CLEVELAND — Yuck! For the second year in a row, Cleveland and Akron have shown up on Orkin's list of worst cities in the country for bed bugs.
Every year, Orkin releases a list of the 50 worst cities in the US for bed bug infestations based on areas where they have performed the most treatments. Total number of treatments are tallied from Dec. 1 through Nov. 31 of the following year.
The Cleveland-Akron areas have now showed up on Orkin's list as the fourth worst area in the country for bed bugs for two years in a row.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As travel plans ramp up, it’s important that Americans know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control,” said Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist. “While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding. Involving a trained professional at the sight of a bed bug introduction is recommended.”
The top 10 cities on Orkin's latest list can be seen below:
- Chicago
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Cleveland-Akron, OH
- Los Angeles
- Detroit
- Washington, D.C.
- Indianapolis
- Charlotte
- Champaign, IL
The prospect of a bed bug infestation can be overwhelming emotionally and disruptive to your daily life if a treatment is needed.
Thankfully, Orkin provided the following tips homeowners can follow to help inspect and protect their homes:
"At Home:
- Inspect your home for signs of bed bugs regularly. Check the places where bed bugs hide during the day, including mattress tags and seams, and behind baseboards, headboards, electrical outlets and picture frames. Inspect when you move in, after a trip, when a service worker visits or after guests stay overnight.
- Decrease clutter around your home to make it easier to spot bed bugs on your own or during professional inspections.
- Examine all secondhand furniture before bringing it inside your home.
During travel, remember the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to inspect for bed bugs:
- Survey the hotel room for signs of an infestation. Be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture and behind headboards.
- Lift and look in bed bug hiding spots: the mattress, box spring and other furniture, as well as behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper.
- Elevate luggage away from the bed and wall. The safest places are in the bathroom or on counters.
- Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and once you return home from a trip. Always store luggage away from the bed.
- Place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest setting after you return home."
Click HERE to see Orkin's full list of cities.
"While the bed bug infestations in Paris have made travelers more conscious of the pests in hotels while traveling internationally, it is also important to take precautions at home,” said Hottel. “Second-hand items such as clothing and furniture are also common bed bug hiding places, allowing pests an opportunity to hitch a ride home with new consumers. Examining any new items before they enter your home will help to catch a bed bug infestation sooner, rather than later.”
*Editor's note: The video above is from 3News' previous reporting on bed bugs.