I worked for a guy during the summer, doing maintenance on his rental properties. I ended up doing some work on a room that had previously been infested with bed bugs.  He didn’t disclose this information to me, instead simply telling me I needed to remove some wood and paint the room.  I found out through another employee. I was told everything was fine and that the other employees had been spraying bed bug treatments in there for over a month.  Trusting my employer was my first mistake.

There were bugs inside the walls of this room.  I had to repaint it, and that involved exposing myself to them for two days.  I should have just told him I wouldn’t do it.  Doing the work was my second mistake. Coming home was my third mistake.

Within a week or so we noticed bites.  We searched everywhere for signs of the bugs.  We couldn’t find them.  And then, we found them.  Under the bed.  In a box of sweaters, and in the box spring.

As soon as our land lady returned home, we told her about the bugs and showed her where they were.  Her advice: squeeze boric acid into the cracks around the edge of the apartment and set off flea “foggers” with insect growth inhibitor that keeps bugs from growing to maturity.  I told her that we needed to call and get a professional bed bug treatment.  She wouldn’t let us pay to have a professional treat our own apartment. Fourth mistake – doing what our land lady suggested.

Our land lady believed she could solve it.  We knew she was wrong, but we were desperate.  We were scared and clinging to anything, so we just trusted her. Fifth mistake – trusting our land lady.

After about a week it became quite obvious that our landlady’s little “plan” was an utter failure.  Not only do  Boric acid and “foggers” not kill bed bugs, the foggers merely irritate them and cause them to run away to all corners of the apartment.  We began to find baby bed bugs everywhere.  In our closet.  In our dishes.  In our medicine cabinet.  In our drawers.  In the spice rack.  Everywhere.  We were terrified of bringing them into our parents’ or friends’ houses, this fear kept us isolated.    

In retrospect we should have told the people who needed to know.  We shouldn’t have kept it a secret from people who would have wanted to help or who were in danger of being exposed to my employer’s apartments. This was our sixth mistake.

We needed to move.  We couldn’t go on like this.  My land lady was not going to give in and let us deal with the bugs appropriately. 

We planned out the move.  We would bring everything in a moving truck to the Batzner pest management headquarters in New Berlin.  There, the dog would sniff our stuff to find evidence of bed bugs.  Where ever he found them, those things would be placed in an insulated trailer and heated up to 130 degrees for 8-10 hours to kill the bugs.  Everything else would be considered “safe”  and could be moved into the house.  Our eighth mistake: attempting a piecemeal approach for bed bug treatment.

Within days of moving in I noticed bites.  They weren’t all exactly the same as the original bites, but they were something. 

Panic set in once again.  How long did we have before they grew bigger?  (egg to adult is about 1 month) Where were they living?  How did they possibly get here?  I felt there was no end in sight.  So I did more research.  I found a consulting company called Bed Bugs and Beyond.  They specialize in fumigation, the only scientifically proven 100% effective bed bug treatment.  It’s a one shot kill.  Every single bed bug – egg, baby, adult – dies in one treatment.  And the best part: they offer an unconditional one year no bed bug guarantee.  They promise that with one treatment (which may include a number of services) they will eliminate your bed bug problem. 

It seemed too good to be true.  After the number of mistakes we had made we weren’t going to rush into this.  So we did our homework, and the company checked out.  We talked to the head of the company, and he was not only extremely knowledgeable, but also understanding and compassionate.  We went through our options, and we decided to have the entire house fumigated.  That means covering the entire thing with plastic, and pumping it full of Sulfuryl Floride – aka Vikane.  Proper levels are established and monitored for a specific length of time, and then the house is cleared.  Because we had moved into an extremely small house, this was actually a possibility. 

Finally, things began to look up.  Michael from Bed bugs and beyond connected us with a local company that was going to do the actual fumigation.

Fumigation is generally reserved for two situations.  First, when an infestation is so bad that the bugs have moved into the structure of the building itself.  This is extremely rare.  Second, as in our situation, where the customer just wants the problem taken care of once and for all, no questions asked.

