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Bed Bugs |
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February 2008
Download - Bed Bug Information for Tenants
(PDF file size 22KB)
Consult with Toronto Public Health or a professional pest control operator to confirm that you have a bed bug problem. Once a bed bug infestation had been confirmed, try to work together with your landlord and/or property manager to solve the problem.
The best method to deal with bed bugs is Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which combines a variety of techniques and products that pose the least risk to human health and the environment. After careful assessment, professional pest control services may be called in to apply pesticide spray.
You may be required by the landlord, property manager or the pest control operators to do the following:
- Vacuum with a nozzle attachment to capture the bed bugs and their eggs. Vacuum all crevices on your mattress, bed frame, baseboards and any objects close to the bed. It is essential to vacuum daily and empty the vacuum immediately.
- Wash all your linens in the hottest water possible and place them in a hot dryer for 20 minutes. Consider covering your pillows and mattress with a plastic cover.
- Remove all unnecessary clutter.
- Prepare for the pesticide spray by removing everything from dressers, drawers, closets, shelves, cupboards and counter tops. Provide access to all baseboards, keep floor clear, and move all the furniture 2 feet from the wall.
- Prevent future bed bug problems by sealing cracks and crevices between baseboards, on wood bed frames, floors and walls with caulking. Repair or remove peeling wallpaper, tighten loose light switch covers, and seal any openings where pipes, wires or other utilities come into your home (pay special attention to walls that are shared between apartments).
- Monitor daily by setting out glue boards or sticky tape (carpet tape works well) to catch the bed bugs.
- Examine closely any items that you are bringing into your home. Furniture put out by someone else for garbage pick-up could be infested with bed bugs. Use caution.
It is normal to see some living bed bugs for up to ten days after treating your home through IPM and/or pesticides. If you continue to see a large number of bed bugs after two weeks, contact a professional pest control service.
For more information:
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