Cleaning up a bed bug infestation

Steps to follow

• Before the Pest Control Operator (PCO) arrives

  • If you have bed bugs, wipe them up with a wet rag and crush them. Mild soap and water will also remove bed bugs and eggs, but not necessarily kill them. The key to cleaning is detailed-oriented cleaning: simply dousing an area with soapy water will not help control bed bugs. Dirty wash and rinse water may be placed in a toilet and flushed down the sewer. You may also use a commercial steamer using "dry steam"steamer to kill the bed bugs and eggs, just be careful not to use too much pressure and blow them away before killing them. Steam will also kill the eggs. Vacuuming will also reduce large numbers of bedbugs quickly. Be careful not to spread the bed bugs to other areas of the house and properly dispose of the vacuum bag immediately after vacuuming to prevent the live bugs from crawling out of the vacuum. Seal used vacuum bag in a plastic bag and dispose it in an outside trash can.
  • Save a live bug sample in a zip-type sandwich bag. Coax the bug into a bag, gently flatten the bag to press out the air, and seal it completely. Have the sample inspected and the type of bug positively identified by a pest control operator. If you find bugs that do not look similar, save samples of the different bugs in separate bags. There may be bed bugs at different life stages, or there may be different types of bugs. The method of pest treatment will depends on what type of bug is present. A pest control operator will correctly identify the type of pest(s) present before they recommend a method of treatment.
• Obtain the services of a PCO

  • You will most likely need a PCO to help you eliminate a bed bug infestation, especially in a multi-family setting. Success requires knowledge and experience in finding infested areas (including neighboring units) and using a combination of control methods to eliminate them. Elimination methods will include a combination of non-chemical and chemical controls available only to a licensed pest control operator. A PCO will give instructions on how to prepare for an inspection and treatment of a dwelling unit. Follow the PCO's instructions. Failure to do so could potentially spread the infestation to other areas within the home or to adjacent units. There are many non-chemical measures available to help eliminate bed bugs. A PCO will ask for your help in eliminating the infestation. You may be asked to vacuum floors, beds and furniture, launder linens and clothes, and install mattress and box spring encasements, and remove clutter.
• Remove clutter as directed by the PCO

  • Clutter provides bed bugs a place to hide. Remove all clutter. Follow the PCO's directions to prevent spreading bed bugs. In the future, keep everything off the floor including old magazines, books, clothes, and keepsakes. Discard all unnecessary and unneeded items. Do not store things under or around the bed. Place all discarded items in plastic bags and place them in the outside trash where someone else will not get them.
• Clean as directed by the PCO

  • Clean areas where bed bugs are likely to hide. Use soap and warm water on surfaces that will not be damaged by moisture. Clean or vacuum bedding, linens, curtains, rugs, carpets, and clothes. Wash items in hot water and dry them on the highest dryer setting. Items that cannot be washed (like wool or fabrics that may shrink, stuffed animals or shoes) may be placed in a dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Check to make sure high heat will not damage these items.
  • Dry cleaning will kill bed bugs but you must deliver clothes in a sealed plastic bag and inform the dry cleaner the items may be infested with bed bugs. Some dry cleaners may refuse infested items because they could escape and be taken home by other customers.
  • Scrub mattress seams and stitching along the mattress edge with a stiff brush to dislodge bed bugs and their eggs. Vacuum by scraping the seams and stitching with the crevice tool attachment, or while using a stiff brush to loosen eggs. Vacuum mattresses, bed frames, furniture, floors and carpets. Pay special attention to cracks, corners and hiding places.
  • After cleaning the mattress and box spring, cover them with bed bug proof mattress and box spring covers (encasements) that have been tested and proven to control bed bugs. These tight fitting bags keep bed bugs from getting into or out of a mattress or box spring and must be bed bug proof and rip-resistant. Good quality encasements cost more than $50 from online companies or linen stores. Avoid plastic encasements that are uncomfortable and may tear easily. Tightly zip the encasements closed so that bed bugs do not crawl through a gap at the end of the zipper. Leave the encasements on for a minimum of one year.
  • Independently tested bed bug-proof brand mattress and box spring encasements can be found on the web by doing a search on "mattress encasements". Box springs are structurally more complex and have more hiding places than a mattress; encase the box springs if only one cover can be purchased.
  • Vacuum carpets, especially along edges and where the carpets meets the walls.
• Disposal

  • Prevent the spread of bed bugs. Do not resell or donate infested furniture or clothing. If you throw infested furniture away, make it unusable by destroying it or slashing the upholstery. Seal infested items in plastic bags before moving to prevent spreading bed bugs on the way to the outside trash. Spray paint or mark discarded items "Infested with bed bugs!"
  • After vacuuming, immediately place the vacuum cleaner bag in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of it in an outdoor trash container. Bed bugs can crawl out of vacuum cleaner bags.
  • Discard infested items that cannot be cleaned. If you decide to dispose of your mattress or box springs, wrap and seal them tightly in plastic before carrying them outside. Mark them with the words "Bed Bugs" to prevent someone else taking them home.