STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With the resurgence of bedbugs, the Staten Island Board of Realtors (SIBOR) would like to provide you with information to keep your home and your family safe.  It is important to know that bedbugs are excellent hitchhikers; they love to follow you home from vacation both in and out of the country. They are also excellent hiders; they will take up residence in the smallest of crevices of your furniture and mattress seams. Bed bugs do not transmit diseases, but their bites can become red, itchy welts. Bed bugs typically feed on blood every five to ten days, but can live for a year or more without eating. They also can withstand a wide range of temperatures from nearly freezing to almost 113 °F.  The Federal Trade Commission recommends the following tips to keep yourself and your home bedbug free.

The best way to control bed bugs is to prevent them from entering your home. Here’s how:

  • Inspect secondhand furniture, beds, and couches for signs of bed bug infestation before bringing them home.
  • Enclose mattresses and box springs in covers labeled “allergen rated,” “for dust mites,” or “for bed bugs.” Periodically check for rips or openings and tape these up.
  • Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs.
  • Repair cracks in plaster, repair or remove any loose wallpaper, and tighten light switch covers.
  • Apply caulk to seal crevices and joints in baseboards and gaps on shelves or cabinets.

When traveling:

  • Use luggage racks to hold your suitcases when packing and unpacking rather than setting your luggage on the bed or floor.
  • Check the mattress and headboard before getting into bed.
  • When you get home, unpack directly into a washing machine. Wash all items showing bed bug stains, and dry on the highest setting for at least 20 minutes. The heat from the dryer kills the bugs.
  • Inspect and then vacuum luggage. Empty the vacuum or seal and dispose of its bag outside of your home after each use.

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-979-0007 and viewed online at http://siborrealtors.com. SIBOR may also be visited on Facebook at “Staten Island Board of Realtors,” on Twitter via @SIBOR, and on YouTube at the Staten Island Board of Realtors and RelevantPR channels.

Media Contact: Barton Horowitz

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718 682 1509

Mobile: 917 715 8761

Email: [email protected]