Bed Bugs | Treatment | Do – It-Yourself – Ortho ® Home …

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Anything that is discarded should be placed in a sealed garbage bag located within that room. Bags should be discarded outside of the home.

Do not spread the bed bugs within your home or to the homes of others by disposing of infested items not sealed in bags. Infested mattresses or box springs that are going to be discarded should be completely wrapped in plastic prior to removal from the room and should be marked "do not reuse."

Small cracks where wires and pipes come in are bed bug highways. Seal them up with caulk. While you're at it, seal up the cracks behind your baseboards and molding after you've vacuumed them.

If you vacuum up bugs and eggs you can run the risk of infesting your vacuum cleaner and spreading the infestation. Be sure all the contents of the vacuum are sealed in a bag before you dispose of it. Also make sure the hose, bristles, and attachments are cleaned and free of bugs and eggs before storing or reusing your vacuum. Don't forget to treat the wheels of the vacuum.

Do not vacate your home in order to starve the bed bugs to death. Bed bugs can live for six months or more without a meal. And do not use a bug bomb or fogger since these products only kill a few bugs and disperse the others throughout your home.

Pull the bed away from the wall, and make sure that your bedspread and blankets don't touch the floor. Seal your mattress and box springs in bed bug proof encasements; this will kill any bed bugs that are trapped inside.

Do not switch your sleeping arrangements to another bed or sofa since the bed bugs will spread even more as they will follow you to your new sleeping location.

If you have detected early signs of bed bugs, it's possible to exterminate them on your own. It isn't easy though. Depending upon the size and extent of your bed bug infestation, it can take 6 weeks or more. Be patient and diligent.

The first thing you are going to want to do is gather up all suspected infested items such as bedding, clothing, towels and the like. Place them all into the dryer for a 15 minutes. It only takes five minutes at 113 F to kill all stages of bed bugs and their eggs.

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Bed Bugs | Treatment | Do - It-Yourself - Ortho ® Home ...