OMAHA, Neb., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Never mind the sparkling countertops or bleached sheets, the crumb-free floor or snug bath robe hanging in the closet. What lurks beyond the hotel room door that requires your immediate attention are the uninvited guests who remain there long after the last guest - bed bugs.

The increased prevalence of bed bugs has made headlines across the country in recent months. Escaping the wrath of the bugs' bite is easier if you know what to look for. The Maids encourages travelers this holiday season to be on the lookout for the parasitic hitchhikers to avoid an outbreak in your own home.

Bed bugs affix themselves to clothing, furniture and bedding and are transported from place to place by humans unaware. In an effort to keep homes clean and healthy, The Maids, the experts in home cleaning, offer these simple steps to minimize exposure to bed bugs.

• Before you embark upon your journey, troll the Internet for bed bug registries that list affected hotels. Check travel websites that catalog travel reviews; travelers who've had a run-in with an infested hotel will likely "talk" about it online.
• Upon entering a hotel room, place luggage in the bathtub or atop the toilet seat. Wayward bugs can't crawl up these surfaces and keeps them from unwittingly spreading to your home. While in the room, keep luggage on the luggage rack, off the floor. Hard-sided luggage lacks the folds and creases of its soft-sided cousin making it more difficult for the pest to hide in your bags.
• Since bed bugs are large enough to see, check the mattress and bed frame for any signs that the pests have been comfortably hiding. Do you notice any tiny black spots? Spots and stains are good indicators of either a current or prior presence. Pull back sheets, inspect mattress seams and examine any other upholstered items in the room. Bed bugs are drawn to wood - don't neglect the nightstand and dresser. If it appears as though the critters have invited themselves into your hotel room, ask the management for another room.
• Before packing the car for the trip home, place luggage in large plastic bags and knot securely. Once home, immediately wash all clothing on the hottest temperature setting suggested by the care labels. Dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Avoid packing items that can only be laundered on a cold-water setting.

Keep in mind that the presence of bed bugs is not a condition of an unsanitary environment; bed bugs are carried from homes to hotel rooms and back by people. The recent resurgence of bed bugs offers travelers an opportunity to learn all they can about prevention. Bagging luggage or engaging in diligent inspections may seem like overkill, but eradicating the bugs can be timely and costly. As is often said, it's better to be safe than sorry.

About THE MAIDS:

THE MAIDS, founded in 1979, is a premier residential cleaning service in the U.S. and Canada. Rated as the fastest-growing residential cleaning franchise in Entrepreneur magazine for four years, THE MAIDS is one of the oldest and largest residential cleaning franchisers, serving over 40 states and three provinces in North America. For more information, visit THE MAIDS' web site at www.maids.com or call 1-800-THE-MAIDS.

SOURCE THE MAIDS

Almost two months after being accused of exposing himself to an elderly patient at a Rochester Hills nursing home, a former janitor pleaded guilty in Oakland County Circuit Court on Wednesday.

Wayne Henry Devary Jr., who was fired from his job at MediLodge Nursing Home after the October incident, now faces a maximum sentence of probation and four months in jail, according to Circuit Court Judge Wendy L. Potts.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent exposure.

"Did you, on Oct. 18, 2010, expose yourself to somebody?" Potts asked Devary, who stood handcuffed in the courtroom Wednesday morning.

"Yes," Devary answered quietly.

Oakland County sheriff's deputies were called to MediLodge on Oct. 18 after a nursing assistant reported she had just walked into a room and witnessed Devary with his pants and underwear pulled down in front of a 93-year-old female resident in a wheelchair.

Devary reportedly then put the woman's hand on his genitals, deputies said.

Devary, a three-year employee at the 166-bed facility, ran into the bathroom and told the witness she "didn't need to report this to anybody," deputies said.

Deputies said Devary then confessed.

More At The Source:Rochester Patch

ST. LOUIS (AP) undefined The president of a janitorial services company is facing federal for allegedly embezzling nearly $1 million.

The indictment of 54-year-old Herman Schamber of St. Louis was announced Wednesday. A phone message left with his attorney was not returned.

Federal prosecutors say Schamber embezzled more than $964,000 from Nationwide Janitorial Services Inc., where he had worked for about 30 years.

Authorities say Schamber worked in St. Louis but also owned a separate firm called Custom Janitorial Services and Supplies that provided janitorial supplies to small malls in the East Rutherford, N.J., area. He is accused of creating false invoices for Nationwide Janitorial Services on behalf of Custom Janitorial Services and Supplies.

From The Source:Bloomberg.com

Fast food giant McDonalds has paid out more than £20,000 after one of its employees was partially blinded by an acid-based cleaner.

And according to Wandsworth Council, the court fine was the result of the first successful prosecution against McDonalds in the UK over an accident in the workplace.

