Are you the victim of a bed bug infestation and need to move? Are you wondering how to move without bed bugs? Rest assured. It’s possible to move your items while eradicating the bed bugs that might be found there. Integrated pest management against bed bugs will be a big help to you. Integrated pest management involves using different appropriate extermination methods to respond effectively to your situation.
Fast and effective bed bug treatments
When limited time forces us to set aside conventional treatments that involve applying insecticides against bed bugs over a period of more or less a month, then you can opt for alternative treatments. These are also excellent solutions, since they are effective bed bug treatment protocols. In addition, the result is even faster than with conventional treatments.
The heat treatment for dwellings or houses
The bed bug heat treatment, when applied to an entire infested dwelling, makes it possible to effectively eliminate all the insects (bed bugs, pupae, and eggs) in less than a day. Following the treatment, the premises will be safe, and the risk of transmission will therefore be zero.
Solution Cimex’s heat treatment is fast, effective, and much less cumbersome than you might imagine.
When it isn’t feasible to heat treat the entire premises, you can opt for the heat chamber treatment.
The heat chamber treatment
The heat chamber treatment lets you treat a more limited number of items than heat treating the entire dwelling. This option is useful for people with a small number of personal items. The heat chamber lets you treat beds, loveseats, furniture, etc.
As soon as the items have been treated, it’s important to transfer them to a non-infested location while waiting to move them to the new house.
Treating clothes in the dryer
Before transferring them to the new house, clothes must be dried at the highest temperature for 45 minutes, then put into hermetically sealed plastic bags. (1)
Freezing treatment
Certain items that can’t withstand heat or machine washing might require a freezing protocol. The time required for the proper treatment of the items with freezing varies according to the degree achieved by the freezers used.
Make sure not to bring any bed bugs with you in your personal effects
When you leave a place infested with bed bugs, make sure to leave it without bringing any with you. Among other things, you can:
- Wear “covers” on your shoes and take them off when you leave the premises.
- Change your clothes just before your departure and put your dirty laundry in a hermetically sealed bag to be dried according to the clothes drying protocol for bed bugs. (2)
- Upon your departure, inspect your clothes, shoes, and other personal effects. Shake them off before entering the vehicle.
Do business with a seasoned company that has extensive experience with bed bugs
If you need to eradicate bed bugs during a move, we strongly recommend retaining the services of a seasoned pest management company that has extensive experience with bed bugs. They are in the best position to help you check every detail.
Make sure that there are no bed bugs in the moving van
Ensure that there are no bed bugs in the moving van. You can conduct a visual inspection, then vacuum the inside of it. Avoid using the moving blankets left in the back of the van. Put them in a hermetically sealed bag until you return the van.
Take the straps and other items in the van outside and inspect them carefully before using them.
Certain movers and van rental companies pay special attention to prevent the spread of bed bugs as much as possible. Some of them systematically inspect and eradicate insects from the vehicles in their fleet. Ask them about the methods that they implement to prevent the presence of bed bugs in their vans.
Only bring properly sealed cardboard boxes and wrapped furniture or items into the van. Don’t let anything that isn’t wrapped drag on the floor of the van.
Seal cardboard boxes properly
Warning: Once sealed, moving boxes prevent items from being treated quickly. Make sure that all the items have been treated before putting them into cardboard boxes or bags.
It’s important to seal cardboard boxes properly before placing them in moving vans. Corrugated cardboard is a great hiding place for bed bugs. Adhesive tape can be applied to the boxes to prevent any cracks from providing shelter to bed bugs.
Place all non-boxed furniture and objects in bags
Furniture and other items that aren’t packed in boxes must be put into plastic bags without holes before being placed in a moving van.
Make sure that there are no bed bugs in the new home
It is increasingly common for newcomers to find bed bugs while settling into their new home. Ask your future landlord if a bed bug problem has occurred in the past year in the unit or neighbouring units.
Check your new home carefully. Armed with a flashlight, check the cracks, mouldings, and behind the electrical outlets and heating units. (3)
If you want to further reassure yourself, you can opt for a canine inspection. Certain canine bed bug detection companies even offer to bring more than one dog into the apartment, thereby increasing the success rate of the inspection, which already approaches 95% with a single dog.