Pests, Pets, and Cleaning for HealthKathy MurrayMaine Department of Agriculture287-7616Kathy.murray@maine.govwww.maine.gov/ipm

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Common Household Pests of Health Concern

Rats and mice Cockroaches Fleas Bedbugs House flies Mosquitoes Stinging insects Dust mites Mold

Potential Pesticide Risks

Poisoning Asthma Skin rashes Cancer Nervous Disorders Ecological Disruption Pest Resurgence

Reduce Risk with IPM!Integrated Pest Management

Recognize pests, pest entryways, and ‘pest-conducive’ conditions

Prevent Pests: Corrective maintenance and sanitation.

Use multi-pronged pest control strategies Swat, stomp, vacuum them up. Pesticides used sparingly, if at all. Read label, select least-toxic products.

Keep records: use a maintenance log book to record when filters changed, monitors checked, etc.

Rats and Mice

Asthma: proteins in urine and droppings become airborne. Trigger asthma symptoms.

Infectious Disease: spread human pathogens such as Salmonella, E. Coli, Hantavirus, etc

Fire Risk: gnaw on electrical wires Bite Humans: infants and children especially

vulnerable

Signs of Rodent Activity

house mouse, roof rat, Norway rat

House Mouse Roof Rat Norway Rat

Recognizing Rat Infestations

Gnawed Wiring

Greasy Rub Marks

Burrow and Gnawed Bark

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Window sill

Droppings and nests should be cleaned up, wear respirator or dust mask, vacuum with HEPA filter or gently sweep up after lightly spraying with soapy water to prevent inhalation of disease-causing and allergen particles

Mouse droppings

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Look for Pest Entryways

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Rat burrow

Wire mesh used to seal out rats must be buried 36” and bent outward at bottom

Inspect Building Exterior Rodent Activity

Look for rat runways, rodent holes and openings in walls, roof, foundation, around utility penetrations

Rats can gain entry through holes larger than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm); mice can use holes larger than 1/4 inch (0.6 cm).

Bait Station

Snap Trap

Rodent IPM

Keep food (human, pet, bird) in pest-proof container.

Empty garbage/compost daily. Use pest-proof garbage cans.

Seal cracks in foundation, exterior walls, under doors, etc

Use snap traps or multi-catch traps Poison baits usually not needed. If needed,

use solid blocks (not pellets) in locked, secured bait station.

RODENT-PROOF CONSTRUCTION AND EXCLUSION METHODS

o Find licensed wildlife control companies by state/county.

Patching materials on 1/4-inch woven hardware cloth backing. Fomofill®, Pour Stone®, Fix-all®, and Custom Plug® are examples.

Cockroaches

Asthma trigger Spread infectious diseases

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Roaches in Sticky Trap

Roach shed ‘skins’

Roach feces

German Cockroach

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Roach IPM Tools

Gel bait

Monitoring Trap Caulk, copper mesh, traps, respirator,

least risk pesticides for roach and rodent exclusion and control

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Pest proof food storage

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•Thrive in high humidity (70-80%) and warm temps (75-80F). •In drier house, dust mites are limited primarily to mattresses, pillows, bedding

Dust Mites

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•Wash all bedding in hot water (130 F) or weekly in warm (77 F) water and laundry detergent.

•Keep humidity low (use A/C and/or dehumidifier if needed)

•Electric blanket 8hr/da•Steam clean carpets yearly •Clean frequently:

• Vacuum w/ HEPA vac• Dust with damp cloth

Dust mite control

Bed Bugs

They suck (your blood)! Can be found in any human-inhabited

space but mostly found on and near where people sleep.

Reaction varies from none to severe, sometimes delayed (up to 14 days) localized swelling.

Why Are Bed Bugs Such a Problem?

Biology and behavior contributes to their success as a pest

Infestations unrecognized or unreported until well-established.

They hitch hike with people and belongings – easily spread.

No insecticide 100% effective. Resistance documented to many classes of pesticides.

Treatment is time consuming and expensive. requires specialized expertise ($800-$1000 for small apartment, $2000 or more for a house)

Bed Bug Prevention

Avoid used furniture No used mattresses or beds Keep a clean, uncluttered home Inspect lodging when travelling. Request new room

if evidence (bugs or red/black blood spots along edges of mattress) found.

Inspect or heat treat luggage before bringing inside your home

Ask new roommates/guests to inspect belongings before moving in.

Ask landlord to notify and treat apartment when adjacent apartments are infested.

Detection and Monitoring ToolsClimbUp TM (nested cups under bed legs)

BedBug Beacon (Co2 Monitor)

Bb Alert (sticky ‘passive’ monitor) not recommended

Dry Ice in Travel Mug on Upturned Dog Dish (home-made monitor)

Trained Scent-detection Canine

Bed Bugs When Travelling

Inspect hotel bed. Look for blackish spots and/or reddish-brown bugs (poppy-seed to apple-seed sized) along mattress seams.

Don’t put suitcase on bed or floor. Inspect suitcase upon return home. Look in crevices/seams/pockets for bugs.

Avoid second-hand furniture. Home Infestation

Systematically search and vacuum every crack/crevice/seam in bedroom. Eggs don’t vacuum - scrape them up. Steam-clean carpet.

Seal mattress in zippered bedbug-proof mattress cover. Place traps under bed legs.

Hire reputable pest control company to inspect and treat (some use trained dogs and heat treatment instead of pesticides).