The weather cooperated (miraculous winter that we have had) and the fumigation was an unqualified success.  It actually went even better than anyone could have hoped.  It was over 60 degrees all night (required for the chemical to work) and as a result the concentration of gas was reached much faster than anyone expected.  Within 48 hours our house was cleared. 

After experiencing a trauma like this, I found I couldn’t move on.  Bed bugs inhabited my thoughts all day every day.  I couldn’t let go of the anxiety.  The thing was, I continued to get ‘mystery bumps’ on occasion.  Probably a few times a week I would have an itchy spot that would swell up like a mosquito bite, but then disappear within a few hours.  They were unlike bed bug bites in every way, and yet I just couldn’t believe that we were really ‘beyond bed bugs’.  Michael from the company was very understanding, and talked to me on a number of occasions. We got some simple monitoring devices to put under the feet of the bed.  We had the mattresses covered.  We made sure there was no clutter around the bedroom especially.  And we just kept pushing on. I’ve finally let go and I realized that in order to move on I had to tell our story. 

So here it is.  Our experience.  Every mistake we made was a turning point; a decision made with the best of intentions but nonetheless made in fear and desperation.  I’m writing this in the hopes that if any one of you ever finds yourself in a situation where you are dealing with bed bugs that you know it doesn’t have to be like this. 

Please learn from our mistakes.  At the very least get educated about what works against bed bugs and what doesn’t.  Go to Bedbugsandbeyond.com and get some good scientifically proven information.  Don’t hesitate to call me for help and advice. 

Finally, I thought you should know how much this has changed our perspective on many things.  I don’t know if we could ever get a used couch.  We will never go near a bed or box spring left on the side of the road.  The value of a clear and uncluttered house has become extremely apparent to us.  We are much more cautious about thrift stores.  Whereas in the past we would have thought that it was ridiculous to be so concerned about bed bugs, we just didn’t know how bad it could be.  Now we find it shocking that more people don’t have bed bugs all the time.

All I want to say now is please be careful.  Staying bed bug free isn’t rocket science but you just need to be knowledgeable and take precautions.  Keep your bed room and house uncluttered and clean.  Don’t take stuff off the street unless you can be 100% certain it is bed bug free.  And really, you can’t ever be certain.  If you get clothes from a thrift store, throw them in the dryer, on the highest heat setting, for an hour.  If you start getting itchy mystery bumps that appear in the mornings, act quickly.  We could have avoided so much pain and suffering if we just would have known what to do and what not to do.  Use your brain, not your fear.

Benefits of Using Bed Bugs and Beyond

• All Network Providers are Approved through an Extensive Qualification Process
• Our Providers Offer a Minimum 6 Month Guarantee on Fumigation treatments
• We Guarantee 100% Elimination, in a Single Treatment
• We offer Complimentary Re-Treatment, Post-fumigation for Travel Items
• We are Focused Solely on 100% Bed Bug Elimination
• We Create Custom Best Practice Policies, Prevention Procedures and Run Books to Certify Facilities Beyond Bed Bugs.

Bed Bugs and Beyond® Coordinates:

• Fumigation
• K-9 Scent Detection
• Traditional Pest Control Services
• Preparation/Relocation Services
• Preparation Guidelines
• Best Practices Pre and Post-Treatment
• Custom Bed Bug Prevention/Maintenance Plan

For more information, contact us directly at 888-410-1333 or info@bedbugsandbeyond.com

Check out our website for great information on bed bug elimination, education and prevention techniques at www.bedbugsandbeyond.com

