Solutions Plus Pest Control, co-owned by Jen and Mark Winter, grew from an unexpected bond between customer and service provider.
“Mark was in the pest control industry, working for a larger company in the area, and I was a customer service manager for a local hotel. That’s actually how we met,” cofounder Jen explains.
Self-proclaimed “bug nerds,” Mark and Jen bonded over their shared interest. Eventually a romance blossomed and the two married.
“A fun fact actually is, that instead of flowers on our wedding cake, we had bed bugs made of icing,” Jen describes.
The couple saw a need in the local area for pest control services. Mark grew up in Miamisburg and spent lots of time in Centerville and surrounding areas during his time there. When they started Bed Bug Solutions in 2014, they focused on Cincinnati and Dayton as their service areas. Having lived in Mason since 2001, they wanted to keep their new business close to home.
“Mason is a great central location for our service area, which now ranges from Northern Kentucky up to Dayton and even Columbus,” Jen explains. They have since also expanded into Southeast Indiana and even as far as Montana.
Although the original plan was to focus on bed bug extermination, they discovered that their bed bug customers also had several other general pest control issues. With this realization, they expanded their business to create the Solutions Plus Pest Control division.
Today, Solutions Plus offers general pest control, termite, rodent and bed bug treatments and even hoarding cleanouts (with or without bed bugs).
“In dealing with bed bugs, we found that some customers needed help with preparing their home for a treatment or they had too much clutter to treat it properly,” Jen tells us.
Solutions Plus is the only local company that offers to help people with bed bug treatment preparation, laundry services and hoarding cleanouts. Cleanouts include deep cleaning and reorganization of the home.
No matter what they are removing, Mark and Jen truly are proud of the services they provide.
“We enjoy finding solutions and helping our customers sleep better, knowing that they no longer have to worry about pests inside their homes or businesses,” Jen shares.
Telltale Signs of Pests
Bed Bugs/Termites:
Common signs of bed bugs include unexplained bites and dark spotting or blood spots on bedding. Winged termites can be spotted swarming from March through May. They often leave discarded wings near window sills or door frames.
Mice or Rodents:
Keep an eye out for droppings, gnawed or frayed electrical cords and openings in food packaging.
Prevention Tips
To make your home less attractive for pests, Solutions Plus suggests keeping all food and drinks in sealed containers or in the refrigerator. Vacuuming and sweeping every few days, laundering bedding once every 7-10 days, and cleaning kitchen counters and appliances are also recommended. It is important to stay on top of often neglected parts of your home like the basement and attic where many pests often gain entry.
To lessen the presence of outdoor pests, mowing and raking regularly will reduce space for pests to hide and make it easier to identify issues. Cleaning up brush and leaves from around your home is recommended because yard waste often provides ecosystems for pests to thrive.
Keeping the waste close to your home offers the opportunity for these pest communities to move inside. Long tree branches are also known to be “highways'' for carpenter ants and other pests to travel to your home, so trimming bushes and trees at least 12 inches away is highly recommended. Similarly, keeping gutters clean and free of debris is necessary to not cultivate unwanted wildlife.
Solutions Plus Pest Control
312 W Main St, Mason
513.273.0346 | SolutionsPlusPestControl.com
Common Local Household Pests:
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Bed Bugs
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Termites
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Roaches
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Ants
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Stink Bugs
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Mice
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Mosquitoes
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Fleas
