Friday 19 October 2012

MOVING IN?



Picture this:  You are extremely excited because you were moving into a brand new apartment that was so much nicer and ‘cooler’ than your last apartment. Fast forward to a month later, and you find that you are stressed, and confused because suddenly- it seems- you have hundreds of pesky guests taking over your apartment- namely bed bugs.
You may ask yourself: “How can I have bed bugs when I just moved in? Or, you may also say: “I didn’t see them when I first saw the apartment, where did they come from?”
The answer is not so simple: The unit may have had an issue before you got there;  another unit in your old/new building has bugs and that tenant dragged their belongings through the hall, shaking out the bugs as they went;  the moving van you used may have been rented by someone with bed bugs ..And the list could go on.
It’s within your right to inspect an apartment before you decide to rent it.  When inspecting, remember to check these areas where bed bugs are almost always hiding.
  •    If there is a bed - inspect the headboard, bed rails, frame, mattress corners and even the box spring. Move the headboard from the wall and inspect there as well.
  •    Seams and crevices of furniture
  •    Cracks in the walls
  •    Uncovered switch plates
  •    Behind picture frames
  •    Spaces between baseboards
  •     The radiator- more specifically, underneath and behind it
Sometimes, it’s hard to see bed bugs with the naked eye; so I suggest that you take a magnifying glass and a flashlight with you. Remember these little suckers love dark places.

For the move, wrap as much of your furniture in plastic as possible.  Avoid dragging any items across a carpeted area that has multiple users.  Invest in a good quality mattress cover and put it on prior to the move and run it through the dryer after you arrive.  Line the base of the moving truck with plastic and use your own blankets for cushioning- make sure to run them through the dryer upon arrival. 

It doesn’t hurt to give the new place a good steam clean before moving your things in. Steaming kill bed bugs (even the eggs too!)  and also kills allergens in the atmosphere. If that’s not added value, I don’t know what is. 

Check out this article from THE STAR for more information: Montreal takes aim at spread of bedbugs on moving day

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