• Heat cannot be guaranteed to reach and maintain required temperature levels, nor can it be controlled throughout an entire infested area. This holds true even under containment, unless the containment unit is extremely small i.e. pack-tite unit, fishbowl etc.
• Since the ability to guarantee required temperature levels and exposure times cannot be 100% achieved in every treatment, the use of heat becomes only as effective as all other topical treatments, when the desire is to eliminate 100% of bed bugs and eggs in a single application.
• High temperatures required in heat treatment damage many personal items and can be hazardous.
• Heat is a relatively new treatment method, with few documented scientific studies; outside of specific, controlled, small test environments, which do not apply to real life situations.
• Entire structures cannot be treated effectively with heat and haven’t been documented to guarantee 100% elimination for longer than the required 4 months.  
• Over time, all living organisms adapt to increased and decreased temperatures; requiring effective temperatures to be adjusted without notice.
• Most service providers don’t offer the necessary 4 month minimum guarantee to ensure 100% elimination has been achieved in a single treatment, which results in required costly re-treatment.
• Heat treatment is expensive and without a 4 month minimum guarantee, a significant gamble is being made.

Vikane Fumigation

• Penetrates 100% of a contained area, including solid wood, and is monitored, validated, documented and controlled to eliminate human error and produce 100% elimination, guaranteed.
• Vikane is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and leaves no harmful residue after aeration.
• Vikane can be used on household items such as: furniture, clothes, linens, dishes, cooking utensils and toys without needing to be washed after fumigation. It doesn’t damage electronics, antiques, or sensitive fabrics.
• Vikane has been used successfully to eliminate pests since 1961 and is scientifically documented, tested and proven to be 100% effective.
• Entire structures, containers, vehicles and anything that can hold the fumigant at a consistent concentration level can be successfully fumigated. 
• Pests cannot adapt to Vikane Fumigation, as it causes an effect that inhibits their ability to absorb the necessary oxygen required to sustain life. It simply eliminates what the bugs and eggs need naturally to survive.
• Bed Bugs and Beyond offers a minimum 6 month guarantee to ensure 100% elimination and peace of mind.

 For more information on how Vikane fumigation can restore your peace of mind, contact Bed Bugs and Beyond at 888-410-1333 or visit our website www.bedbugsandbeyond.com

Common Bed Bug Myths http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/bedbugs/

You can’t see a bed bug. You should be able to see adult bed bugs, nymphs and eggs with your naked eye.

Bed bugs live in dirty places. Bed bugs are not attracted to dirt and grime; they are attracted to warmth, blood and carbon dioxide. However, clutter offers more hiding spots.

Bed bugs transmit diseases. There are no cases that indicate bed bugs pass diseases from one host to another. Lab tests have shown that it is unlikely that the insect is capable of infecting its host.

Bed bugs won’t come out if the room is brightly lit. While bed bugs prefer darkness, keeping the light on at night won’t deter these pests from biting you.

Pesticide applications alone will easily eliminate bed bug infestations.
Bed bug control can only be maintained through a comprehensive treatment strategy that incorporates a variety of techniques and vigilant monitoring. Proper use of pesticides may be one component of the strategy, but will not eliminate bed bugs alone. In addition, bed bugs populations in different geographic areas of the country have developed resistance to many pesticidal modes of action. If you’re dealing with a resistant population, some products and application methods may only serve to make the problem worse. It is a good idea to consult a qualified pest management professional (PMP) if you have bed bugs in your home.

BedBug myths busted http://www.bed-bugs.co.uk/index_files/Page645.htm

 If I throw out the bed I will no longer have bed bugs They may be called bed bugs but they don’t just live in bed and they can occupy almost any dark crack or crevice in a room. Disposing of ANY furniture prior to it being inspected and treated by an experienced and competent pest controller can be a costly mistake and certainly a false economy. Almost everything can be treated to remove bed bugs but if not properly handled the removal of furniture can simple spread an infestation to other areas of the property.

You need to wash all of your clothes for a bed bug treatment to be effective We are increasingly hearing this from people who call other companies. The simple fact is that without inspecting the property there is no way of telling if this is needed, our experience tells us that it is only needed in 2% — 5% of cases and is most commonly used as an excuse by an organisation which does not actually want to work on an infestation. There are also a lot of other decontamination methods available that are more effective than washing.

