Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are nocturnal insects that feed at night by biting humans, leaving red, itchy welts. While during the day, they hide in crevices or folds, at night, they emerge for feeding purposes.
As part of your efforts to combat bed bug infestation, make sure to vacuum upholstered furniture, the seams and joints of dressers and beds, baseboard cracks and any clothing/linen that has been exposed before placing in plastic bags until washing can occur before placing the items into a high heat dryer for safe drying.
1. Vacuuming
Vacuuming alone won’t eliminate a bed bug infestation, but it is the first step toward controlling one. Make sure that you clean every corner and crevice of your box spring to ensure maximum effectiveness in controlling this problem. Do not move items between rooms, as doing so could spread bed bugs; all clutter or trash should be sealed in plastic bags before being immediately disposed of.
Washing will not completely eradicate bed bugs from your home, but it is the next step in eliminating them and creating a safe living space. Wash bedding, clothing, curtains, shoes and anything else infested with bed bugs as soon as you discover an infestation. Anything that cannot be washed should be placed into a plastic bag before placing into a dryer on high heat heat setting.
Apply bed bug covers (encasements) on both your mattress and box spring. Look for long-lasting options that have been tested against bed bugs to make sure that they last an entire year and work efficiently against bed bugs.
2. Washing
Once you’ve vacuumed thoroughly, use hot water and the highest setting оn your dryer to wash all fabrics such as clothing, sheets, blankets, pillows, and other textiles that contain bed bugs – particularly clothes – іn hot water as this heat effectively kills bed bugs. Any items that cannot be washed should be sealed up in plastic bags for several months to ensure all bugs die.
Clothing and other fabrics can also be treated with rubbing alcohol to destroy bed bugs’ exoskeletons and make them brittle. Rubber gloves should always be worn when handling this substance.
Next, inspect nightstands and furniture for signs оf bed bugs, as well as behind wall paneling, trim, and baseboards. If any are discovered, place items in plastic bags until they can be washed оr treated before sealing them and discarding them in an outdoor trash can to reduce the risk оf spreading removing bed bugs. When discarding furniture, it must first be slashed оr otherwise destroyed to ensure other people cannot pick up pests and bring them home with them.
This comprehensive approach, combined with professional pest control treatment if necessary, will help you effectively eliminate bed bugs from your home.
3. Sealing
Once your bedding is clean, make the surrounding environment inhospitable to bed bugs by draping a bed bug-proof cover over your mattress and box spring. These covers feature zippered closures to seal out new bedbugs and ensure any already inside will die while blocking access for new ones.
Place any clothing, towels or other affected items in plastic bags until you can wash them. Any that can’t be washed should be placed into the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for four days to kill off bugs.
Check your room regularly for signs of bed bugs, such as dark spots that could be droppings and rusty stains from their shells. Be vigilant in searching every inch of wall space for possible hiding places such as cracks and corners behind wallpaper and paneling; any areas where paper lifting occurs, use plaster or wallpaper glue to repair. Consider using bed bug interceptors under each leg of upholstered furniture so as to capture any surviving bugs who attempt to climb onto them.
4. Disposing
Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed off of the blood of warm-blooded animals such as humans. Their tiny bodies allow them to squeeze into even the tiniest crevices where humans spend a lot of time, such as beds, headboards, and bedding; when traveling, they prefer hiding in suitcases, bags, or clothing for protection.
Bed bugs spread quickly due to their secretive lifestyle and resistance to chemical treatments, making it easy for an infestation to quickly take hold. Their presence can be detected through luggage that has been infested, infected clothing or linens, as well as leaving itchy welts on skin surfaces that mark their presence.
When disposing of bed bug furniture, wrap the item in plastic or drop cloth to trap any bed bugs inside and dispose of it through your local dumpster service – labelling as such so no one else takes home and gets bedbugs from it! For added peace of mind you could also consider calling a local junk removal service who can dispose of the piece themselves.
