Central Ohio Bed Bugs is your #1 one-stop online information center for bed bug detection, prevention, treatment, and elimination. Bed bugs have been found in every major city, including Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and if you’re looking for clear and direct answers to all your itching bed bug questions, you’ve come to the right place.
Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans experienced bed bug problems or know somebody who has? A few years ago, a friend complained about the bites and itchy welts she got at her new rented space. After some probing, we found the culprit – a bed bug infestation. We tried scouring the internet to find answers, but there was little information.
We set up Central Ohio Bed Bugs to help out those who have encountered the same problem and finally get the proper answers they deserve.
At Central Ohio Bed Bugs, we aim to become your most trusted online platform for bed bug information, including fast facts, treatment, tips, and prevention. Our goal is to give you insider knowledge in your fight against these blood-thirsty insects.
Our team is composed of dedicated writers, pest control technicians, and property managers who, like you, have also waged wars on these miniature predators one way or another. Years of experience and expertise have armed us with the right answers to questions that have “bugged” you all this time.
We are very responsive to feedback. If you notice or read something strange in your Central Ohio home or property, you can drop us a message anytime. We are always open to suggestions straight from our readers.
Based on data collected from December 1, 2019, to November 30, 2020, five major Ohio cities, including Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland, had some of the worst bed bug infestations. Orkin, a pest control company, based this number on the metro areas where they performed the most bed bug treatments.
This can also be attributed to the fact that Ohio houses the I-71. This highway connects three Ohio cities (Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland), so the bed bugs have more opportunities to hitch onto travelers and spread from one location to the other.
It is fairly difficult to find bed bugs, but the first sign that’ll manifest is the sudden presence of strange bites/rashes you didn’t have before sleeping.
As they are more active during the night [3], they might’ve fed while you were sleeping.
Other signs of infestations include:
Because Ohio is prone to bed bugs, rest assured that there are bed bug laws in Ohio to protect you from these pesky critters. And while there are no clear Ohio Department laws specifically catering to these insects, the Landlord-Tenant Law, applicable to Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, states that landlords must keep their rental properties in a habitable condition.
On the other hand, you can file for claims if you discover that you had slept in a hotel/motel room with bed bugs. R.C. § 3731.13 Hotels and Single Room Occupancy Facilities prohibit hotels and motels from using bedding infested with bed bugs.
An infestation in your Ohio home is one of the worst things you can experience. The Center for Disease Control actually identified them as a “pest of significant public health importance.”
If you have live bugs in your home, the best thing to do is hire a pest control expert ASAP. They might ask you to vacate your home for several hours up until a few weeks, but rest assured it will be bed bug-free by the time they’re done.
If you are positive that there are bugs in your apartment, take pictures or, even better, capture one and put it in a tightly-sealed container to show to your landlord (and even if you can’t, let them know about your suspicion).
It’s imperative that you get their attention as it is considered standard practice to treat the infested unit and other adjacent apartments, so the bugs don’t spread.
Although bed bugs rarely frequent schools, it’s not impossible to have them in this setting. More often than not, those found in schools are the result of them hitchhiking onto the belongings of a student or staff member.
In any case, let the school authorities know so they can undergo the necessary procedures.
Bed bug infestations in workplaces are quite rare, but let your employer know immediately if you are exposed to bed bugs.
If the company is aware but fails to do something about it, the employee can file a negligence claim against the employer.
While we don’t advise taking on the job of eliminating them on your own, we understand how it can be compelling to want to make these pesky bed bugs come out of hiding.
You can begin by stripping the bed linens and sheets from your mattress and running them through the washer. Use hot water. Dry them in the highest setting, as the bed bug will die when exposed to temperatures exceeding 140 degrees. On the same note, it’s also a great idea to steam clean your entire home.
Another great trick is to trap them with your vacuum. Run a stiff brush over the bed frame, mattress seams, door casings, and other similar areas to dislodge bed bugs and eggs and make it easier for your vacuum to pick them up.
Run the vacuum over your dresser, carpets, and soft furniture. Once done, place diatomaceous earth into the vacuum bag to suffocate them, empty it into a plastic bag, and discard it in an outdoor trash can. Wash the bag with warm soapy water.
We strongly recommend hiring pest control experts to get rid of the bed bug problem for you. Most of the time, these exterminators have access to potent insecticides and tools that may be hazardous to humans and animals if someone inexperienced were to handle them.
These Central Ohio-based experts have proved their merit over the past years:
If you want to prevent female bed bugs from laying eggs in your Central Ohio home, the Integrated Pest Management Program, heralded by the Ohio State University Extension, talks about what you can do.
Here are a few steps:
Yes, bed bugs are common in Central Ohio. According to pest control company Orkin, they serviced more bed bug jobs in the state compared to most other areas. Five Ohio cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, and Dayton) are on the list of the top 50 areas with the worst infestations.
No, bed bugs do not spread diseases. Unlike how mosquitoes can carry the dengue virus, there have been no reports of bed bug bites causing diseases (although their bites cause severe itching).
Yes, you can get bed bugs from thrift stores. While we have nothing against thrift-store shopping, you never know if these could be housing pests! Thoroughly inspect and subject your thrift store items to heat first before bringing them into your home. Also, can bed bugs bite through clothing?
Yes, pets can carry bed bugs. However, unlike fleas, they will not make them their host. They will likely simply hitch a ride on them until they find a much better food source (humans).
Most OTC insecticides are rarely effective in killing bed bugs. Often, these pests hide elsewhere and end up in nearby rooms or apartments to escape. It’s best to hire licensed pest management professionals to exterminate them. But does Lysol kill bed bugs?
Bed bugs are some of the worst pests to invade your Central Ohio home because they don’t die out on their own. These bloodsuckers are quite elusive to the naked eye, too. Should you find yourself in the midst of a bed bug infestation, it’s best to contact licensed exterminators ASAP, who will handle the problem for you. If you are living in a rented space, let your landlord know.
You can take some precautionary measures, like vacuuming, steam cleaning, and running paraphernalia through the highest setting in your dryer, but note that these won’t eliminate the infestation.
Bed bugs are notorious pests that can infest homes, hotels, and even storage units. These tiny insects feed on human blood and can cause itchy
Bed bugs are a common household pest that can be difficult to detect and eliminate. One effective method of catching bed bugs is a double-sided
Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They are known to be resilient pests but can be
Boric acid is an effective and affordable solution for getting rid of bed bugs. However, using boric acid properly is essential to ensure its efficacy
Bed bugs are small, oval, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They are active at night and hide in various
Bed bug infestations can be difficult to control and eliminate, as they are often resistant to many insecticides and can hide in small crevices and