There are no bed bugs in <insert country> We are often told by people that there are no such things as bed bugs in our country.  The simple fact is that bedbugs can occur in almost every country and region on this planet, some areas have always been worse than others but they are a global pest. The resurgence in activity has caught many countries unaware but they do exist everywhere.

My neighbor has bedbugs will I get them as well Transmission from a neighbour is a lot more common than people would believe and the likelihood of you getting infested depends on how they handle the problem. In flats and apartments the risk is greater if the building does not have a sturdy party wall. A few years ago this method of transmission was widely discounted by pest professionals but is now recognised by most people who have experience of dealing with infestations. In worst case scenarios we have seen 10-20 adjoined properties infested by this method in the same street and several floors in apartment buildings and blocks of flats. If you think your neighbour has an issue with bed bugs you should check your bed and living area on a weekly basis to make sure that you detect any bed bug signs at the earliest possible stages.

 I can’t have bed bugs because I have not been anywhere Unfortunately travel, whether overseas or locally, is not the only possible source of bed bugs.  In an increasing number of cases people are finding it hard to pin down a case of bed bugs to a obvious source such as a trip abroad or the acquisition of a piece of second hand furniture.  We are increasingly finding that bed bugs may be spread on the public transport network, via the workplace, from an adjoining property or even from a house guest who has unwittingly brought the problem with them.

It can’t be bed bugs because I get bitten but my partner does not The simple fact is that two people sleeping in the same bed may both be bitten by bed bugs but respond in a different way. Some people immediately have a reaction to the bites while others show little or no sign - it all depends on how much you respond to different types of insect bites, the environment you live in and your immune response. There is also some anecdotal evidence that, like most blood feeding insects, bed bugs do not feed from people with certain blood disorders such as sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia.

Bed bugs can be killed by the cold Yes they can be killed by extremes of cold and hot but it is unlikely that outside temperatures will rise or fall enough to effectively kill them. In the USA where heating houses has been attempted, 3 hours at 70°C will only kill about 78% of bed bugs and needs to be an incredibly rapid otherwise they simply adapt. 10.

Bed bugs are resistant to all pesticides This is not true but they are becoming increasingly resistant to over used pesticides which unfortunately means the ones that are readily available over the internet. The most common group of chemicals that bed bugs are resistant to are simple Pyrethrins, organic Pyrethrins, Bendiocarb (Ficam products) and simple cypermethrin coumpounds

 The bed bugs have been exterminated but I still itch and get occasional bites  Although rare, we are seeing more cases of chitin hypersensitivity which is a temporary condition that can be brought on by contact with bed bugs. Effectively you become sensitive to the compounds in insects shells which can if present cause an itch and in some cases what appears to be a bite. We have even witnessed someone showing a bite response to a dead insect when it was placed on their skin. The only solution is deep cleaning to a hypoallergenic level to remove all the traces of insect casings from the property and your possessions this can be time consuming and is best done by a cleaning team as it reduces your exposure to the irritants.

 Bed bugs don’t like metal beds – Although it is true that metal beds are less hospitable to bed bugs simply replacing all beds with metal ones will not cure a bed bug problem.  In some cases because there are not as many obvious hiding places for bed bugs in metal beds they can make the matter worse.

 You can’t bring bed bugs back from holiday because they will not survive the temperatures of the planes cargo hold.  Bed bugs are a lot more resilient that many people give them credit for. They will survive at low temperatures even below freezing for significant lengths of time.  Unless you are planning on staying in the air for several days don’t rely upon this as a way of decontaminating, isolate your bags before they re-enter your property and make sure they are treated correctly.

If one insecticide does not work why not mix two together.  As much as this may make some sense it is highly illegal to do so.  As much as it pains us to say it we are seeing this happen even with experienced pest controllers.  Make sure you look after your health and safety by only using pest controllers who know what they are doing.

Bed Bugs and Beyond® works directly with professional movers to treat a client’s truck and belongings, ensuring they don’t take bed bugs or other pests with them to their new location.

