Jul 2, 2012 – Keeping Cells Bed Bug Free
QUESTION:
I wanted to know your suggestion of a product which can be used by maintenance people in a police station in the prisoner cells to kill bed bugs. They wash the cement cell and disinfect for viruses, HIV, etc., however they are asking what they can use to kill bed bugs should they be in the cell before they turn it over to another prisoner. The cell is cement with a stainless sink and stainless toilet only. These workers are not certified to use pesticides.
ANSWER:
Well, this is making me think a little bit. One consideration is that "washing" they do either between each set of inmates in the cells or at least on a regular basis. This may very well wash away much of any insecticide that you apply to surfaces in the cell and possibly even to materials applied into crevices. Another important consideration may be the protocol they have when bringing new prisoners into the facility. I don't know that they are allowed to bring any personal items in with them so the only way a new inmate could transport bed bugs in would be in infested clothing. This probably already is removed from them, but if not it should be and immediately bagged in a sealed bag and then run through at a minimum a hot dryer cycle. Personal clothing probably is washed and dried, but as we know, heat is a great enemy of bed bugs, and getting the heat above 120 degrees for even 15 minutes kills bugs and any eggs. Keeping bed bugs out in the first place is so much better than trying to dislodge them once they have gotten a foothold.
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I wanted to know your suggestion of a product which can be used by maintenance people in a police station in the prisoner cells to kill bed bugs. They wash the cement cell and disinfect for viruses, HIV, etc., however they are asking what they can use to kill bed bugs should they be in the cell before they turn it over to another prisoner. The cell is cement with a stainless sink and stainless toilet only. These workers are not certified to use pesticides.
ANSWER:
Well, this is making me think a little bit. One consideration is that "washing" they do either between each set of inmates in the cells or at least on a regular basis. This may very well wash away much of any insecticide that you apply to surfaces in the cell and possibly even to materials applied into crevices. Another important consideration may be the protocol they have when bringing new prisoners into the facility. I don't know that they are allowed to bring any personal items in with them so the only way a new inmate could transport bed bugs in would be in infested clothing. This probably already is removed from them, but if not it should be and immediately bagged in a sealed bag and then run through at a minimum a hot dryer cycle. Personal clothing probably is washed and dried, but as we know, heat is a great enemy of bed bugs, and getting the heat above 120 degrees for even 15 minutes kills bugs and any eggs. Keeping bed bugs out in the first place is so much better than trying to dislodge them once they have gotten a foothold.
Since the effort here is to try to kill any bed bugs that might be in a cell as one prisoner leaves it, and the harborage opportunities for bugs should be fairly limited, you could treat all cracks and crevices and holes with pyrethrum, such as Kicker or Pyreth-It or other liquid pyrethrums. This is often included by PMP's in their residual treatments and seems to offer a good result. The active ingredient is not going to last at all, but hopefully will kill any bugs on contact. Since this is only a police stations jail it suggests that the stay is short for anyone brought in and beds and bedding are not present. This simplifies the application a great deal. Another effort should be to thoroughly caulk and seal as many cracks and crevices as possible in the cell, taking away the potential hiding places of the bugs and keeping them more exposed and visible.
The use of some pyrethrum product should not require anyone to be certified, but this is still a sensitive setting with people who are not happy to be there, and any belief on their part that they are being exposed to any "pesticide" could trigger some legal issues. The use of "natural" plant based insecticides may help to disarm that concern. Fortunately we have a LOT of plant-based insecticides now, many of which contain oils of clove, peppermint, soybean, thyme, rosemary, and other essential plant oils such as the Essentria product line (formerly EcoExempt). These should very effectively kill bed bugs on contact and even leave behind the rather pleasant odors of their active ingredients, rather than any "chemical" smell. Because of the exempt status of many of them they could generally be applied to the surfaces in a cell.
However, I would discuss the biology and nature of bed bugs with the folks who manage the jail there so they know how bed bugs might be able to enter the facility, and stress that having clothing removed quickly and sealed for treatment through a dryer would be an important way to prevent the bugs from getting started inside.
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