If possible, use a HEPA vacuum or vacuum bag. The bed bugs won’t be able to climb out of these bags after you suck them up. For an extra thorough clean, vacuum around the other parts of your room, like the walls, moldings, trim, and vents. Even your dresser drawers can benefit from a good vacuuming! Dump your vacuum bag or bagless vacuum contents in a sturdy plastic bag. Then, tape the bag shut and toss it in the trash. [4] X Research source
Patch up any tears with a strip of duct tape.
If your infested clothing or linens are already clean, stick them in the dryer rather than the washer.
Look for other small openings around your living space, like open screw or nail holes. Believe it or not, bed bugs can hide out there![10] X Research source
Stick smaller, unsalvageable items in a sturdy plastic trash bag. Then, tape an “infested with bed bugs” label to the bag to give other people (like your neighbors and trash collectors) a head’s up. Spray “bed bugs” on bigger pieces of furniture with paint to really send the message home.
Interceptors are a really handy way to keep tabs on your home’s bed bug status.
Pest control professionals have more thorough and effective extermination options to choose from, like heat treatment systems and pressurized CO2 snow. [14] X Research source
If your freezer only goes down to 32 °F (0 °C), keep the infested items in the freezer for 15-30 days. [16] X Research source
Make sure that your diatomaceous earth is labeled specifically for insect/pesticide use. Food- and pool-grade varieties aren’t safe to breathe in, so you shouldn’t sprinkle them around your home. [18] X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection Agency Independent U. S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source Always wear a mask when you sprinkle any diatomaceous earth around your home. [19] X Research source Follow the directions on your package of diatomaceous earth to make sure you’re applying and cleaning it up properly. [20] X Trustworthy Source National Pesticide Information Center Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides Go to source
If you’re using containers, make sure that they’re made with really sturdy plastic. If any of your traps crack or break under the pressure, switch them out with a solid replacement.
Fully-grown, adult bed bugs are roughly apple seed-sized, while nymphs are smaller (but still possible to spot). Each bed bug egg is pinhead-sized. Adult bed bugs look bigger and rounder after feeding. A hungry, underfed bed bug looks flatter.
Bed bug dung commonly pops up around mattress seams, mattress tags, baseboards, ceiling/wall seams, and power outlets. You might also spot them behind your bed’s headboard, along the very edge of your rug or carpet, or along the seam of a curtain, around the rod. Bed bugs often group up together after having a meal—these gatherings are known as “aggregations. ” Aggregation spots are often filled with adult bed bugs, nymphs, eggs, dung, and molted skins.
Around the bed: Inspect beneath the mattress and box spring, around your bed frame, and around your sheets and pillowcases. Furniture: Check out furniture that’s close to your bed as well as any other upholstered seats and couches in your home. Walls and floors: Inspect wall cracks, peeling wallpaper, baseboards, molding, floorboards, doorframes, window trim, window coverings, wall decorations, frames, mirrors, rugs, and electric sockets and other wall-mounted electronic devices. [24] X Research source If you can’t identify any bed bugs with absolute certainty, carefully bag up a bug or molted skin and bring it to your county’s extension office. They can examine the specimen and confirm whether or not it’s a bed bug. [25] X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection Agency Independent U. S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source Find your local extension office here: http://npic. orst. edu/pest/countyext. htm
If you don’t clean out every infested space, the bed bugs will continue to spread and be a nuisance around your home.
Focus your cleaning efforts on rooms where bed bugs are especially likely to hide, like your bedroom.
If you can’t wash your clothes right away, seal them up tightly in a plastic bag for the time being.
Sealable plastic bags can also work in a pinch—just make sure that they’re labeled “heavy-duty. ”
Try to keep your luggage in your suitcase, too. Dressers can be a popular spot for bed bugs to hang out.
Shop for skin creams that are 1% hydrocortisone. [35] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
Antibiotics and antiseptic medications are common treatments for bed bug bite-related skin infections. If you’re having a severe allergic reaction, your doctor might inject you with epinephrine/adrenaline, an antihistamine, or a corticosteroid.
