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http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Bed-Bugs
Bed bugs were once a common public health pest worldwide, declining in
incidence through the mid 20th century. However, bed bugs have undergone a
dramatic, worldwide resurgence since they have now evolved resistance to
common insecticides. Bed bugs are one of the great travelers of the world
and are readily transported via luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. Read
on to find out how to get rid of bed bugs in your own home.
If not, you could be bitten by them, or get a rash, see below.
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Empty nightstands and dressers. Examine them inside and out, then tip them over to
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inspect the woodwork underneath. Oftentimes, the bugs will be hiding in cracks,
corners and recesses.
Check upholstered chairs and sofas. Pay close attention to the seams, tufts,
skirts and crevices beneath cushions. Sofas can be major bed bug hotspots when
used for sleeping.
Check other common places. These include along and under the edge of
wall-to-wall carpeting (especially behind beds and furniture), cracks in wood
molding and ceiling-wall junctures. Bed bugs tend to congregate in certain areas, but it
is common to find an individual or some eggs scattered here and there.
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Bag and launder (120F/48.8C minimum) affected ite ms. Smaller items that
cannot be laundered can sometimes be de-infested by heating. Individual items,
for example, can be wrapped in plastic and placed in a hot, sunny location for at least a
few days (the 120F/48.8C minimum target temperature should be monitored in the
center-most location with a thermometer). Bedbugs also succumb to cold temperatures
below freezing, but the chilling period must be maintained for at least two weeks.
Attempts to rid an entire home or apartment of bed bugs by raising or lowering the
thermostat will be entirely unsuccessful.
Wash all linen on hot, dry on hot setting. Gather all linen, cloth and leather
bags, mattress covers, clothing, teddy bears... etc. Machine wash on hot wash the laundry bag also. Tumble dry on hot. Steam kills bed bugs. Some
metropolitan areas offer bed bug laundry and dry cleaning services which have
the added benefits of proven methods for killing bed bugs and bagging or
storing cleaned items so they do not become re-infested while the home is still
being exterminated.
If something cannot be washed or discarded (such as a valuable leather purse)
spray with non-toxic bed bug spray, seal in a plastic bag and leave for a few
months.
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Point steam on them. You may get a simple device capable of generating steam
at your local hardware store. You may also convert a simple electric kettle to a
steam machine by attaching a flexible tube. Steam should kill all bedbugs and the
eggs. Thoroughly spray steam at all corners and seams.
Vacuum your house. This will remove bugs and eggs from mattresses, carpet,
walls and other surfaces. Pay particular attention to seams, tufts and edges of
mattresses and box springs, and the perimeter edge of wall-to-wall carpets. Afterward,
dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed trash bag. Steam cleaning of carpets is
also helpful for killing bugs and eggs that vacuuming may have missed.
Repair cracks in plaster and glue down loosened wallpaper to eliminate bed
bug harborage sites. Remove and destroy wild animal roosts and bird nests
when possible.
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applied as spot treatments to cracks and crevices where bed bugs are hiding.
Increased penetration of the insecticide into cracks and crevices can be achieved if
accumulated dirt and debris are first removed using a vacuum cleaner. Many readily
available aerosol pesticide sprays will cause bed bugs to scatter making eradication
more difficult. Dust formulations may be used to treat wall voids and attics.
Repeat insecticide applications if bed bugs are present two weeks after the
initial treatment. It is difficult to find all hiding places and hidden eggs may
have hatched.
Discard affected items. In some cases, infested mattresses and box springs will
need to be discarded. Since bed bugs can disperse throughout a building, it also
may be necessary to inspect adjoining rooms and apartments.
Apply silica gel. Grind up some crystal silica gel and apply it all over in your
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bedroom. Put some on your mattress, around the bed and along the wall. The fine
silica gel will get stuck to the bug and it cannot be shaken off, causing the bug to
dehydrate and die. [2] Be careful not to inhale it. Alternatively, use a natural dehydrating
substance called Diatomaceous Earth. Make sure you ask for the "Food Grade"
variation! Diatomaceous Earth has the same effect as silica gel but is safe and exposure
to it is not dangerous for your children and pets.[3]
If you have a cat, change the cat litter (crystal silica gel) every 5 days so the
newly hatched eggs will dehydrate too. Repeat for 5 weeks.
Use tea-tree or ti-tree oil to clean with. This oil can eradicate bedbugs in the
house.
Clean the house thoroughly, top to bottom.
Wash all bedding and clothing, with a few drops of tea tree oil added.
Vacuum and wash all carpets.
Take all beds apart. Spray them all down with tea tree oil.
Apply pest control spray around the entire home, inside and out. To make this
spray: Mix 18 oz of water with 18 drops of tea tree oil and spray the entire
house with itthe carpets, beds, and furniture.
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Examine beds and headboards for signs of bed bugs when traveling.
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How To
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Tips
Apply witch-hazel to the skin to stop the itching caused by Bedbug
bites.
Occasionally check for new bites. This could prevent future problems.
Bed bugs are rarely seen in daylight. They emerge from their hiding
spots at night.
If disposal isn't an option, encasing the mattress and box spring will be
helpful if bugs are still present (allergy supply companies sell zippered
bed encasements for dust mite prevention). Vacuuming and brushing
will further help to remove bugs and eggs from mattresses and box
springs that cannot be discarded. Some pest control firms also treat
beds with portable steam machines. The technique is useful, but does
not kill bugs or eggs that are hidden inside the box spring or mattress.
A thorough treatment of a home, hotel or apartment may take
anywhere from several hours to several days.
There are restrictions on how beds can be treated with pesticides.
Some pest control firms treat seams, tufts, and crevices of bed
components, but they will not spray the mattress surface, bed sheets,
blankets, or clothing. For these reasons, pest control firms often
recommend that infested beds be discarded.
Bedbugs are often found in mattress corners. Inspect those areas
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carefully.
Depending on your own individual tolerance for the bites, you may not
discover you have been bitten for days, while some people know it
immediately or within a few hours.
The bed bugs appear dead when you see them hiding, but they aren't.
They don't move usually until you hit them with the steam. Make sure
you steam them until they stop moving.
Use a bed frame to elevate your mattress and box spring off the
ground and put the legs in containers with any type of oil. This will help
keep them from climbing in and out of your bed. Store away any bed
skirts. Keep sheets and blankets from hanging from the bed to the
ground until the infestation is gone.
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Warnings
Bed bugs can travel long distances and survive in suitcases, clothing,
vehicles, aircraft, cruise ships and other modes of transportation.
After repeated bedbug bites, a persons skin may become sensitized to
the saliva of the bedbug, and subsequent bites may cause an allergic
response, resulting in itching and inflammation. It is important not to
scratch the red, itchy spots, as they can become infected. If you think
you may have been bitten by bedbugs, talk to your doctor. They may
prescribe antibiotic or antiseptic creams to prevent infection and
corticosteroids and antihistamines to treat allergic reactions.
Bed bugs are often not killed on the first few attempts to rid your house
of them. You will need repeated attacks on them to finally get rid of
them all, so be persistent. You may need four to five treatments.
Bed bugs can live three months or longer without food (blood) and thus
stay in their hiding places.
Don't be a bed bug spreader. Do not sleep anywhere else but your own
bed. If you must travel, buy a new bag and pack it outside the house,
perhaps in your car, using clothing that has been thoroughly cleaned
and inspected for bugs.
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