Moving is an ideal time for Vikane fumigation and will ensure clients’ peace of mind since it is guaranteed to eliminate bed bugs or other target pests in a single treatment.

Step-by-Step Process:

• Movers pickup client’s items and bring them back to their secured facility for service
• Bed Bugs and Beyond coordinates & orchestrates for a team of fumigators to perform fumigation onsite at movers location.
• Movers re-deliver items after fumigation process has been completed, guaranteed 100% bed bug free!

Label directions for Vikane provide professionals with options to solve any bed bug problem. Bed bugs can be eliminated from sofas, recliners, box springs, mattresses and other furniture by doing a containerized fumigation.

For example, household goods can be fumigated with Vikane® gas fumigant in a trailer, truck or storage pod. Or, Vikane can be used to eliminate bed bugs from an entire structure, including its contents, by having the building temporarily sealed with tarps. A treatment with Vikane can actually cost less than multiple treatments with insecticides.

Professional pest control firms and their customers have relied on Vikane® gas fumigant for 50 years to solve the toughest pest problems— drywood termites, wood-destroying beetles, bed bugs and more.

A single treatment of Vikane, when used according to label directions, eliminates all of the pests. Vikane completely dissipates to leave no surface residue, odor or film behind.

Three facts about Vikane explain its special ability to get rid of bed bugs.

1. Vikane is effective against all life stages of bed bugs, including the eggs.
2. There is no resistance of bed bugs to Vikane
3. Vikane® gas fumigant penetrates into cracks and crevices, into furniture and any other hiding places, to eliminate the pests.

To find out more about how Vikane can restore your peace of mind, contact Bed Bugs and Beyond® at 888-410-1333, www.bedbugsandbeyond.com or click below to find a network provider in your area.

How to Stay Bed Bug-Free While Flying

1. Cover Your Seats Invented by a New York entrepreneur fed up with worrying about bed bugs at the movies, Bug Off seat covers are light stretchable plastic covers that are easy to slip over airplane or movie theater seats. They’re light and packable and provide a bug-proof layer between the upholstery and you. You could accomplish the same thing by bringing a box of saran wrap and encasing your seat in plastic, but these seat covers are much easier to use and the fabric is also comfortable to sit on. Several other companies, BedGuard and Seat Defender have also jumped into this market, but I’ve tried Bug Off covers myself and can attest that they’re big enough to go over any airline seat and the strong fabric doesn’t rip even on a long flight. At $2.99 they’re also not a big investment.
2. Bring your own pillow and blanket. In Zane Selkirk’s horrific experience, it was the blanket “crawling with bed bugs” that caught her eye. It doesn’t have to get that extreme, though, to suggest it’s best to beware airline blankets. After all, during last year’s H1N1 flu epidemic, many airlines pulled the blankets fearing they could transmit the virus. Pack a travel pillow (inflatable if you’re tight for space) and a blanket or pashmina shawl. Or just dress in warm layers instead.
3. Plastic Bag Your Carry On Since it’s way to easy for bed bugs to slip into your carry on while it’s stored under your seat. The best way to prevent this happening is to encase it in a plastic bag, such as a shopping bag or kitchen-sized garbage bag.
4. Stop Bed Bugs Before They Get In Your House The real problem with bed bugs isn’t when they bite you en route (the bites heal quickly and don’t cause any lasting damage), it’s when they come home with you and set up housekeeping in your home. The way to keep this from happening is with stringent preventive measures. Don’t bring luggage or carry-ons inside your home, but empty them outside and wash clothes and anything else that’s washable. A hot dryer will also kill bedbugs, so dry anything you don’t want to wash. Put the suitcase and bag itself in a plastic bag and store for two weeks

For more travel tips to avoid bringing bed bugs into your home, check out our other blog on travel tips here.

