How to Safely Eliminate Bed Bugs
- 1). Place sealant around any cracks, pipes, or holes in the infested rooms. These are generally the points of entry for the bed bugs.
- 2). Put on old clothing that you do not mind throwing away.
- 3). Vacuum everything in the room. This includes any furniture, rugs, flooring and even the walls. This will help remove the bed bugs and their eggs.
- 4). Place any items that are found in the room, such as clothing or books, into plastic bags. The clothing should be washed and kept in a separate room until the vacuuming process has ended. Keep the other bagged items in a separate room until the infestation is under control.
- 5). Prepare a mixture of hot water and a few ounces of liquid dish soap. Soak an unwanted cloth with the mixture and wash off any hard surfaces in the room. This includes washing the undersides of furniture and inside drawers and cabinets.
- 6). Throw the vacuum bag into an outdoor garbage can. If the vacuum is bagless, take the vacuum outside and empty the contents into a garbage bag that should also be discarded outdoors. Remove the clothing and dispose of it as well.
- 1). Sprinkle handfuls of food grade quality diatomaceous earth, which can be purchased at most home improvement or hardware stores, around the perimeter of the bed. The diatomaceous earth is a fine soil that is composed of crushed single-celled algae fossils. The bugs will step onto the earth, become cut and bleed to death. The earth is too fine to harm you or your pets.
- 2). Lift up the mattress and sprinkle the earth onto the top of the box spring.
- 3). Sprinkle the diatomaceous earth anywhere in the room where it will not be bothersome, such as in closet floor, or under the bed.
- 4). Vacuum up the earth after several days. Throw the vacuum bag in an outdoor trash receptacle. If the vacuum is bagless, place the contents into a garbage bag and place the bag into an outdoor trash can.
- 5). Repeat this process for several weeks, or until the bed bugs have been completely removed.
