You Just Found Bed Bugs - Now What?

It can happen to anyone. You wake up one morning and feel incredibly itchy; you have bedbugs. This is the worst nightmare of most people. After discovering you have a bedbug infestation, the most important thing is that you must work quickly so they do not spread. Follow the tips below to learn exactly what you should do following the discovery of bedbugs in your home.

Clean

Before contacting an exterminator who uses heat treating machines for bed bugs, the first thing you should do is clean everything you can. Wash linens, bedding, clothing, and curtains in hot water and dry them on the hottest setting. If you have items that can’t be washed in the washing machine like shoes and stuffed animals, put them in the dryer on high for half an hour.

Vacuum

Prior to vacuuming the area, you should scrub the seams of your mattress with a stiff brush. This will get rid of any bedbugs and eggs that may be hiding in there. Then, thoroughly vacuum your bed and the area surrounding it. Repeat the vacuuming a few times. When you are finished, immediately remove the vacuum cleaner bag, put it in a plastic bag, and place it outside in a trash can.

Mattress

Wrap your mattress and box spring in a tightly woven, zippered cover. This will prevent any bedbugs from entering or leaving the cover. The cover should remain on your mattress for at least a year as bedbugs can live this long without feeding. Doing this will kill off any remaining bedbugs in your mattress. You may also decide to purchase a new mattress. Before bringing in your new mattress, make sure the rest of your home is free of bedbugs. Otherwise, the bugs will simply infest your new mattress too.

Remove Hiding Spots

Bedbugs love to hide around your home. Before calling an exterminator, make sure to remove all of the hiding spots you can. Get rid of any clutter around and under your bed. Glue down peeling wallpaper and fill any cracks you find in your walls. By removing their hiding spots, you can ensure that the professional treatment is more effective.

Call a Professional

Though cleaning can help to control the bedbug infestation, you will need to call a professional to get rid of them completely. Try to find an expert who specializes in heat treating machines for bed bugs. Contacting a professional is the only way to completely remedy your bedbug infestation.