Bed Bug Resistant Furniture To Keep Facilities Clean

That old saying “don’t let the bed bugs bite” is probably being heard on street corners more than ever in Baltimore now that it was named the most bed-bug ridden city in the United States, according to Orkin in its annual rankings.

The pest-control services provider based its list on treatment data from cities where it conducted bed-bug treatments from Dec. 1, 2015 to Nov. 30, 2016 in both commercial and residential facilities.

The top 10 cities according to the list are:

  • Baltimore
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Chicago
  • New York
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Los Angeles
  • Detroit
  • Cincinnati
  • Philadelphia
  • San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

“We have more people affected by bed bugs in the United States now than ever before,” said Orkin Entomologist and Director of Technical Services Ron Harrison, Ph.D., in a press release. “They were virtually unheard of in the U.S. 10 years ago.”

Additionally, bed bugs do not discriminate. Fancy hotels, upscale homes, healthcare facilities, colleges/universities and shelter environments all fall prey to the pests. And while new research is imperative in combating bed bugs, the behavioral patterns of these insects are already well known and documented. Bed bugs hide in mattresses, bed frames and other bedroom furniture, and bite humans and feed off their blood.

So while bed bug solutions are currently being researched, picking the right furniture products for your home or facilities can go a long way in combating this epidemic, especially for those environments that see a steady stream of visitors, some of whom may have hygiene challenges.

One such solution is rotomolded furniture. Short for rotational molding, rotomolding is the process of creating one-piece products by using a hollow mold that is filled with polyethylene, nylon, polycarbonate or some other material then heated and rotated.

The material melts and bonds to the inside of the mold and is then removed once it is cool enough to retain its shape. The process has been around for decades and is used to make kayaks, playground equipment, storage containers and many other items that require extreme durability. Historically, rotomolded furniture has been noted for its blockish form and unattractive appearance. Fast forward to today and you will find that progressive manufacturers have taken this production method and have incorporated sophistication and modern design.

We here at Norix have been producing rotomolded furniture for more than 30 years and know quite a bit about the process. The company offers several lines of products that are made using rotomolding, and they happen to be highly durable, attractive and bed bug resistant.

For example, our Forté™ lounge chairs are made of one-piece rotationally molded polyethylene seats and come with the choice of steel, wood or molded bases. The chairs come in a variety of colors and are pitched slightly back for comfortable sitting. Additionally, the material used for this product creates a smooth and continuous surface, making Forté™ bed bug resistant, particularly if the unupholstered version is selected.

Another option is the Hondo Nuevo® Series, a stylish line of unique furniture that combines superior durability, comfort and style and that includes chair, bench and wedge options that allow for flexible, modular seating arrangements. The products feature molded vinyl exterior skin tops that are attached with tamper-resistant fasteners to either a molded plinth, steel, molded wood-grain leg or genuine wood leg base options. The chair skin is nearly a ¼ inch thick and also is smooth and continuous, making it resistant to bug infestations.

If you are looking for chairs with a definite “wow” factor, check out RockSmart, a contemporary rocking chair that was designed from the ground up for soothing comfort, exceptional durability and aesthetic appeal. Its signature one-piece shape is sculpted from rotationally molded polyethylene for a calming, safe and comfortable rock. And since it is made in one piece (you guessed it), it is bed bug resistant.

Other Norix products that are bed-bug resistant include:

Titan® Series Steel Case Goods – This series is a complete line of steel case goods that combines functional versatility with the institutional durability of all-steel construction.

Protégé Dorm Furniture – Protégé is our durable, all steel dormitory furniture that delivers reliable performance and outstanding value.

Attenda® Series Molded Case Goods – Molded in specially formulated polyethylene, our Attenda® series is a steel-alternative, bed-bug resistant line of furniture made for intensive-use environments.

Comfort Shield™ Mattresses – Our Comfort Shield™ Foam Core Mattress and Comfort Shield™ Foam Encased Innerspring Mattress are bed-bug resistant, highly durable and feature inverted seam construction.

Did your city make the Orkin list? Click here to find out.