Bed bugs spread through travel, used furniture, guests, and shared walls. A clean home does not prevent them, and having them is not a reflection on you. In apartments and multi-unit buildings, the way tenants and managers respond in the first few days matters.
Signs to look for
- Rust-colored specks on sheets, pillowcases, and mattress edges
- Welts in rows or clusters that show up after a night’s sleep
- Pale, papery skins left behind as the bugs grow
- Reddish-brown, flat insects about the size of an apple seed near the bed
- A sweet, musty smell in a heavily infested room
Bites alone are not proof, since many things cause bites. Finding the bugs or their evidence is what confirms it.
If you are a tenant
- Do not move items to other rooms or units. That spreads the problem.
- Skip foggers and DIY sprays. They often scatter bugs deeper into walls and neighboring units.
- Launder bedding on high heat and bag it for transport.
- Put it in writing to your landlord or property manager, and keep a copy for your records.
- Request an inspection so a professional can confirm what you have.
If you are a property manager
Bed bugs travel between units, so a one-room response can leave the problem alive next door. A thorough job starts by inspecting the reported unit and the units that share a wall, floor, or ceiling with it. You will need to authorize that access. Tenants and managers each make their own request, which keeps the right steps in the right order.
How treatment works
Which method fits depends on what the inspection finds, and it can mean spot applications, heat, or both. Expect return visits: the job is not finished until a recheck shows no live bugs.
Get started
Call (740) 996-3200 or visit our bed bug treatment page. Property managers can start with commercial service. We serve rentals and multi-unit buildings in Steubenville, Wheeling, and nearby towns.