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Healthy Environments

Bed Bug Treatment

Bed bugs are not easy to control in your home, it will take time and effort to manage and control the issue. Just using pesticides will not kill all life stages of bed bugs. Bed bug prevention and control involves using pesticides, vacuuming, steaming, laundering belongings, and sealing areas and gaps where bed bugs can hide. Do not use home remedies, we recommend that a professional pest control service be contacted.

Once bed bugs are confirmed in your home or rental unit, affected areas or rooms must be prepared prior to receiving any treatment from a professional pest control company. This preparation is knows as "pre-treatment" or unit preparation.

  • Remove all clutter from areas or rooms to be treated.
  • Place all your family's clothing, bedding, and towels in garbage bags then tie off the bags and empty directly into the washing machine. The garbage bags used for taking your family's items to the laundry room should be thrown away directly into a garbage bin outside as the bags may contain bed bugs.
  • It is important to wash clothing, bedding, and towels using hot water. Cold water will not kill bed bugs or their eggs.
  • All washed clothing, bedding, and towels must be put through a clothes dryer for at least 20 minutes on high heat. This will kill any bed bugs and eggs that are present.
  • When the washing and drying cycles are complete, clean laundry should be placed in new clear garbage bags and tie off the bags until treatment is complete.
  • For items that must be dry cleaned, you can place them in garbage bags, garment bags, or clothes protectors containing moth balls or flakes and then seal the bags.
  • Bed bugs and their eggs can be captured by using the nozzle attachment on your vacuum.
  • Move all furniture in affected areas or rooms 12-18 inches away from walls. Remove items from floors and shelves of closets. This allows for proper vacuuming, better inspection, and treatment.
  • Remove all drawers from dressers and night tables. This will allow for proper vacuuming, better inspection, and treatment.
  • Check behind pictures or on other wall items. Vacuum if necessary.
  • When finished vacuuming, ensure bags or containers are changed/cleaned out immediately. Place vacuum bags in double plastic bags, tie off and throw away directly into garbage bin (located outside if possible).
  • In any room where bed bugs are found, check hard covered books, magazines, and papers to ensure no bed bugs are present and place items in garbage bags.
  • Bed frames, inside dressers, cabinets, and drawers.
  • Along baseboards, outlets, and perimeters of the room.
  • Cloth covered furniture such as sofas. Pay attention to the seams and folds of cushions, surfaces where cushions sit, and underneath the piece of furniture.
  • Throw and area rugs - tops and underneath.
  • Carpets.
  • Around and under items that cannot be easily moved such as stove and fridges.
  • Electronics such as telephones, radios, clocks, and computer components all contain tiny crevices where bed bugs can hide and lay eggs.
  • Windows and the curtains or blinds. Raise or tie off items such as drapes or blinds so they are not near the floor.
  • Door casings and trim.
  • When vacuuming bed mattresses and box springs, carefully look at your mattress and box springs paying attention to the folds, crevices, and underside as this is where bed bugs like to hide.
  • When finished vacuuming, ensure bags or containers are changed/cleaned out immediately. Place vacuum bags in double plastic bags, tie off and throw away directly into garbage bin outside if possible.

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