What are some ways to get rid of bedbugs?
Answer:
The most effective way to get rid of bed bugs is with our simple 4-step solution:
Start off by putting your sheets, covers, and pillow cases in sealed trash bags and taking the bags directly to your laundry room. This will stop the bed bugs from escaping before you can kill them. Wash your bedding on high heat, and dry with as high a setting as possible. This will kill the bed bugs and their eggs, and it'll help sterilize your bedding.
While your bedding is in the wash, vacuum along the seams of your mattress. Most vacuum cleaners will work for this step, but a HEPA vacuum is your best bet, as the bugs will be sealed in the HEPA bag. Next, clean the mattress and box spring thoroughly with a steamer or Steri-fab spray - either of these will kill any remaining bugs on contact.
Let your mattress and box spring dry, then encase them in water-tight protectors. SafeRest and Luna both make great encasements, not just for bed bugs, but for dust mites, mold, sweat, and stains as well. These will keep your mattress clean and fresh for a long time.
Place an insect interceptor under each foot of your bed. When bed bugs try to climb up the legs to your bed, they'll fall into these traps, and they won't be able to climb out of the talcum-lined walls. If you do have an infestation in the room, you should start seeing some critters in these traps after the first couple of nights.
Now that your bed has been treated and protected, it's time to expand to the rest of your home. Bed bugs hide in all sorts of small nooks and crannies, and they reproduce quickly, so you have to be very thorough if you want to get rid of them. Vacuum and steam clean any parts of a room that bed bugs may be hiding: around wood cracks, behind picture frames, in and around furniture, etc. Use a fabric-safe residual spray or powder on any furniture where bed bugs are suspected, and use a contact killer on any non-fabric areas.
That should about do it. For added security, consider treating loose items like books, luggage, shoes, and dry-clean clothing with a PackTite heater. This will kill bed bugs on anything that you can’t throw in the washing machine.
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