How to Kill Bedbugs With Clorox

Falling asleep and becoming a meal for a parasite is not something most people think about before closing their eyes. Bedbugs are nocturnal creatures that inhabit the beds, and feed off of the blood, of their unwitting hosts. Professional extermination is the best defense against bed bugs; however, some home remedies are effective at reducing or even eliminating bed bugs. Household bleach, such as Clorox, is one way to manage and help eliminate an unwanted bedbug infestation.

Things You'll Need

• Washer with hot water capability
• Laundry soap
• Clorox liquid bleach or Clorox Color Safe bleach
• Flashlight
• Vacuum cleaner with hose attachment
• Heavyweight kitchen or yard-size garbage bags with ties
• Bucket
• Rubber utility gloves
• Washcloths or scrub brush
• Water spray bottle
• Heavy plastic sheeting
• Utility staple gun

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Instructions

• 1

  Use a flashlight to inspect the mattress, box spring and under furniture to confirm the presence of bedbugs. Adult bedbugs are reddish-brown and a flattened, oval shape. Adults grow to be 4mm to 5mm in length. A bedbug has a segmented abdomen, making them appear banded. Bedbug presence can further be identified by the fecal matter they make in the form of reddish-brown spots on the host's mattress. Bedbugs molt. or shed their skin. These skins will look like tiny, transparent insects that can be found around and in the furniture.

• 2

  Remove as many unnecessary items from the area as possible. Items like magazines, papers and boxes of waste are places bedbugs hide and should be thrown out if possible.

• 3

  Pull drawers from dressers and remove the box spring and mattress from the bed frame. Lean the box spring and mattress against a wall.

• 4

  Wash the bedspread, blankets, sheets and any washable clothing inside dressers with laundry detergent, hot water and Clorox, if possible. Clorox does make a color-safe bleach for colored fabrics. Ensure the wash cycles are used on the setting so the items will agitate the longest. Dry all items in the highest heat the fabric will tolerate. This ensures the termination of any adult bedbugs, nymphs and eggs.

• 5

  Vacuum the mattress thoroughly using the hose attachment to get around buttons, piping and pillow tops on the mattress. Vacuum around the box springs, especially if there are holes in the fabric covering the underside of the box spring; this is a perfect hiding place for bedbugs. If the torn material is beyond repair, then remove it altogether.

• 6

  Thoroughly vacuum the inside and outside of all dressers, night stands and any other furniture. Shake out any nonwashable clothing items that were in the dresser.

• 7

  Place the nonwashable clothing items in garbage bags. Lay the bagged clothing on the ground, removing as much air as possible by rolling the bags and clothing like a sleeping bag and tying the bag off. This may take many bags, but will suffocate any bed bugs that escaped the vacuum. Leave the items bagged for at least 48 hours.

• 8

  Vacuum the carpet, especially where the bed and mattress were, under the head and foot-boards and under other pieces of furniture.

• 9

  Remove the bag from the vacuum cleaner, or empty the removable canister into a plastic garbage bag, tying it off and discarding it in a trash can.

• 10

  Combine equal parts of Clorox bleach and hot water in a bucket. Fill the spray bottle with the mixture and set the nozzle to "spray." Use the rubber gloves to prevent irritation of the hands from the Clorox.

• 11

  Use a washcloth, soaking it in the bucket with the Clorox mixture and wringing it out. Wipe down any washable surfaces in the room, especially the insides of dressers and dresser drawers, baseboard and light fixtures. Do not overly saturate, especially on exterior surfaces of things, as the Clorox can damage or fade the surfaces of some furniture finishes.

• 12

  Use the spray bottle to disperse the Clorox mix on the mattress and box spring thoroughly; especially under buttons, piping and pillow tops. Do not use straight bleach on the mattress. Bleach is an irritant to the skin even when dry.

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• 13

  Spray the Clorox mixture onto and under the box spring. This does not usually come in contact with the skin while sleeping and is unlikely to cause any skin irritation.

• 14

  Allow the mattress and box spring to dry. If the fabric was removed from the underside of the box spring, use the plastic sheeting to cover the exposed box spring, securing it with staples placed no more than 1 inch apart.

• 15

  Put the mattress, box spring and any other things back where they belong once it all is thoroughly dry. Put the washed items back in the drawers and remake the bed with the newly sanitized bedding. After 48 hours, the bags of clothing can be opened, and the items placed back in the dresser.