I worked in pest control for about 5 years, and I figured someone here might need some advice on how to deal with bugs and mice. So if you've ever wanted to know, now's your chance.
My biggest recommendation, right from the start: Never pay for pest control. You can do a better, more ethical job than any business ever will.
I want to edit to say, my inbox is always open for questions too.
I saw a pest control listing on Craigslist. What are the reqs to get a job like that? What was your work and schedule like? And what about any health issues?
Also...bed bugs???
What the work day is like will depend on the company more than anything. For me, I worked at a small business and set my own schedule. You're going to go and poke around in nasty places. Dusty dirty buggy places.
Also, there is a license that you will have to acquire from whatever state you want to work in. It doesn't require any type of school or classes. Just study and take the test. You're employer will usually cover this cost.
Also, how ethical each company will determine how you approach each job. Some places want you to spray everything, fuck the consequences. Where I worked, I had a lot of control how I handled each situation.
There isn't much danger from the chemicals as long as you're safe and follow the ppe. Most of them have been used for decades and studied to death without much to speak of. I do occasionally worry about it, but honestly every job I've ever had had exposed me to some kind of potentially life alternating danger.
Are you asking how to deal with bed bugs? Or if I was worried about them? Lol
Both
Dealing with them is exactly like dealing with cockroachs, except you also have to steam clean and wash literally everything in the house. But, I never brought them home with while I was at work.
So follow the recs I made on the post about Germanroaches. I use a residual pesticide like suspend, and an IGR like tekko. Along with steam cleaning and washing.
I dealt with a bad infestation of them a few years back in my previous apt. It seemed like the pesticides available were largely ineffective. I still have PTSD from that time and get extremely paranoid if I feel an itch somewhere. What pesticide would you recommend, if any at all
Apartments are the hardest. It's impossible to contain something like that to one unit, no matter how well built the building is. And the buildings are never well built.
Steam cleaning, heat, and a good IGR are the best things I've used. Big glue traps on the feet of the bedframe can help, once the mattress has been bagged, and the bedding cleaned.