For more information on bed bug prevention and elimination contact Bed Bugs and Beyond at 888-410-133 or visit our webiste at www.bedbugsandbeyond.com

When moving out of a bed bug infested residence:

• Pack (or have a professional moving/packing service trained in handling bed bug infestation) all items in cardboard boxes using all natural fibers i.e. paper, cotton wool etc. do not pack anything in plastic and  load everything into a closed moving truck, trailer or container for Sulfuryl Fluoride ( aka Vikane) fumigation treatment.
• Before moving into a new residence have your new residence checked by a competent/skilled K-9 scent detection service to confirm that no pre-existing bed bug infestation is present.
• Have a competent/skilled BED BUG PEST ELIMINATION OPERATOR caulk and seal all cracks and  crevices if the new residence shares common walls with neighboring tenants and have them pre treat the residence with a residual barrier of topical protection.    
• There is no need to discard any items in the process since Sulfuryl Fluoride is 100% guaranteed to eliminate all live bugs and eggs in a single treatment!
• Make sure to fumigate everything with Sulfuryl Fluoride (aka Vikane) in the same container/truck your items are picked up and re-delivered in to ensure no cross or re-infestation.  
• Follow Bed Bugs and Beyond’s complimentary, post fumigation, best practice behaviors to ensure you do not introduce re-infestation

START LIVING BEYOND BED BUGS ONCE AGAIN!!!

When treating a bed bug infested residence:

• Have your residence checked by a competent/skilled K-9 scent detection service to confirm bed bug infestation exists and the location of the bugs and eggs.
• Pack (or have a professional moving/packing service trained in handling bed bug infestation) all items alerted upon by the K-9 as having existing infestation and pack in cardboard boxes using all natural fibers i.e. paper, cotton wool etc. do not pack anything in plastic then load everything into a closed truck, trailer or container for Sulfuryl Fluoride fumigation treatment.
• There is no need to discard any items in the process since Sulfuryl Fluoride is 100% guaranteed to eliminate all live bugs and eggs in a single treatment!
• Have your residence checked again by a competent/skilled K-9 scent detection service to confirm all bed bug infestation has been removed and or the location of any existing bugs and eggs.
• Make sure to fumigate everything with Sulfuryl Fluoride (aka Vikane) in the same container/truck your items are picked up and re-delivered in to ensure no cross or re-infestation. 
• Have a competent/skilled BED BUG PEST ELIMINATION OPERATOR caulk and seal all cracks and crevices if the residence shares common walls with neighboring tenants and conduct a topical treatment of the residence with a residual barrier of topical protection.     
• Have your residence checked once again by a competent/skilled K-9 scent detection service to confirm no bed bug infestation exists before moving fumigated items back in.
• Follow Bed Bugs and Beyond’s complimentary, post fumigation, best practice behaviors to ensure you do not introduce re-infestation

START LIVING BEYOND BED BUGS ONCE AGAIN!!!

For more information visit our website www.bedbugsandbeyond.com or contact us directly at 888-410-1333

“We can’t let bed bugs take over our lives. With some simple tools and extra vigilance we can both travel with peace of mind and protect our homes from an infestation,” said Adam Greenberg, President of USBedBugs.com. “One bed bug can multiply into 30,000 in just six months so early detection is essential and prevention measures are becoming integrated into how we live and travel.”

USBedBugs.com’s  mission is to improve the quality of life for those dealing with bed bugs and to prevent further spread of bed bugs throughout the United States while minimizing use of harmful pesticides. Founded in 2006, USBedBugs.com is a division of NorthShore Care Supply, an online medical supply retailer. Beginning with selling mattress encasements, the company received numerous inquiries from people desperately looking for other products to detect and prevent bed bugs.

As the bed bug infestation in the U.S. has grown rapidly, the company has become the leader in products for dealing with bed bugs in homes, hotels, apartment buildings, colleges and any facility where people sleep. The USBedBugs.com website is now a fast growing marketplace featuring a wide selection of pesticide-free bed bug prevention and protection products. For more information, visit www.usbedbugs.com.

