How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are a difficult pest to get rid of as they can hide in the tiniest cracks and crevices. To help you in this matter, 5-Minute Crafts has some tips to make them disappear for good.

1. Put all infested items in a garbage bag.

The first thing you should do is seal all your items that are infested in a garbage bag and take them out of the room so you can start treating them, using the methods explained in points 2 and 3. The items that cannot be treated should be left closed for up to a year to make sure the bugs inside die. This plastic bag can also be put inside a closed car in the sun and the heat will kill the bugs.

2. Wash and dry the clothes in high heat if they’re washable.

Take fabrics from the plastic bags and wash all washable materials in hot temperatures and then dry them in a drying machine in high heat. This will kill the bugs and eggs that were in your sheets and covers.

3. Freeze the clothes if they’re made with unwashable materials.

Some delicate fabrics, like silk, acetate, rayon, etc. can’t be washed, even if they’re infected with bed bugs. In this case, seal the items in plastic bags and put them in the freezer at 0ºF for 4 days. Keep in mind that this method is not exclusively meant for unwashable fabrics — it can be used for any type of fabric.

4. Vacuum bed bugs from your bed frame and mattress.

Use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum bed bugs, shells, fecal droppings, or eggs that may be present in your bed frame and mattress. Don’t press the device too hard against the fabric when it comes to mattresses. Replace the vacuum filter afterward.

5. Steam the bugs.

After vacuuming, you should steam the bugs as it helps to coax them out of their hiding places and can even kill their eggs. Steaming is a very effective bug killer.

6. Make a homemade vinegar spray.

Vinegar is a strong acetic acid that can disrupt an insect’s nervous system and kill them. Here’s how to use it:

• Purchase white vinegar.
• Fill an empty spray bottle with it.
• Soak the infested area with spray, including any cracks or crevices as well as underneath the furniture.
• Spray it directly onto the bed bugs.
• Soak window sills, walls, mattresses, and carpets.

Do this every week for several weeks.

7. Use silica gel.

Silica gel bags (the little ones that often come with new clothes) can work as a bed bug desiccant. The gel helps absorb lipids from the bug’s cuticle, causing them to dehydrate and eventually dry out.