End Of Tenancy Cleaning – Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs

Spot Bed Bugs Before Your End Of Tenancy Cleaning

Bed bugs can be difficult and annoying to get rid of when carrying out your end of tenancy cleaning so its important though that you do check for them. You may lose your deposit (or part of it) if you don’t spot them or get rid of them, before handing the keys back to your landlord. You also dont want to take any with you to your new home.

By checking before booking your end of tenancy cleaning you can let the cleaning company know what the situation is and they can advise you further.

Bed bugs can be difficult to exterminate. Here are some ways to get rid of them.

Detect Them before They Get to Your Home

Spending the night away from home, even at a friend’s or relative’s house? Check for bed bugs. An infested bed may have brown or black stains, streaks, or specks on the mattress (especially in the seams) or box spring.

Getting rid of bed bugs before they reach your Home

When coming back from being away, don’t just put clothes in drawers or closets, wash them first. Use commercial anti-bed bug luggage liners or plastic bags to keep bugs from hitchhiking in your suitcase. Buy nontoxic cinnamon-scented spray for bedding and your luggage—this is a temporary solution, but it discourages bugs for a few nights.

Mattress Covers

At home, repel bugs with microfiber covers on all mattresses and box springs. Use these in your guest room, too.

Catch Them Early

If bedbugs do make it into your home, the earlier you detect them, the easier the elimination. Get to work immediately.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

DE is one of the best substances for eradicating bedbugs in carpet. A fine powder, it can be spread anywhere. It’s also cheap. Wear a mask when spreading to avoid inhaling it. Keep a ring of DE around your bed to prevent reinfestation.

Bathroom Cleaner with Bleach

A chlorine-based bathroom spray is another essential anti-bedbug tool. Saturate the underside of your box spring and anywhere else you see evidence of bedbugs. Wear a protective mask, use in a well-ventilated area, and be aware this product may discolor whatever it contacts.

Be Persistent

DE can take four days to kill bedbugs; chlorine kills on contact but can take two weeks to get them all. Treat infested areas daily.

Use Heat

Bedbugs and eggs die when exposed to heat of 48 degrees Celsius. Turn up the thermostat, use space heaters (check frequently to avoid fires), and/or use steam cleaners. When moving out of an infested dwelling, launder all washables and dry on the highest heat for 90 minutes.

By following these methods, you should avoid most bed bug problems and your end of tenancy cleaning should be pretty straight forward. If you do find that these methods dont work for you then call a pest control company for help.

References

• Bedbugs (n.d.) WebMD.
• Bed bugs. (2011). Thermapure.
• Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs—How To Kill Bed Bugs. (n.d.) Do Your Own Pest Control.
• Kells, S. & Hahn, J. (2006) Traveler Q & A: Preventing bed bugs from hitchhiking to your home. University of Minnesota Extension.
• MacMillan, A. (n.d.) 15 tips for avoiding hotel bedbugs. Health.
• Miller, D.M. (n.d.) Kill bed bugs. Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Studies.
• Williams, A.Z. (2010, April 3). How poor people can fight bedbugs-4-3-2010.wmv

  . YouTube.