How to Stop Bed Bug Infestations

Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that live in the bedding, carpet or upholstery of human homes. They bite humans and are most active at night. It is easy to spread bed bugs through clothing, luggage or used furniture. Once bed bugs get inside your home, you may notice itchy spots on your skin or see the bugs themselves in your sheets. You must thoroughly treat the infested area to stop the spread of bed bugs.

Things You'll Need

• Nylon scrub brush
• Vacuum
• Zippered mattress covers
• Garbage bags
• Wallpaper adhesive

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Instructions

• 1

  Remove the bedding and sheets from the infested bed. Wash them in the hottest water setting you have and dry them on high heat.

• 2

  Remove the curtains from the infested area, along with any infested clothing, washable upholstery or washable area rugs. Wash them on the hottest setting and dry them on the hottest setting.

• 3

  Scrub the surface of the mattress with a stiff-bristled nylon scrub brush. Scrub the sides of the mattress, then flip it up against the wall and scrub the bottom. Do the same with the box spring. This will dislodge bed bugs onto the floor.

• 4

  Store the mattress and box spring in separate zipper-covers for one year. Remove the zipper-covers and vacuum the mattress and box spring before using them again.

• 5

  Vacuum the infested area with a vacuum that has a beater brush. Remove the vacuum bag and put it in a trash bag or empty the vacuum canister into a plastic bag. Tape the bag shut and throw it away. Vacuum the baseboards with the hose attachment.

• 6

  Collect any shoes, non-plastic toys or any other fabric item that is not washable and put it in the dryer for 30 minutes. The heat will kill the bugs.

• 7

  Apply wallpaper adhesive to the back of any loose wallpaper and press it firmly onto the wall. Follow the package directions for application instructions.