It’s easy to assume that the only commercial properties that ever had bed bugs are hotels and stores. After all, they’re the only commercial properties that have beds! Unfortunately, however, that’s just not the case. Bed bugs are not discerning. They don’t care who you are, where you live or work, or how much money you make. If they can hitch a ride on your jacket, they will.

Believe it or not, offices are actually a pretty good environment for bed bugs. Lots of people come in and out, there’s easily-accessible food and water, and people aren’t around in evenings. Best of all (for bed bugs), most offices find themselves flabbergasted when they face an unexpected infestation. So flabbergasted, in fact, that they don’t know what to do. We want to make sure that unenviable situation doesn’t happen to you. With a little knowhow, you can prevent bed bugs in your business. Here are our best tips for doing just that:
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Inspect all deliveries before bringing them inside.

Bed bugs are small, flat, and dark brown. They’re the preeminent hitchhiker of the animal kingdom. They absolutely love clinging to bags, boxes, and other packages on the move. After their inadvertent transporter drops them off, bed bugs move from their packages into their new home.

If your office is large enough, we recommend having a dedicated “retrieving” area. Use the retrieving area to open and look through packages before bringing them in. If you can’t do that, just visually inspect boxes for the creatures and the dark stains they leave behind.
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Make sure employees know the signs of bed bug infestation.

Training your employees/co-workers to recognize the signs of bed bug infestation will help you catch infestations early. You may even be able to identify potential problems before they turn into full-blown infestations.

Catching infestations early is especially important in New York, where there is so much hustle and bustle. It’s a lot easier for bed bugs to hitch rides and proliferate here. The faster bed bugs can spread, the faster their infestations become entrenched.

The signs you should teach your employees include:

• Dark, rusty brown smudges on any surface. Pay careful attention to fabric surfaces. These stains are bed bug excrement. Yes, it’s gross
• Blood stains on similar surfaces
• Shed skins and exoskeletons – small, dark, brown, stiff
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Keep your storage spaces organized.

Bed bugs frequently hide in piles of clothing and fabric furniture like couches, beds, box springs, and chairs. Generally, they like dark, out-of-the-way places where they can hide and wait for food to walk by. In other words, they like the areas of your office where you probably store your junk.

Removing bed bugs’ ability to hide makes them less likely lay enough eggs to spread an infestation. You can do this by keeping all storage spaces organized and well-lit without any haphazard piles or messes. Keep your junk closet clean, and you’ll go a long way toward keeping bed bugs out.

If, despite your best efforts, bed bugs have still found their way inside your office, don’t worry. Just call the team at Assured Environments. We’ll have someone over to solve your problem quickly, efficiently, and with minimal disturbance to your business. We’ll make sure the bed bugs can’t bite.