How to Get Rid of Bedbugs in Your Couch

Although more commonly found in beds, bedbugs don't discriminate between the furniture and fabrics they infest. They are known to live in beds, couches and any other furniture comprised of a fabric material. If you are plagued with bedbugs in your couch, there are many options for how to get rid of them. Putting into use the most effective methods will quickly eliminate even the worst bedbug infestation.

Things You'll Need

• Flashlight
• Vacuum
• Steam cleaner
• Diatomaceous earth
• Bedbug spray
• Bedbug couch cover

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Instructions

• 1

  Confirm that the bug infestation within your couch is in fact bedbugs. Bedbugs can sometimes be mistaken for similar insects or bugs. Find one of the bugs and carefully study its features. If it is a bedbug, it will be dark brown in color, have six legs, a large round body, and a small head. Consider looking at a few close-up photos of bedbugs online for further confirmation.

• 2

  Take a vacuum with a hose attachment and go over every crevice of your couch. Thoroughly vacuuming the couch will help remove bedbugs and their larvae from the exterior. Once finished, empty the vacuum bag in an outside trashcan to avoid further in-home infestation.

• 3

  Purchase or rent a steam cleaner and go over every inch of your couch. This will kill any bedbug larvae that was not picked up when you vacuumed the couch. After steaming, allow your couch to dry.

• 4

  Use a specially formulated bedbug spray. When choosing a bedbug spray, you may want to go with a natural formula that won't have harmful effects on your health. Natural bedbug-killing formulas often use safe and natural oils such as cedar oil and orange oil. Apply spray as directed on the bottle.

• 5

  Spread diatomaceous earth on the floor surrounding your couch. Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder that is safe for humans and deadly for bugs. Sprinkling it around your couch will kill any bedbugs that try to crawl to your other furniture. Diatomaceous earth can be purchased online or through home and garden stores like Home Depot.

• 6

  Purchase a bedbug couch cover. Bedbugs need to feed on blood to live, so cutting off their contact with humans will starve them to death. After installing the couch cover, remove it every week or two and vacuum up any dead bugs.

  Bedbug couch covers also prevent the bugs from spreading to other furniture and fabrics. These specially made covers can be purchased online through websites such as amazon.com and ebay.com.