COMPLETE PEST CONTROL SERVICES

BY 1ST CHOICE PEST SOLUTIONS WI

Can Our Bed Bug Exterminators Help Prevent COVID-19?

March 30, 2020

How Bed Bug Exterminators Kill Germs & Diseases

The chances are that, as you’re reading this, you and your family have been spending a lot of time indoors and watching the news unfold of the worldwide novel coronavirus spread. Cleanliness and preventing the transmission of germs and illnesses are at the forefront of the world population, including copious handwashing and social distancing practices. You may or may not know that many germs and diseases, if not most, can be neutralized when exposed to high heat. That begs the question then — can a bed bug heat treatment kill COVID-19?

Can COVID-19 Withstand High Heat?

If you’re unfamiliar with how our bed bug extermination services work, we’ll take a moment to explain the process. Because bed bugs are notoriously tricky little pests that hide in nooks and crevices, it’s difficult to exterminate them with conventional methods. What is very effective, however, is heating a room in your home to a very high temperature, and maintaining that temperature for several hours. The sustained high-heat levels will kill all bed bugs and their larvae, as well as any germs that were in the environment. COVID-19 has been shown to be effectively destroyed when exposed to temperatures in excess of 131°F for several hours, and the standard bed bug treatment includes heating a room to about 140°F, more than enough to eradicate any trace of the coronavirus in your home, along with any other germs that may cause the flu or the common cold. 

Another contributing factor to the widespread transmission of this virus is the time of year that it struck, and why the common cold and the flu are much more prevalent during the winter months — viruses tend to spread much more easily in cooler weather, and tend to slow when the weather grows warmer. Although sunny days probably won’t stop the spread of COVID-19, the fact that it slows the spread lends merit to the fact that high-heat treatments can be very effective at controlling and potentially eliminating the virus in controlled conditions. 

Do Pests Like Bed Bugs Transmit COVID-19?

Thankfully, there has been no evidence that this strain of coronavirus is being transmitted through vector pests like mosquitos or through pests like bed bugs. There is also no evidence that you can catch this disease from your pets, or transmit it to them. There is substantial evidence, however, that bed bugs carry bacteria that can leave you in a more vulnerable state, which is not where you want to find yourself when there is a global pandemic present. 

Taking Precautions to Protect Your Home

While you and your family are spending hours upon hours in your homes, it is more important than ever to make sure that your environment is safe and secure from harmful pests. Take the time to examine your household for signs of bed bugs, which can include discolored spots on your mattress or sheets, or waking up in the morning with otherwise inexplicable bites on your extremities. Should you happen to experience any of these signs or symptoms, contact 1st Choice Pest Solutions in Eau Claire immediately. 

In the meantime, continue practicing safe disciplines, like regular hand washing and disinfecting hard surfaces in your home. Limit your exposure to people that are not in your immediate family and household, and seek medical attention if you are exhibiting symptoms of this strain of coronavirus. 

For Bed Bug Extermination Services, Make Us Your First Choice

While experts in the medical field are working around the clock to create a vaccine for COVID-19, there are things that we can do in the meantime to slow its spread. If you are having to deal with bed bugs in the middle of all of this self-quarantine, contact us so that we can assist you. The heat treatments that we use for kill bed bugs come with the peace of mind of knowing that the same treatment slows and effectively eliminates disease-causing germs, including this coronavirus. Let 1st Choice Pest Solutions be your first choice for keeping your home and your family safe from pests! Stay safe, take care of each other, and eventually we’ll all get through this trying time as the strong Eau Claire community that we are!

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