Find resources at www.gotpests.org Bed Bug Interceptor under bed legs

Collect and Discard Bugs with Nylon Knee-High ‘Filter’ in Vacuum Cleaner Wand

Who You Gonna Call?

Report bed bugs found in Maine lodging to Maine CDC (287-5674)

For recommendations and bug identification: UM Pest Management Lab 1-800-287-0279

Schools: Contact ME Dept of Agriculture School IPM Program (287-7616, kathy.murray@maine.gov) or Dept of Education.

Pesticide questions or list of licensed pest control companies: Maine Board Pesticides Control 287-2731.

Resources

www.gotpests.org (Maine Dept of Agriculture) www.thinkfirstspraylast.org (ME Board

Pesticides Control umaine.edu/ipm/UM (Pest Management Office) www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/ddc/epi/bedbugs/

(Maine CDC) www.ptla.org (Pine Tree Legal Assistance)

www.hud.gov (HUD) What’s working for Bed Bug Control in Multi-Family Housing.

www.pestworld.com (National Pest Management Assn). Best Management Practices for Bed Bugs.

Bed Bug Hand book. Pinto and Assoc Publ.

Pinto, Cooper, Kraft. 2007.

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Keep It Pest-Free – What You Can Do

• Contact your landlord right away about pest problems.

• Clean up food or crumbs.• Wrap food and put it in the refrigerator, or in a

cabinet if tightly sealed.• Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight. • Sweep, mop, and vacuum regularly.• Take garbage to the trash area at least once a

week (or every day if you have pests).• Clean up clutter that provides hiding places for

pests.• Minimize pesticide use. If you use pesticides,

make sure to follow the directions on the label.• Don’t use sprays or foggers.

If you rent or own

• Seal holes in walls, floors and ceilings to prevent pests from coming in.

• Repair water leaks or damage.

• Hire Pest Control Professional to control hard-to-control pests such as bed bugs and wildlife.

If you rent, your landlord should:

Pets and Health

Furred and feathered pets produce allergens (dander, proteins in urine and feces).

Feces and urine source of human pathogens.

Dogs, Cats, Fleas Treat the pet!

Bathe it and flea-comb often Vacuum…often! Rugs, upholstered

furniture, floors. Discard or freeze vacuum bag after each use or use nylon knee-high in wand and discard.

Steam-clean carpets Launder pet bedding Spot-on pet treatments are safer than flea

powders, shampoos, sprays, bombs. Eliminate (trap/exclude) rodents and other

wildlife harboring in/under homes

Clean Up after Pets

Change litter boxes, clean up dog feces promptly.

Vacuum with HEPA vac…often! Keep pets out of bedrooms of allergy

sufferers.

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Healthy Cleaning

Don’t dry dust or dry sweep Vacuuming carpets: A good vacuum will have a beater bar The best type of vacuum to buy is a

HEPA vacuum Be sure to vacuum very slowly (or use

vacuum with dirt finder) Wet cleaning:Use “elbow grease”Change water frequently

HEPA filters

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Clean to Eliminate Pests

• Eliminate food sources and grease• Vacuum

• Hard to reach locations and places pests like to hide

• Vacuum from top to bottom• Wash hard surfaces and floors

• De-grease oven and stove• Two-bucket method (1 soapy, 1

clear water)

Cleaning for Health

Limit aerosols. Hand pump sprays instead Use disinfectants only where needed Avoid bleach. Use peroxides instead. No deodorizers. Mask odors with chemicals.

Clean has no odor. Homemade cleaners using borax, lemon juice,

salt, and vinegar are often as effective as commercial products, cheaper and less toxic

Cleaning Products: Look for third-party certified such as Green Seal, Enviro Choice.

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Cleaning for Health

Avoid anti-bacterial hand soaps and other products

Avoid air fresheners

Avoid scented carpet cleaning products

Don’t be fooled by ‘green washing’ claims. Read labels.

Soap and water is excellent cleaning product

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Keep Dirt Outside

Five steps to limit tracked in dust Hard surface

walkways outdoors Outside grate-like

mat Inside Walk-off Mat Hard Surface Floor Take shoes off

Use Disinfectants Sensibly

Distinguish cleaning from disinfecting tasks.

Choose appropriate product for each use

Use only as labeled Limit use of aerosols Ensure adequate ventilation Wear PPE when required on

label

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Keep It Clean – What You Can Do

• Vacuum or wet clean floors.• Use a damp cloth for dusting.• Wash bed linens every 1-2 weeks in hot water.• Use a walk-off mat outside of your door.• Take your shoes off at the door.• Use “green” cleaning products.• Invest in a good HEPA vacuum that has a beater

bar on the bottom and can be emptied quickly and thoroughly.

• Use plastic boxes to store clutter. • Use allergen-free mattress and pillow covers as

part of an effective cleaning strategy for children with asthma or allergies.

If you rent or own

• Help with pest problems by sealing cracks and holes

• Consider hard surface floors that show dust more clearly, can be cleaned faster and can be damp mopped.

If you rent, your landlord

should:

Informed Green Solutions: non-profit organization provides training and good resources on cleaning for health.

ResourcesMaine Dept Agriculture: www.Gotpests.org

UMaine Extension: http://umaine.edu/ipm/

Includes free insect, weed and plant disease identification service

• County Extension Office

National Pesticide Information Center