How to Kill Bed Bugs for Good

A thorough inspection of the mattress is integral in ensuring bugs are gone.

Bed bugs are annoying pests that live in your mattress, feed on human blood and leave behind itchy bites. These little wingless parasites–members of the cimicidae family–can find their way not only into your bed, but also into the upholstered furniture and carpeting in your home. Ridding your home of bed bugs is difficult; it takes considerable effort and diligence.

Things You'll Need

• Washer and dryer
• White vinegar
• Large sealable plastic bags
• Spackle
• Scrub brush
• Steam cleaner
• Vacuum with small attachments and multiple bags
• Diatomaceous earth soil
• Sealable plastic mattress cover

Instructions

1. Remove sheets, comforters, slipcovers, pillowcases from the bedroom–anything that can be removed and washed. Wash at 102 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any eggs or bugs nestled in them. Run them through the wash a couple of times, adding a half cup of a vinegar into one wash to help remove bed bug eggs. Also wash or dry clean blankets, throws and pajamas–anything fabric used on the bed.

2. Dry linens on the highest heat and immediately place them in large plastic sealable bags. Set these aside somewhere away from the infestation.

3. Seal any holes in the walls of the room with spackle. Bed bugs can enter through cracks in walls, floorboards, or installed fixtures.

4. Dismantle your bed and other furniture where bed bugs may be hiding, and scrub pieces down thoroughly with white vinegar using a scrub brush. Scrub other hard surfaces in the room, such as walls, tables, inside drawers and the floor to remove any eggs or bugs you may not see.

5. Steam clean your mattress, carpets, and upholstery thoroughly. Use the hose attachment on your steam cleaner and run it over the surfaces slowly. The heat from the steam will kill eggs and bugs. Allow three to four hours for steamed fabric and upholstery to dry and steam it once more.

6. Vacuum all sides of mattress thoroughly. Use a thin vacuum pole attachment to get into any crevices or folds in your mattress. Vacuum a few times and use a brush attachment to scrub down the sides of your mattress. Also vacuum the box spring thoroughly and take out the bottom side and vacuum inside. Change the vacuum bag outside to ensure none of the debris or vacuumed up bugs fall out in the room.

7. Vacuum furniture in the room as you did with your mattress. Make sure to get in all crevices, and flip furniture over to vacuum the bottom and any crevices underneath. Use a brush attachment as you did with the mattress to brush down upholstery. Change vacuum bag outside, then vacuum floors thoroughly.

8. Reassemble furniture in room, then sprinkle diatomaceous earth soil on the floor around and under the perimeter of your bed and furniture. This soil is non-toxic and made of microscopic fossils that can cut up and kill bed bugs that cross over it–however it is too fine to cut animals or humans. You can find it at most hardware stores, just insure it is the kind specifically used to treat bed bugs. After a week or two vacuum up dust.

9. Place your mattress in a bed bug safe cover that seals completely. You can find these at most home improvement or bedding stores. Any bugs remaining on the mattress will eventually die off completely if sealed inside.

10. Inspect room for any more bed bugs, looking in crevices, against floor boards, in pillows and cushions. If you see any of these small red bugs, you may have a very severe infestation and need to call an exterminator. If not, then place linens and the other items you washed and sealed back into the room.

Tips & Warnings

• When purchasing diatomaceous earth dust, insure it is meant for bed bug treatment specifically, as there are a few kinds meant for a variety of household treatments.

• These steps may work on mild infestations, but if you have a severe one, they can help remove some bedbugs, but not all, so you’ll need to call in a professional.

• Never use pesticides to treat bedbugs, without the advisement of a professional, or without knowing exactly how to use them safely in the home.

References

• Bed Bugs Guide