Bed bugs in Douglas County: who does what
In Douglas County, bed bugs are a job for a licensed pest professional. The Douglas County Health Department's role is education, because bed bugs have not been shown to spread disease. Omaha Mattress Cleaning comes after treatment, not instead of it.
- Douglas County Health Department
- "Bed bugs have not been shown to be a vector of disease, DCHD's role in bed bugs is education." Environmental Health Section, (402) 444-7485, 1111 South 41st Street, Suite 205. (DCHD)
- Nebraska DHHS
- Bed bugs hide in the seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards and tend to live within 8 feet of where people sleep. DHHS advises contacting a pest control company experienced with bed bugs. (Nebraska DHHS)
- Nebraska Extension
- Bites alone can't diagnose an infestation, and the majority of bed bug treatments require at least two visits from a pest management professional. (Nebraska Extension)
Local facts, checked October 3, 2026
Who does what about bed bugs in Omaha?
| Who | What they do | What they don’t do |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas County Health Department, (402) 444-7485 | Bed bug education; takes Douglas County complaints about other pests and nuisances | Treat bed bugs |
| Licensed pest professional | Inspects, identifies and treats, with the follow-up visits Nebraska Extension describes | Clean your mattress |
| Omaha Mattress Cleaning (us) | Cleans and sanitizes the mattress after treatment is complete | Kill or eliminate a bed bug infestation |
What should you do if you think you have bed bugs?
- Look before you act. Nebraska Extension lists the signs: live bugs, dead bugs, shed skins and black fecal marks, starting in seams, folds and zippers.
- Get it identified. Extension notes that bat bugs look nearly identical and are managed differently.
- Call a licensed pest professional to inspect and treat.
- Book cleaning last. We schedule after treatment is complete and the pest professional has finished follow-up.
What about bites?
Bites affect people differently, and Nebraska DHHS says bed bugs are not known to spread disease but that an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention. This page is general information, not medical advice; talk to your doctor about bites.
What don’t we know?
- Whether the City of Omaha’s inspectors treat bed bugs as a code violation. We didn’t find a City of Omaha page that says so, so we don’t claim it.
Questions Omaha readers ask
Will the Douglas County Health Department inspect my home for bed bugs?
Its pest page says DCHD's role in bed bugs is education, not treatment. For questions, its Environmental Health Section is at (402) 444-7485.
Can steam cleaning get rid of bed bugs?
We are not pest control and we don't sell mattress cleaning as bed bug treatment. Nebraska Extension recommends a pest management professional and says the majority of bed bug treatments require at least two visits.
Should I throw the mattress out?
Ask your pest professional first. Moving an infested mattress through a building can spread bugs, and Nebraska DHHS notes they hide in mattress seams.
Sources
- Douglas County Health Department: Pest Control and Nuisances, checked October 3, 2026
- Nebraska DHHS: Bed Bugs, checked October 3, 2026
- Nebraska Extension (UNL): Bed Bugs, by educators in Lancaster and Douglas-Sarpy counties, checked October 3, 2026
Changelog
- October 3, 2026: First published.
- October 4, 2026: Removed the rental-law section, its source and its question; the page now covers the health department, a pest professional and mattress cleaning only.
Published October 3, 2026, updated October 4, 2026. Written by Omaha Mattress Cleaning, operated by Sleep Sanitation.
Call or text (402) 512-5658, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.