The burger chain was taken to court by the council under safety at work laws after a member of staff suffered burns to his face and eyes that has left him with only around 55 per cent vision in his left eye.

The injuries were caused when the man, who was working as a maintenance operative at the company’s Wandsworth Bridge drive-thru restaurant, used an acid-based drain cleaner to unblock a waste pipe.

Last month, South Western magistrates court heard that on June 23, 2008, the employee, with the full knowledge of his manager, bought a corrosive chemical drain cleaner from a nearby DIY store.

The first attempt at using the sulphuric acid-based cleaner did not work and so the employee was given money by a manager to buy a second bottle.

More at source: Your Local Guardian

Palermo, 7 Dec. (AKI) - Police from the city of Syracuse on the southern island of Sicily on Tuesday seized 124 religious objects suspected of being stolen by the former cleaner of a church. Among the items were statues, 17th and 18th century paintings and candle sticks.

Paramilitary police responsible for protecting Italy's art found the allegedly stolen items hidden in the suspect's home.

Investigators say it was the the biggest bust in Sicily of stolen church objects in the last ten years.

Source Andronkos

You can get up to $175 if you bought, used, or suffered property damage from using Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl cleaners, thanks to a class action settlement.

The lawsuit claims that while the package says the cleaner "does not harm plumbing," the tablets cause the rubber and plastic parts in the tank to corrode. Eventually the tank could fail or the seals aren't tight anymore, according to the suit. Clorox denies these claims and says the tablets are safe when used properly, but has settled to end the legal battle.

You're eligible to file for a piece of the settlement if you used the tablets between Dec 13, 2002, to Sep 15, 2010. There are two payout classes: you can claim less than $30 of damage, or you can get up to $175 if you provide explanation and proof of the damage.

The filing deadline is Jan. 28, 2011. Claim forms and more info are available at CATBCsettlement.com.

The efforts of Molly Maid of Rutherford County, a local cleaning service in Smyrna, have resulted in more than just a spotless shine. The business recently raised thousands of dollars for a worthy cause that is close to many of the employees' hearts.

Molly Maid family customers, cleaning franchise owners and housekeeping personnel banded together to provide greater awareness and support for abused women and children through the Ms. Molly Foundation, which has continually instilled hope in communities by supporting education and fundraising events for hundreds of local safe houses and shelters.

"When the Ms. Molly Foundation was created, we asked, what can we do that is a natural fit with what our business is about," said Bill Foley, owner of Molly Maid of Rutherford County and a member of the board for the Ms. Molly Foundation.

"It's a natural fit. We clean homes and make them a comfortable space. The home should be a safe place," he added. "We see abuse in homes."

For the last several years Molly Maid of Rutherford County has raised money for the local Domestic Violence Program every October, designated as Domestic Violence Awareness month.

For every $25 donated to the cause by clients, Molly Maid employees returned the generosity and as a thank you donated their time and labor

More at source: DNJ.com

Cutler's Supply, Inc., a 2nd generation family business, celebrates its Golden Anniversary. They ship pheasant, poultry and beekeeping supplies all over the US and Canada. In addition to "the birds and the bees" part of their business, they deliver industrial products to businesses, both large and small, throughout St. Clair and Sanilac Counties.

Cutler's Supply was founded in 1985 by Ray and Kay Cutler of Port Sanilac. They raised exotic pheasants and had trouble getting supplies to care for their "pets," so they decided to become a distributor for the 2 or 3 manufacturers of poultry supplies. To supplement this seasonal business/hobby Ray and Kay decided to also become a distributor of industrial products, from janitorial needs to safety products. In the last year Cutler's Supply, Inc. has branched out to carrying beekeeping supplies.

The message is out -save the planet, save the water, save our ecosystems and save energy. Most of us are responsible, environmentally conscious citizens. We recycle, we tote around with our reusable shopping bags, we've switched to using energy saving incandescent light bulbs and when possible, we buy local. So what else can we do?

Each week, we flush and rinse chemicals down our pipes just to clean our home. The reality is, we don't have to. There are effective alternatives to traditional cleaners. White vinegar works wonders cleaning a variety of household surfaces, as does a box of baking soda. Both are safe for the environment, family and pets. Here are a few tips on how to green clean your home

More at the source:St Catherine Standard

Coleytown Middle School student Noah Pines, who attends Temple Israel and will soon be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah, which calls on young Jewish men to help repair the world through good deeds.

He's on a roll, as he's looking to sell 250 rolls of toilet paper -- and collect $2,500 -- to help Habitat for Humanity install a full bathroom in one of its homes.

Noah, 13, has already volunteered after school at Long Lots -- assisting the Sports and Homework Club -- but he wanted to make a difference beyond familiar stomping grounds.

More at the source: Westport News