• Heat cannot be guaranteed to reach and maintain required temperature levels, nor can it be controlled throughout an entire infested area. This holds true even under containment, unless the containment unit is extremely small i.e. pack-tite unit, fishbowl etc.
• Since the ability to guarantee required temperature levels and exposure times cannot be 100% achieved in every treatment, the use of heat becomes only as effective as all other topical treatments, when the desire is to eliminate 100% of bed bugs and eggs in a single application.
• High temperatures required in heat treatment damage many personal items and can be hazardous.
• Heat is a relatively new treatment method, with few documented scientific studies; outside of specific, controlled, small test environments, which do not apply to real life situations.
• Entire structures cannot be treated effectively with heat and haven’t been documented to guarantee 100% elimination for longer than the required 4 months.  
• Over time, all living organisms adapt to increased and decreased temperatures; requiring effective temperatures to be adjusted without notice.
• Most service providers don’t offer the necessary 4 month minimum guarantee to ensure 100% elimination has been achieved in a single treatment, which results in required costly re-treatment.
• Heat treatment is expensive and without a 4 month minimum guarantee, a significant gamble is being made.

Vikane Fumigation

• Penetrates 100% of a contained area, including solid wood, and is monitored, validated, documented and controlled to eliminate human error and produce 100% elimination, guaranteed.
• Vikane is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and leaves no harmful residue after aeration.
• Vikane can be used on household items such as: furniture, clothes, linens, dishes, cooking utensils and toys without needing to be washed after fumigation. It doesn’t damage electronics, antiques, or sensitive fabrics.
• Vikane has been used successfully to eliminate pests since 1961 and is scientifically documented, tested and proven to be 100% effective.
• Entire structures, containers, vehicles and anything that can hold the fumigant at a consistent concentration level can be successfully fumigated. 
• Pests cannot adapt to Vikane Fumigation, as it causes an effect that inhibits their ability to absorb the necessary oxygen required to sustain life. It simply eliminates what the bugs and eggs need naturally to survive.
• Bed Bugs and Beyond offers a minimum 6 month guarantee to ensure 100% elimination and peace of mind.

 For more information on how Vikane fumigation can restore your peace of mind, contact Bed Bugs and Beyond at 888-410-1333 or visit our website www.bedbugsandbeyond.com

The study, released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the first to look at this issue. It counted one death and 80 illnesses linked to bedbug insecticides over three years. Many were do-it-yourselfers who misused the chemicals or used the wrong product, however, those seeking professional treatment should research pest control companies to find eco-friendly solutions that won’t be hazardous to their health.

Clients need to be sure any pest control company they work with is using eco-friendly products and utilizing an Integrated Pest Management (“IPM”) Program. IPM utilizes all possible pest control techniques in eliminating existing and potential pest infestations. While pesticides are a necessary tool in the IPM Program, they take on a decreased role. The goals of IPM Program are to:

• Change the living environment of the pests to make it less likely that the pests will be able to survive
• Use inspections and monitoring devices to determine where pests are active
• Use only safe and approved pesticides
• Apply pesticides only to those area(s) where pests are active.

Fumigation with Vikane aka Sulfuryl flouride is a key component in eco-friendly IPM strategies, which guarantees 100% elimination of bed bugs and their eggs in a single treatment.

Sulfuryl fluoride, the active ingredient in Vikane^® gas fumigant, is not an ozone-depleting chemical. Vikane contains no chlorine or bromine and, thus, does not deplete stratospheric ozone by the known mechanisms. When a structure is aerated, Vikane rapidly dissipates to non-detectable levels.

Three facts about Vikane explain its special ability to get rid of bed bugs:

1. First, it is effective against all life stages of bed bugs, including the difficult-to-control eggs.
2. Second, there is no resistance of bed bugs to Vikane.
3. Third, Vikane® gas fumigant penetrates into cracks and crevices, into furniture and any other hiding places — yes, even into sensitive electronics — to eliminate the pests.

 For more information on Vikane and other eco-friendly treatments for bed bugs contact Bed Bugs and Beyond Consulting at 888-410-133 or visit our web site at www.bedbugsandbeyond.com