Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Finding Bed Bugs
• Part 2 of 3: Removing bedbugs in the house
• Part 3 of 3: Keeping Bed Bugs Out of the House
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

If you find bed bugs, this does not mean that your house is dirty. Bedbugs are even found in five-star hotels. However, you should get rid of these annoying insects as soon as possible. In this article, we will tell you how to identify bed bugs in your home.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Finding Bed Bugs

1. 1 Examine the mattress. Bedbugs are attracted to beds, mattresses, pillows and linens. These small brownish insects are oval in shape. They feed on the blood of animals and humans. Take a close look at the edges of the mattress, the folds of the sheets and pillowcases. If you have bugs, then you will find small spots ranging in size from 1 (bed bug eggs) to 5 millimeters (adults the size of an apple seed). Most insects are black in color, although there are also white ones about the size of a pinhead.
   • Bed bugs don't always stick together. Sometimes they spread all over the bed or mattress. In this case, a magnifying glass will help you: examine the edges of the mattress and sheets.
   • If there is not enough light in the bedroom, use a lantern. Keep the flashlight about 15 centimeters from the mattress to keep it illuminating the bed well.
   • Although bedbugs do not fly, they are able to move fairly quickly on various surfaces, including fabrics, ceilings, and walls. If you find insects that fly or have wings, then these are most likely not bugs, but mosquitoes or flies.
2. 2 Look for traces of blood and insect faeces on the sheets and mattress. Bed bugs feed for 3-10 minutes a day. At the same time, blood stains from wounds remain on the bed (insects inject a substance into the bite site that does not allow blood to coagulate) or larger stains from overeating and bursting bugs. Their feces appear as small black spots the size of a dot from a marker. This is because bedbugs feed on blood, and dried blood is part of their secretions.
   • Often, bedbugs defecate in the same place where they ate. This often (but not always) happens on the edges of the mattress, folds of sheets, pillows and pillowcases.
   • If the excrement is not concentrated in one place, but spread over a fairly large area, you may need a magnifying glass. Rub your fingers lightly on the surface of interest to check for feces adhered to it.
   • Go to an area where you think bed bugs may be found.Bring your palm to it and wave it from side to side. If there are bugs in there, you will smell a musty smell from their scent glands.
3. 3 Check the mattress for eggs and insect skin. Bed bugs, like all other insects, mate, reproduce, and molt. When bugs reproduce, they produce hundreds of offspring, after which many shells then remain.
   • Examine the edges of the mattress, folds in the bedding, and crevices in the head of the bed. Check for groups of small (about 1 millimeter, pin-point) white larvae. Also, look for clear, brown, or dark brown shell remnants in these areas.
   • Bed bug larvae are very small and usually have transparent exoskeletons, so you need a magnifying glass to locate them. Run your hand lightly over the surface to determine if any discarded shells remain on the surface.
   • If you see brown, black, or red spots on your bed, these may have been left by bed bugs that you accidentally crushed during the night.
4. 4 Check the headboard and box spring. Although these areas are not the main feeding grounds for bedbugs, they serve as insects to live and reproduce. Carefully inspect the crevices and grooves - this is where bugs love to breed.
   • Remove the cover from the spring mattress. Examine the crevices and joints in the wooden bed frame. When doing this, use a magnifying glass and a flashlight. Look for black spots (live bugs) or white larvae.
   • Slide the fabric where it attaches to the bed frame and check the space under the fabric and the seams.
   • Bedbugs prefer to live and reproduce at the junction of wooden parts or where the tree has cracked and dispersed from aging, so carefully examine the bed frame in such places.
5. 5 Examine the things around the bed. Bedbugs like to hide in small crevices and cracks, where it is convenient for them to breed. These can be books, bedside tables, bedside lamps, telephones, radios, and even electrical outlets.
   • Open the books you keep by the bed and flip through them. