How to Kill Bed Bugs, The Green Way

Bed bugs are not your typical insect problem. They can live a year without eating, and they are minute and reclusive bugs that come out at night to feed on blood. My problem is that the ready solution is bring out the pesticides which add yet another health threat to the family. If you understand the nature of these beasties, it is possible to solve the problem without spending thousands on exterminator services.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Special bed and pillow covers
• Portable steam cleaning machine
• Plastic bags

1. Deny them Safety: There are pillow and mattress covers that don't allow beg bugs a place to hide in the bedding. The goal is to not allow hiding places since they are so small.

2. Wrap it Up: Plastic bags are another way to stop the infestation.

3. Microwave the Clothing: As long as there are no zippers or metal buttons, sanitize clothing and bed clothes with the microwave. Do this BEFORE you put them into a plastic bag knowing these creatures are survivors

4. Buy or Rent a Portable Steam Cleaner: Heat is the natural enemy of bed bugs. Using the steam wand, you can treat and re-treat nearly any fabric or surface in a few minutes. Knowing the cost of extermination (which is a one shot deal), the portable steam machine is a versatile and useful household cleaning too.

5. Leave no stone unturned. Bed bugs travel well; and if you get them, you must avoid spot treatments. Every room must be completely cleaned, all clothes treated, and all fabric cleaned.

6. If you find the residue of these bed bugs, apply alcohol directly by a brush if you don't have a steamer. You may have to throw out mattresses and pillows that are infested because they are inside the materials now. Surface treatment will not work in these cases.

7. If you travel anywhere, do not dump you laundry and flop your bags on the bed! Leave bags in the garage, wash everything in HOT water (or microwave it), steam the bags, and take a hot bath/shower.

Tips & Warnings

• Bed bugs do not mean your family isn't clean. It is like a cold that travels to unsuspecting families.
• Act fast and be thorough. It will not work to do this is stages.
• Ask hotels if they use mattress and pillow covers to prevent bed bugs. It may be embarrassing, but hotels are very aware of this problems and taking action.
• Bed bugs spread from traveling, returning college students, and guests. It is hard to say where they came from, but when traveling be careful, use plastic bags for clothes, and always wash in HOT water when returning home.
• Avoid spraying pesticides or letting exterminators spray pesticides. These are mostly poisons that impact family members.

Resources

• Naturally Green Clean
• Green Clean Institute
• Green Clean Network

[arlanda]

on 8/19/2009 Anyone try this yet? Instead of sleeping on regular bed, use a standalone hammock with both ends of rope and shaft coated with sticky tapes (bed bug are unable to jump or fly). Do this over a period of several months to deprive them of their food source.

Report back if any of you are successful with this method or not.

[scottmitzi]

on 1/4/2009 Heat is a good idea. I hope I never need it.