How can you kill bed bugs at home? - briefly
Use high‑temperature laundering (≥120 °F) and drying, vacuum mattresses, seams, and furniture thoroughly, then seal infested items in plastic for several weeks. Follow with a registered insecticide spray or powder applied to cracks and crevices, and repeat the treatment after 7–10 days to eradicate any newly emerged insects.
How can you kill bed bugs at home? - in detail
Eliminating bed‑bug infestations without professional assistance requires a systematic approach that combines physical removal, chemical treatment, and environmental control.
Begin with thorough inspection. Identify all harborages—mattress seams, box‑spring corners, bed frames, headboards, upholstered furniture, baseboards, and cracks in walls. Use a bright flashlight and a magnifying glass to confirm the presence of live insects, shed skins, or dark fecal spots.
Physical removal steps:
- Vacuum every suspect surface, including mattresses, box springs, furniture, and floor coverings. Operate the vacuum slowly to dislodge insects; immediately seal the bag or empty the canister into a sealed plastic bag and discard it outdoors.
- Steam apply a high‑temperature steamer (minimum 130 °C/266 °F) to seams, folds, and crevices. Steam penetrates fabrics and kills insects on contact; maintain steam for at least 30 seconds per area.
- Launder all bedding, curtains, and washable fabrics in hot water (≥ 60 °C/140 °F) and tumble dry on high heat for a minimum of 30 minutes. Heat exposure of this duration eliminates all life stages.
Chemical interventions:
- Deploy a registered residual insecticide labeled for bed‑bug control. Apply according to label directions to cracks, baseboards, and voids where insects hide. Focus on slow‑acting products that allow insects to contact treated surfaces before dying, ensuring maximum spread through the population.
- Use a non‑residual spray for direct knock‑down on visible insects. Spray lightly to avoid saturating fabrics, which can damage textiles and create health hazards.
- Consider diatomaceous earth (food‑grade) as a desiccant dust. Sprinkle a thin layer in voids, under furniture, and along baseboards. Reapply after cleaning or when the dust becomes damp.
Encasement and isolation:
- Install a zippered, mattress‑and‑box‑spring encasement certified to contain bed‑bugs. Ensure a tight seal; leave the encasement on for at least 12 months to starve any remaining insects.
- Remove clutter that provides hiding places. Seal infested items in plastic bags and store them away from living spaces for several months.
Heat treatment for whole rooms:
- Raise ambient temperature to 55 °C (131 °F) for a sustained period of 4–6 hours using portable heaters. Verify temperature with calibrated thermometers placed throughout the space. Heat penetrates walls and furniture, killing all stages present.
Monitoring and follow‑up:
- Place interceptor cups beneath each leg of the bed and furniture. Check daily for trapped insects; replace cups weekly.
- Conduct weekly inspections for at least three months. Repeat vacuuming, steaming, and targeted insecticide applications as needed until no live insects are detected.
If the infestation persists after multiple cycles, professional extermination using advanced methods (e.g., whole‑room heat chambers, fumigation) becomes necessary.