Portland Pest Control Company Donates Services to Clean Hoarder's Bed Bug Infestation

Portland, OR – When the time came to move an elderly hoarder from her bed bug infested apartment into a disability care center, no other local pest control company would take the cleanup call. After being turned down by three other firms, Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services Division contacted Eden Advanced Pest Technologies for help.

Eden's residential pest control technicians stepped in, donating more than 24 hours of time to clear out the 700-square-foot apartment, which was packed to the ceiling with baby dolls, magazines, books and other items. Only a single pathway through the apartment remained, slightly less than shoulder width, and the rooms were so full of belongings the resident had been sleeping in her bathtub. Even the kitchen cabinets were stuffed with dolls, leaving her unable to cook.

"Many local pest control companies will often refuse to take hoarder calls. This is due to the difficulty in finding and eliminating pests from the items hoarded," said Chantelle Herburger, spokeswoman for the Portland pest control service. "Going through the clean-up steps – and potentially dealing with the psychological issues of the hoarder – is a lengthy process.

"Eden was willing to accept the job as a community service for zero profit. Providing peace of mind and a safer living environment was the right thing to do."

It took more than four days to clear out and treat the apartment and another two weeks to eliminate the infestation from the resident's belongings.

— Bed bug heat treatments, which involve raising the room temperature to 130 degrees to kill the bugs and their eggs, were used to treat the apartment and furniture.

— More than two truckloads of the resident's belongings – enough to move a 4-bedroom family home – were transported to Eden's warehouse for treatment.

— Smaller items were placed into bags and treated with Nuvan Pro Strips to kill the bed bugs.

— Spring, Eden's bed bug pest control dog, was brought in following treatment to ensure all of the pests were removed. Spring detects bed bugs with a 97 percent accuracy rate.

— Once the infestation was eliminated, Eden moved all of the resident's belongings into a storage facility she had purchased.

Not only did Eden's crew treat the apartment for bed bugs, but Portland pest control account manager Kathy Elkins and a volunteer assisted the resident through the psychological steps of the cleanup process. They helped calm the elderly woman, who was upset and frightened over strangers entering her home and touching her belongings.

"This service was not about the money but being able to help the individual," Elkins said.

About Eden Advanced Pest Technologies

Eden Advanced Pest Technologies is a Seattle and Portland pest control company and an experienced leader in green pest control and prevention solutions for Oregon and Western Washington. Eden's full-service pest management team has served both residential and commercial customers for more than 20 years and is the Northwest's foremost authority on bed bug pest control.

Contact:
Chantelle Herburger
Eden Advanced Pest Technologies
Phone: 360.918.7526
www.EdenPest.com