Link Between Seattle’s Dense Urban Living & Bed Bug Spread
While Seattle is known as a world-class metropolitan city, it creates a challenge that residents do not talk about outwardly. With the rapid growth of its population and several high-density housing developments, the city is a perfect incubator for bed bugs to spread from Capitol Hill to Ballard, across entire neighborhoods. These small hitchhikers flourish in the town where close living and high turnover in apartments, condos, and common areas mean endless opportunity for movement.
So widespread is the problem that Seattleites are losing sleep and finding themselves with plenty of stinky new furniture. Once bed bugs embed into your home, only professional pest control as United Pest Solutions can help get rid of them.
How Dense Urban Living In Seattle Is Increasing Bed Bugs?
In Seattle, the urban density acts like a highway system for bed bugs to traverse from house to house and building to building. Recent reports show Seattle is one of the top 20 U.S. cities for bed bugs, with a 15% increase in bed bug infestations over the past three years. The city’s signature apartment units, condominiums, and townhouses share walls, ventilation systems, and common areas, as well as all bed bug highways, according to Entomophobia, a Vancouver-based bug and pest forum.
The competitive rental market and high tenant turnover in Seattle also mean that things are constantly moving between rental units. In areas like Fremont or Queen Anne, when someone moves out of an infested apartment, they usually unintentionally transport the bed bugs to their new home. Plus, Seattle enjoys worldwide tourist traffic to hotels and vacation rentals, where bed bugs can hitchhike in luggage to our local homes.
How do Bed Bugs Spread Rapidly?
Bed bugs are a portion of master explorers that do not need wings to cover great distances. They disperse via passive transport, clinging to clothing, baggage, furniture, and personal belongings. Because these pests travel through wall voids, electrical outlets, and plumbing areas, they can find their way into a neighboring apartment unit mere days after being discovered in another unit.
Bed bugs also travel through the shared laundry facilities that are often found within apartments throughout Seattle, transferring between clothing and other linens. Public transit, such as Seattle’s buses and light rail, offers even more chances for bed bugs to cling to the bags and clothes of commuters.
How Can You Control Bed Bugs In Seattle Homes?
- Early Detection and Inspection
Regular inspection is your first line of defense against bed bug infestation. Examine mattress seams, box springs, and bed frames every month for signs of dark spots, blood spots, or live bugs.
- Heat Treatment and Washing
Heat treatment as a DIY does not work well in Seattle, as many homes are without central air conditioning due to our generally mild climate. But all stages of bed bugs will die if infested linens and clothes are washed in hot water (120°F) or higher. Bed bugs can also be eradicated from non-washable items with a hot dryer for 30 minutes or dry cleaning.
- Decluttering and Vacuuming
Less mess around sleeping areas of the house means fewer bed bug hiding spots, making them easier to find. Vacuuming mattresses, carpets, and upholstered furniture regularly lifts bed bugs and eggs, but this technique is not a quick fix. Studies have shown that when vacuuming is used along with other strategies to control bed bugs, it can reduce populations by 60% or more.
Professional Intervention Is Necessary!
DIY may offer temporary relief, but bed bug infestations require the assistance of professionals to eliminate them. Only a professional pest control company like United Pest Solutions can understand Seattle’s urban environment and its unique challenges when it comes to bed bug control. They use integrated pest management strategies, including a combination of heat treatments, targeted chemical treatments, and subsequent inspections to ensure total eradication. Experts from pest control are trained to identify potential hiding and breeding spots that the residents often miss during a DIY attempt.