They're Back
It doesn't take the place of treatment by a licensed pro; it's meant to accompany expert extermination. It's your guide to pitching in with the pros against the pests:
PREVENTING THEM
Keep your bed from touching walls and wood work. Despite the name, they live in walls, not your mattress. So don't help them aboard.
Caulk holes in your trim and fix cracks in your walls.
Use a bed with metal legs. The bugs can't climb metal.
Place wooden bed legs in glass jars for the same reason.
Quit using a box spring. The hollow wood framing is an ideal nesting place for any kind of pest. And with today's thicker mattresses, who needs it anyway?
Never bring used furniture indoors. You may not see the pest on the piece, but this is the chief way many people get them.
Schedule regular visits from an exterminator.
AT WAR
Zip a vinyl cover over your mattress and seal the zipper with duct tape. While they're hard to find, they're easy to suffocate.
Bag and wash every bit of clothing from the infested room. Extremely hot water is best, but dry cleaning delicate things works also.
Shampoo and vacuum any area rugs and only place them in a treated room.
THE AFTERMATH
Do not unwrap your mattress.
Keep unwashed clothes sealed in plastic until they're clean. Don't reuse the bags.
Throw away or bag for several months any upholstered or fabric items you cannot wash. Adult bugs suffocate in the bag, but bed bug eggs are sticky; if they're clinging to the bag's contents, they may re-infest the room.
Invest in hanging plastic wardrobes that zip closed. Just in case you face the bugs again, the plastic should protect at least these items. It beats paying to re-wash clean clothes.
PREVENTING THEM
Keep your bed from touching walls and wood work. Despite the name, they live in walls, not your mattress. So don't help them aboard.
Caulk holes in your trim and fix cracks in your walls.
Use a bed with metal legs. The bugs can't climb metal.
Place wooden bed legs in glass jars for the same reason.
Quit using a box spring. The hollow wood framing is an ideal nesting place for any kind of pest. And with today's thicker mattresses, who needs it anyway?
Never bring used furniture indoors. You may not see the pest on the piece, but this is the chief way many people get them.
Schedule regular visits from an exterminator.
AT WAR
Zip a vinyl cover over your mattress and seal the zipper with duct tape. While they're hard to find, they're easy to suffocate.
Bag and wash every bit of clothing from the infested room. Extremely hot water is best, but dry cleaning delicate things works also.
Shampoo and vacuum any area rugs and only place them in a treated room.
THE AFTERMATH
Do not unwrap your mattress.
Keep unwashed clothes sealed in plastic until they're clean. Don't reuse the bags.
Throw away or bag for several months any upholstered or fabric items you cannot wash. Adult bugs suffocate in the bag, but bed bug eggs are sticky; if they're clinging to the bag's contents, they may re-infest the room.
Invest in hanging plastic wardrobes that zip closed. Just in case you face the bugs again, the plastic should protect at least these items. It beats paying to re-wash clean clothes.