[Add-On Services] Mattress Malady

Pest management professionals are used to receiving calls about pests such as ants, mice or termites invading houses. And most homeowners want a solution once they have seen the culprits or the damage they have done. However, one pest is microscopic, as small as 1/1000 the size of the head of a pin, and produces no physical signs of damage.

Dust mites feed on dead skin cells and primarily live in mattresses or other upholstered furniture. "An individual sheds 10,000 million scales of bacteria-laden skin each day," said Doug Cerrito, vice president, Hygienitech, Delray Beach, Fla. Dust mites can burrow into mattresses and have a never-ending food supply.

"The feces and dead bodies of mites are allergens to susceptible people," Cerrito said, "causing asthma, rhinitis or dermatitis." Unfortunately, even if mattresses are vacuumed, the mites remain.

MATTRESS CLEANING SYSTEM. About four years ago, Hygienitech introduced the Mattress Cleaning System. A portable unit, it weighs 21½ pounds, and is convenient for pest management professionals to handle.

"The system uses a combination of UV-C (germicidal light) and powerful suction to destroy dust mites and their eggs," Cerrito said. "The UV-C light also rids the mattress of bacteria, common viruses, fungal spores and it also destroys anthrax and the SARS virus," he added. The system is chemical-free.

Typically, the cleaning time for a standard-sized mattress is 16 minutes, while a king-sized mattress will take 20 minutes. Cerrito said a common price point used by PCOs for a king-sized mattress is $59.

ADD-ON SERVICE. Pat Humphrey-Wicker, president, Lester Humphrey Pest and Lawn Service, Abilene, Texas, bought the system about a year ago. She said she believes this service is an excellent add-on opportunity for pest management professionals. "We’re getting folks to talk about it, we promote what it does and stress the benefits of having your mattresses cleaned twice a year," she says.

Usually, the selling point with customers is a demonstration. In fact, Brian Knights, president, Around the Bend Homeservices, Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada, demonstrated the effectiveness of the Mattress Cleaning System in a local television segment. "The hostess vacuumed the mattress and I followed up with the Hygienitech system. She was amazed at what we got out," Knights said.

TRAINING. Hygienitech provides training either at its location in Florida, or through a self-teaching manual PCOs can use in their offices. "Hygienitech provided tapes and a manual that were user-friendly," Humphrey-Wicker said.

Knights also found this helpful. "The training was phenomenal. I called, set up a time, and we walked through the instructions for the machine," he said. "I learned to change belts, rollers and bags, and had no problems at all."

For additional information regarding the Hygienitech Mattress Cleaning System, contact Hygienitech at 888/999-9030 or visit www.hygienitech.com.

The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine. She can be reached at dtaylor@giemedia.com.