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BED BUGS - HOW DO I GET RID OF THEM?

Home >> Health >> Bed Bugs >> How Do I Get Rid of Them?

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Bed Bugs - How do I get rid of them?

1st and 3rd stage Bedbug Nymphs with a grain of table salt

Bed bugs are very difficult to get rid of because they are hard to find and kill. Making your home bed bug free will take time and effort from you, the housing manager (if the home is a rental unit), and a pest control company.

The best way to eliminate bed bugs is early detection, regular cleaning and inspecting, and targeted pesticide use by a pest management professional.

This includes regular cleaning and vacuuming, steaming to kill bed bugs, laundering and drying clothes on high heat, and precisely applied pesticides directly on bed bugs. Pesticides should only be used by licensed pesticide operators. Bed bugs are killed when they are sprayed directly; sprays that have dried are not very effective.

Bed bug elimination is a multi step process

Step 1 - Before the licensed pesticide operator arrives

If you have bed bugs, wipe them up with a wet rag and crush them. You may also use a steamer to kill the bed bugs and eggs; just be careful not to use too much pressure and blow them from surfaces before killing them. Steam will also kill the eggs which are cemented in place.

Vacuuming with a hose and crevice tool will also reduce large numbers of bedbugs quickly. Be careful not to spread the bed bugs to other areas of the house and dispose of the vacuum bag immediately after vacuuming to prevent the live bugs from crawling out of the vacuum.

Step 2 - Hire a pest control operator

You will probably need a licensed pesticide company to help you eliminate a bed bug infestation. If you live in a in a multi-family setting, report the bed bug problem to the building manager. The resident manager is responsible for pest control.

Success requires knowledge and experience in finding infested areas (including neighboring units) and using a combination of control methods to eliminate them. Elimination methods will include a combination of nonchemical and chemical controls available only to a licensed pest control operator.

A pesticide operator will give instructions on how to prepare for an inspection and treatment of a dwelling unit. Follow the instructions. Failure to do so could potentially spread the infestation to other areas within the home or to adjacent units. There are many nonchemical measures available to help eliminate bed bugs. The pesticide operator will ask for your help in eliminating the infestation. You may be asked to vacuum floors, beds and furniture, launder linens and clothes, and install mattress and box spring encasements, and remove clutter.

Step 3 – Remove Clutter

Eliminate clutter and hiding places, the first step in bed bug control

Clutter provides bed bugs a place to hide. Remove all clutter; the pesticide operator will advise you. Follow their directions to prevent spreading bed bugs.

  • Keep everything off the floor including old magazines, books, clothes, and keepsakes.
  • Discard all unnecessary and unneeded items.
  • Do not store things under or around the bed.
  • Place all discarded items in plastic bags and place them in the outside trash where someone else will not get them.

Step 4 – Clean

Clean areas where bed bugs are likely to hide; the pesticide operator will show you where and how to clean. Use soap and warm water on surfaces that will not be damaged by moisture.

Bedding and clothing
Clean bedding, linens, curtains, rugs, carpets, and clothes. Wash items in hot water and dry them on the highest dryer setting. Launder clothing and bedding weekly until the bed bugs are eliminated.

Items that cannot be washed (like wool or fabrics that may shrink, stuffed animals or shoes) may be placed directly into a dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Thirty minutes in a hot dryer will kill all stages of bed bugs and their eggs. Check to make sure high heat will not damage these items.

Bed bug and empty egg cases on the collar of a jacket

If you are using a commercial laundry, take your items to the laundry in sealed plastic bags to prevent spreading bed bugs. Throw the used plastic bags away; they may contain bed bugs or bed bug eggs. Place laundered items in new plastic bags and seal them to prevent bed bugs from entering. Keep clothing in the sealed bags until you need to wear them or until the bed bugs have been eliminated.

Dry cleaning will kill bed bugs but you must deliver clothes in a sealed plastic bag and inform the dry cleaner the items might be infested with bed bugs. Some dry cleaners may refuse infested items because they could escape and be taken home by other customers.

Mattresses and box springs
Scrub mattress seams and stitching along the mattress edge with a stiff brush to dislodge bed bugs and their eggs. Vacuum by scraping the seams and stitching with the crevice tool attachment or while using a stiff brush to loosen eggs. Vacuum mattresses, bed frames, furniture, floors and carpets. Pay special attention to cracks and hiding places. Use a vacuum that has a disposable bag, See Step 5 Disposal

After cleaning the mattress and box spring, cover them with bed bug proof mattress and box spring encasements (covers) that have been tested and proven to control bed bugs. These tight fitting bags keep bed bugs from getting into or out of a mattress or box spring and must be bed bug proof and rip-resistant. Good quality bed bug proof encasements cost more than $50 from on-line companies or linen stores. Avoid plastic encasements that are uncomfortable and may tear easily. Leave the encasements on for a minimum of one year.

Independently tested bed bug proof mattress and box spring encasements include: Protect-A Bed, Active Guard, Mattress Safe, and National Allergy brands. To purchase, search the Web for “mattress encasements” or visit a store that sells linens. The box spring is structurally more complex and has more hiding places than a mattress. Encase the box spring if only one cover can be purchased.

Clean in cracks (bed bug droppings visible).

Rugs and upholstery
Use stiff brushes and crevice tool attachments to help dislodge and remove bed bugs. Vacuum carpets, especially along edges. It may be necessary to pull up the edges of wall to wall carpet and vacuum underneath. Critical areas to vacuum include:

  • The mattress and box spring, bed frame, headboard and footboard,
  • Drapes and fabrics,
  • Upholstered furniture,
  • And any crevices where bed bugs may hide.

Step 5 - Disposal

Prevent the spread of bed bugs. After vacuuming, immediately place the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of it in an outdoor trash container. Bed bugs can crawl out of vacuum cleaner bags. Seal infested items completely in plastic or plastic bags before moving them to prevent spreading bed bugs on the way to the outside trash. If you throw infested furniture away, make it unusable by destroying it or slashing the upholstery. Spray paint or mark discarded items “Infested with bed bugs!”

Do not resell or donate infested furniture or clothing or place it on the curb where others may take it away.

Dispose of infested items that cannot be cleaned. If you decide to dispose of your mattress or box springs, wrap and seal them tightly in plastic before carrying them outside. Mark them with the words “Bed Bugs” to prevent someone else taking them home. It is not necessary to dispose of your mattress and box spring if you encase them with bed bug proof mattress encasements.