SOS Bed bugs

A major upsurge in the number of bed bugs is taking place all over the world, mainly as a result of increased travel.

Bed bugs are not a problem of hygiene, but a lack of awareness of the problem, and can be found everywhere you go.
So after a trip, there’s a higher risk of bed bugs being introduced into your own home.

Today, it’s not uncommon for entire buildings to be infested, because unfortunately many people underestimate the problem.
Bed bug infestations can be identified by bites, black droppings, traces of blood on the sheets and a sweet smell.
Since bed bugs don’t like light and feed mainly on blood at night, you’ll rarely see them wandering around in broad daylight, unless the infestation is extensive. That’s why it’s so hard to spot a bed bug invasion, and usually by the time you do, the problem is already big.

Popular hiding places are dark places such as bed bases and slats, mattress seams, cracks in wood, skirting boards, sockets, picture frames.

Bed bugs are attracted not only by the carbon dioxide in human breath, but also by human odours and the clothes they wear.

With SOS Sereni-d ®, you can reliably combat bed bugs.

The spray acts immediately on the nervous system and exoskeleton of bed bugs, destroying them within minutes of a direct hit or after a bed bug has passed through a treated area.

Treat your home at the first sign of bed bugs.

You can also treat rooms rented between two tenants to destroy any eggs, which are very difficult to spot with the naked eye, in order to take every possible precaution.

Bed bug bites trigger a skin reaction within three days, with rashes and itching.
Everyone reacts differently, and some people may not develop spots at all.

Bed bugs suck blood and can theoretically transmit blood-borne diseases (hepatitis, HIV, etc.). However, no study on the subject has been able to prove this. Consequently, the risk of disease transmission from a bed bug bite is considered extremely low.
However, once a bed bug has crossed the threshold of our door, an infestation can easily occur, and will generally not be visible until several months later (the time needed for the first bed bug to lay its eggs, for the eggs to hatch and then move onto the larva and adult stage, and for the adults to go on and lay their own eggs…).

That’s why it’s essential to take every possible precaution to avoid bringing bed bugs into your home, and to take matters into your own hands at the first sign of infestation, or between two rentals.

The fight against bed bugs is laborious and often leads to psychological distress for the infested people.

It’s much easier to get rid of them if the infestation is caught early. It’s even better to protect yourself from bed bugs, so you don’t bring them home and start an infestation.
The French Ministry of Solidarity and Health advises you to consult a pest control specialist if the treatment fails. The aim of a treatment is to eliminate all bed bugs and their eggs so that the population cannot survive. It’s important to understand that if just one adult bed bug, larva or egg remains, the proliferation can start all over again.
That’s why it often takes several weeks of repeated measurements to overcome the problem.

You’ll then need to check your home regularly to prevent further infestation.

SERENI-D products combined with mechanical methods will be your best option for preventing these pests from returning to your home, and in treating your home or rented rooms in the event of infestation.

Combined with Sereni-d® sprays, mechanical control measures must be put in place to kill bed bugs and their eggs, and ensure long-lasting effectiveness:

• Wash and dry infested textiles at 60°C minimum to kill bed bugs at every stage of their development, especially eggs and larvae, which are barely visible to the naked eye;
• Non-washable infested textiles and objects should be packed in airtight bags and frozen for at least 2 days;
• Regularly vacuum all nooks, crannies and potential hiding places… The vacuum container should be emptied into a tightly sealed plastic bag;
• Cleaning with a brush to remove eggs;
• Removing clutter and stacked objects;
• If possible, steam the bedding and potential bed bug hiding places to destroy eggs;
• Removal of sofas in case of heavy infestation.

Find out more about mechanical control tips, here.

Bed bugs can be found in all dark places in the home, such as furniture, mattresses, bed bases, suitcases, bags, textiles, picture frames, cracks, skirting boards, light switches, sockets, etc.

Yes, it’s a real pain!

Bed bugs like to live close to human sleeping areas, as they feed on blood after dark. But once they’ve laid their eggs in one place and founded a colony, they’ll then go and lay eggs elsewhere to found other colonies… That’s their development principle! This means that many bedrooms can be infested, as well as places where people stay for several hours, such as sofas.

Correct diagnosis generally requires intensive research and, if necessary, the advice of a pest control specialist. That said, there are the following clear signs and indicators:

• Wandering bed bugs that move freely on the bed or wall. Unfortunately, this usually only happens when the infestation is already significant and some bed bugs dare to venture out in broad daylight in search of a meal. As bed bugs prefer to move around at night, you can also turn on the lights in the middle of the night to detect their presence and an infestation as early as possible…;
• Bed bugs or their signs (black stains of excrement residue, brownish shells (shed skin), milky white eggs) in the typical hiding places such as bed bases, mattress seams, skirting boards, behind picture frames, light switches, wallpaper, etc.;
• Tiny bloodstains on clothing/bedding left by bed bugs after biting;
• Grouped or aligned spots.

