FTC Taking Action Against Unproven Bedbug Treatments
As pest control professionals, we already know that the do-it-yourself “bombs” or “foggers” that target bedbugs by filling entire rooms with aerosol insecticide are ineffective. Although these products are indeed cheap, retailing at hardware stores for around $10, you’re likely to get what you pay for. We also know that the liquid solutions and all natural oils are equally ineffective in treating bedbugs. Now the Federal Trade Commission is taking action against some of the companies marketing them.
The Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.
They have charged the marketing companies RMB Group and Cedarcide, as well as the individuals behind them, with deceptive advertising for claiming that their products can eliminate and prevent future bedbug infestations. The Cedarcide defendants are also charged with making deceiving claims that the federal government endorses and is affiliated with their products.
RMB Group Charges
Rest Easy, marketed by RMB Group, is a liquid solution containing all natural ingredients like peppermint, cinnamon, lemongrass, and clove. It can be bought at retailers like: Walgreens, Big Lots, and Bed Bath & Beyond. The FTC complaint charges that the RMB Group defendants make unsupported claims that Rest Easy kills and repels bedbugs, and that a consumer can create a barrier against them by spraying the product around a bed.
The FTC has fined the makers of Rest Easy almost $265,000, and has banned the company from making claims that its product kills or repels bedbugs, and creates a barrier against them. The FTC has further banned them from making any claims about the performance of their products unless they have been backed by proficient scientific evidence.
Cedarcide Charges
Best Yet, marketed by Cedarcide Industries, is a cedar oil-based liquid that claims it will treat and prevent bedbug infestations. Their product is sold nation-wide, including commercially. A bottle costs around $30, but they also offer a hotel bedbug eradication kit for $3,400.
- The FTC has charged Cedarcide with making the following false claims:
- That Best Yet will prevent bedbug infestations, and that it’s more effective than synthetic pesticides
- That scientific studies confirm Best Yet is effective at stopping and preventing bed bug infestations, and that it is more effective than synthetic pesticides at doing so
- The Environmental Protection Agency has warned consumers to avoid all synthetic pesticides for treating bed bug infestations
- Best Yet was invented for the U.S. Army at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that the USDA has acknowledged the product as the number one choice of bio-based pesticides.
What This Means for Pest Control Companies
The actions by the Federal Trade Commission are clearly good news for both the consumer and for pest control operators. During this recent bedbug epidemic, consumers have been looking for the lowest cost solutions to their bedbug infestations. They have been turning to these ineffective products as a solution, instead of calling a local pest control professional to get the job done.
These FTC actions go a long way in educating consumers about ineffective pest control products, but we need to continue educating the consumer as well–Professional exterminators are your most effective option when it comes to effective eliminating bedbugs in your home.
Your thoughts?
DDT nearly wiped-out the bed bug population in America until the EPA banned its use on June 14th, 1972. DDT was widely used around beds, furniture and other favorite bed bug hideouts. Some reports say it was generally effective at killing bed bugs for about a year after treatment but was also considered harmful to human health and to the environment. Although we all grew up hearing the phrase, “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite,” I don’t think most of us knew what bed bugs were or what pests bed bugs could become if they made it into our home.
With the economy the way it has been and the housing marked being hit so hard there are some who have taken the opportunity to invest in foreclosures and turn them into rentals. Most of my clients that are in this position have the most to lose with the current threat of bed bugs because of the potential loss of profits on their investment. Let’s say, for example, that you own a single family home that you are renting out as a small investment and your taking in $300-$400 dollars after expenses. If that property becomes infested with bed bugs and you don’t have any agreements in place with the tenants then you are responsible for treating your property for the pests. A typical bed bug infestation on a single family home of about 1500 square feet can cost anywhere from $1500-$2500 dollars to treat. That could take months to recoup the loss and start making a profit again.
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