Bed Bugs
Bed Bug Facts
Anyone can be affected by bedbugs. Everyone can stop their spread.
5 signs that you might have bed bugs
1. Small bloodstains on your sheets, blankets or pillows
2. Itchy, red bites on your body
3. Dark brown stains or small pellets on bedding
4. Strong sweet/musty smell in really bad cases
5. Bed bugs crawling on your bed or elsewhere
The Facts
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are insects with oval-shaped bodies and no wings. Bed bugs are small biting insects that multiply quickly and travel easily. They usually bite at night and will bite all over, especially around the face, neck, upper torso, arms and hands.
Do I have bed bug bites?
Most bed bug bites are painless at first, but could turn into large, itchy bumps. Some people have no reaction at all. Most bed bug bites eventually go away by themselves and don’t need treatment. Ask your Doctor or Pharmacist for an anti-itch cream so you don’t scratch bites as this could lead to infection.
How can I find bed bugs?
Use a bright flashlight to look for bed bugs or their dark droppings in bedroom furniture, windows and doorframes. Or use a hot hair dryer, a thin knife or an old playing card to force them out of hiding spaces and cracks.
Check these places:
- behind your headboard and around cracks and crevices of your bed
- in the seams and tufts of your mattress
- inside the box spring and along the bed frame
- along bedroom baseboard cracks
- in and around nightstands
- other bedroom items, including window and door casings, pictures, mouldings, nearby furniture, loose wallpaper, cracks in wall and any clutter
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
- Using a flashlight, inspect your mattress and bed frame, particularly the folds, crevices and the underside, and other locations where bed bugs like to hide.
- Use the nozzle attachment on your vacuum to get all the little 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 sheets and blankets in the hottest water possible and place them in a hot dryer for 60 minutes. Consider covering your pillow and mattress with a bed bug bag
- Get rid of any garbage and clutter where bed bugs can hide.
- Make sure they don’t come back. Watch for them daily and set out sticky tape (carpet tape works well) to catch any bed bugs.
How do I prevent bed bugs?
- Keep your home clean and uncluttered.
- Wash your bedding in hot water and vacuum your mattress regularly.
- Seal 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 bed bugs can get in.
- Be careful when buying used furniture or clothes, or accepting gifts.
- Make sure to inspect the used item, and feel free to ask if the items were checked for bed bugs.
- Never bring discarded bed frames, mattresses, box springs, upholstered furniture or electronics into your home. These items may be infested with bed bugs.
- Be careful when accepting items at events, fundraisers, or cultural gatherings. Make sure to place them in a sealed container or garbage bag and inspect them before bringing into your home.
Tenants are required to report pest problems to the Property Management Team immediately.
Please understand, severe pest problems damage our asset and will be considered tenant neglect if left unreported.