Sereni-d® offers two ready-to-use sprays. A SHIELD spray for preventive use and a SOS spray for curative use.

The SHIELD preventive Anti-Bed Bug textile spray is to be used when travelling in places with a high turnover of people, such as hotels, country cottages, B&Bs, hiking and trekking refuges, youth hostels, but also public transport (plane, train, etc.), health establishments, libraries, etc.
Spray on personal belongings such as luggage and textiles to prevent bed bugs. This will ensure that no bed bugs get into your belongings and lay eggs. The spray can also be used on entry points to the home (window frames, door sills, air vents) if a neighbour is infested.

The SERENI-D SOS Anti-Bed Bugs spray is for use in the event of a bed bug infestation, or at the slightest suspicion of the presence of bed bugs for private individuals and professionals. When used on bedding and hiding places, the spray destroys bed bugs in all their stages of development (egg, larva, adult) immediately (within 30 minutes of direct contact or after a bed bug has passed over the treated area) by acting on their nervous systems and exoskeletons. Treatment combined with mechanical measures should be repeated within the week, then every 2 to 4 weeks once the problem has gone away.

Our SOS Super Powerful product is 100% effective on bed bugs at all stages of development, from egg to adult. It will treat all textiles and surfaces contaminated by bed bugs.

Getting rid of bed bugs can take weeks, as they can hide in the smallest nooks and crannies (bookcases, picture frames, electrical sockets…). If one remains hidden, the infestation can start up again. In addition to treatment, it is essential to:

• Regularly wash anything that can be washed at temperatures in excess of 60°
• Freeze anything that fits in your freezer for at least 4 days
• Remove/quarantine everything on your shelves, minimise clutter
• Regular vacuuming while emptying the container into an external bin
• Fill any small holes or cracks in your wood flooring, skirting boards…
• After treating your bed, you can also use an anti-bed bug cover to minimize potential hiding places for bed bugs
• You can also break the life cycle of bed bugs by preventing them from biting you, feeding and laying eggs. Once you’ve treated your bed, you can use bed bug traps or double-sided tape to stick to the legs of the bed, as well as diatomaceous earth. This will block the bed bugs. Also move your bed away from the wall, to prevent them getting into your bed through the walls.

You should also check with your neighbours to make sure they don’t have the same problem. In this case, neighbouring flats will also have to be treated. Bed bugs move from flat to flat, particularly through air vents.

Bed bugs are a real scourge, not least because of their small size and ease of reproduction. But if you’re persistent and alert, and follow these recommendations and tips, you’ll get the hang of it. Otherwise, we advise you to call in a certified professional who can come to your home and give you specific advice according to the configuration of your home.

You are a professional (hotels, youth hostels, rental cottages, mountain refuges, B&Bs, etc.) or private individual, and regularly rent out a room or accommodation via Airbnb or other means. So you’re very likely to be affected by bed bugs at some point in the life of your home.

As a preventive measure between two rentals and to avoid any infestation, you can treat your home to destroy any eggs and larvae that may have been deposited.

Use SERENI-D SOS Anti-Bed Bugs on bedding and dark corners around beds and sofas.

The amount of spray required depends on the size of your home.

The 100ml format is suitable for treating objects and small surfaces. The XXL 500ml format is suitable for treating entire rooms or flats.

• Vacuum under the bed and behind the headboard regularly;
• Eliminate clutter;
• Seal the cracks in your home;
• Check second-hand bedding and objects before bringing them into your home;
• Inspect your home regularly (bedding, electrical sockets, etc.);
• If you are disposing of an infested object, take it to the waste recycling centre.

ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, recommends non-chemical, i.e. mechanical (freezing and steaming), methods for getting rid of pests.

ANSES points out that the use of biocides can cause poisoning, pollute the environment and make bed bugs resistant. Indeed, any active substance, whether used in a biocide (repellent or insecticide) or a drug, eventually develops resistance with insects or bacteria. This is why the regulations are so strict, and why ECHA, the European Chemicals Agency, monitors all products placed on the market, and gradually approves new active substances.

For the development of its products, Sereni-d® has selected the most plant-based active ingredients on the market, i.e. Pyrethrum Flower and Geraniol. However, like all biocidal products, they must be used with care, and it is essential to read the label and instructions carefully before use.

Our SHIELD and SOS sprays, which contain pyrethrum flower, are non-toxic to cats and other warm-blooded animals such as dogs.

Our active ingredient, pyrethrum flower, is less harmful than the equivalent amount of caffeine.

To have an effect on a cat, it would have to ingest 200mg/kg of the active substance or 50mg/kg through the skin. Yet, the highest dose of spray that we offer is 0.250mg. So a 4kg cat would have to ingest hundreds of sprays at the same time, or bathe for several hours in a basin of sprays, which is not possible with “normal” use. All’s well for your feline friends!