WHAT DOES A BED BUG BITE FEEL (718) 482-4994 or visiting AND LOOK LIKE? http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/209.html Most bed bug bites are initially painless, but later turn into large, itchy skin welts. These welts do not have IS IT NECESSARY TO USE PESTICIDES a red spot in the center as do the bites from fleas. TO GET RID OF BED BUGS? The best way to get rid of bed bugs is to clean, ARE BED BUGS DANGEROUS? disinfect and eliminate their hiding places. Since Although bed bugs and their bites are a nuisance, young bed bugs (nymphs) can live for several they are not known to spread diseases. months without feeding and the adults for more than a year, the pest control company may use a HOW DOES A HOME BECOME INFESTED WITH pesticide. Talk with the professional about safe use BED BUGS? of pesticides and make sure he/she: • Uses the least toxic pesticide. In most cases, people carry bed bugs into their homes unknowingly, in infested luggage, furniture, • Follows instructions and warnings on bedding, or clothing. Bed bugs may also travel product labels. between apartments through small crevices and • Advises you about staying out of treated rooms cracks in walls and floors. and when it is safe to reenter. • Treats mattresses and sofas HOW DO I KNOW IF MY HOME IS INFESTED by applying WITH BED BUGS? small amounts of pesticides on seams only. Pesticides You may notice itchy skin welts. You may also see should never be the bed bugs themselves, small bloodstains from sprayed on top of crushed insects, or dark spots from their droppings. It mattresses or sofas. is often hard to find them because they hide in or near beds, other furniture, and in cracks.

SHOULD I USE A PEST CONTROL COMPANY? Actual size The Health Department recommends that homeowners hire pest control companies registered by the New York State Department of

EHS1317501 - 1.09 HOW CAN I GET RID OF BED BUGS? 3. Be very cautious about using pesticides yourself. 1. Find out where bed bugs are hiding in your home. Pesticides can be hazardous to people and pets. If you choose to use a pesticide, or a licensed pest Use a bright flashlight to look for bed bugs or control professional suggests you use one, follow their dark droppings in bedroom furniture. Or these precautions: use a hot hair dryer, a thin knife, an old subway card or a playing card to force them out of hiding • Only use pesticides clearly labeled for bed bug spaces and cracks. Check: extermination. Never use a cockroach spray, ant spray, or any other pesticide that does not • Behind your headboard. list bed bugs on the label. • In the seams and tufts of your mattress and • Follow label instructions exactly. inside the box spring. • Never spray pesticides on top of mattresses • Along bedroom baseboard cracks. or sofas, or in areas where children or pets are • In and around nightstands. present. • Other bedroom items, including window • Never purchase or use a product without a and door casings, pictures, moldings, nearby manufacturer’s label and never buy pesticides furniture, loose wallpaper, cracks in plaster and from street vendors. partitions, and clutter. • Avoid using “insecticide bombs” and “foggers” in your home. These products can spread 2. Clean areas where bed bugs are likely to hide. hazardous chemicals throughout your home, • Clean bedding, linens, curtains, rugs, carpets, and are not likely to be effective against bed and clothes. To kill bed bugs, wash items in hot bugs. water and dry them on the highest dryer setting. Soak delicate clothes in warm water HOW CAN I KEEP BED BUGS OUT OF with lots of laundry soap for several hours before rinsing. Wool items, plush toys, shoes, MY HOME? and many other items can be placed into a hot • Wash clothing and inspect luggage dryer for 30 minutes to get rid of bed bugs. immediately after returning from a trip. • Scrub mattress seams with a stiff brush to • Inspect used furniture for bed bugs before dislodge bed bugs and their eggs. bringing it into your home. • Vacuum mattresses, bed frames, nearby furniture, • Never bring discarded bed frames, mattresses, floors and carpets. Pay special attention to box springs, or upholstered furniture into your cracks and open spaces. Immediately after home. vacuuming, put the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed plastic bag, and dispose of it in an HOW CAN I KEEP MY FURNITURE FROM outdoor container. INFESTING SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME? • If you find bed bugs on a mattress, cover it with a waterproof, zippered mattress cover • Never resell or donate infested furniture or labeled “allergen rated,” or “for dust mites.” clothing. Keep the cover on for at least one year. • If you throw infested furniture away, make • If your box spring is infested, seal it inside a it undesirable to others by cutting or poking vinyl box spring cover for at least one year. If holes in its upholstery or making it unusable. no cover is available, throw the box spring away. Tape a sign to it that says, “Infested with Bed Bugs.” • Dispose of infested items that cannot be cleaned and get rid of clutter. Seal tightly in a plastic garbage This fact sheet is available at nyc.gov/health. For more copies, call 311 bag and discard in an outside container. and ask for “Stop Bed Bugs Safely.” • Repair cracks in plaster and repair or remove loose wallpaper.

Revised 12-08 Keep Homes Healthy and Safe