Top Ten Tips to Prevent or Control Bed Bugs

1. Make sure you really have bed bugs, not fleas, carpet beetles or other insects.

Compare your insect to the pictures online. Take a picture and have a professional identify it.

2. Don’t panic!

Don’t throw out all your things because most of them can be treated and saved. Throwing stuff out is expensive and can spread the bed bugs to other people.

3. Don’t immediately reach for the spray can.

Pesticides are less and less effective. Spot treatments will kill some bugs but not all of them. Find out if heat is the right option for you.

4. Reduce hiding places.

Cluttered provides more places for bed bugs to hide and makes locating and treating them harder. Discard clothing and linens that you no longer use or heat in the dryer before donating them so as to not infect another person.

5. Protect your Mattress.

Bed bugs hid on the mattress and box spring. Purchase a premium quality 100% knit mattress cover that will not rip easily. Bed bugs can live up to a year without feeding.

6. Don’t pass your bed bugs on to others.

Bed bugs are good hitchhikers. If you decide to toss your mattress or furniture, make sure you slash or destroy it in some way so that no one else takes it and gets bed bugs.

7. Reduce the number of bed bugs to reduce bites.

Daily vacuuming can get rid of some of your bed bugs. Change the vacuum bag after each use and dispose of it outside in a tightly sealed plastic bag.

8. Freezing is not reliable.

Putting things outside in freezing temperatures could kill bed bugs, but bed bugs can live in temperatures as low as -16C for 4 days before dying.

9. Kill bed bugs with heat.

Bed bugs die at 45°C. Raising the indoor temperature with space heaters won’t do the job. Putting stuff in garbage bags in the sun is also unreliable. Specially designed bug bed heating equipment is required.

10. Rent a bed bug heater.

Heat penetrates everywhere to kill adults and eggs in one treatment. Find out if renting a bed bug heater is the right option for you.