The Most Effective Ways to Kill Bedbugs

The idea of bugs in your bed is enough to make anyone squirm, but without proper extermination methods, your bed won't be the only place with bugs. Bedbugs are transient insects that find their next home through close quarters and high population turnover, such as military bunks, hostels and hotels. These pests can survive for months without food and hide in the recesses of your furniture, mattresses, curtains and clothing. The endurance and versatility of bedbugs makes your best treatment option one that employs a multilayer approach to extermination.

Things You'll Need

• Bedbug Pesticide
• Vacuum

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash everything possible in your home. Washing all your clothing, rugs, blankets and curtains in temperatures 120 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will kill most bedbugs. For extra measure, dry all your items on high heat for 20 minutes in the dryer to exterminate the eggs.

• 2

  Vacuum your home thoroughly and remove any debris or excess storage boxes. Bedbugs tend to hide in clutter. Vacuuming along the cracks, floorboards and window treatments will help remove some of the bedbugs and their eggs. Empty the vacuum contents into a plastic bag, seal or tie the top and throw the bag out immediately to prevent re-infestation.

• 3

  Spray a pesticide. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers over 300 products that are proven to kill bedbugs. The most effective product depends on the size and severity of your infestation. Most pesticides are available through any major home improvement or hardware store in the pest section. Non-chemical pesticides involve traps, predatory biological organisms and gardening techniques, these are not typically effective in eliminating bedbugs from a home environment due to the pest size, procreation rate and scale. A professional exterminator is helpful for the situations where an entire home is completely infested. Understand that many products or a professional exterminator may require you to vacate your home for a few days during fumigation.

• 4

  Freeze the bedbugs. Freezing bedbugs is an effective option only if you live somewhere with a climate consistently below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring your items outside and hang them from clothing lines or tree branches. Lean furniture cushions and mattresses against your house or a tree to maximize the cold air exposure. Leave your items outside for at least four days to kill the bedbugs. If you live in warm state, choose a different method of extermination.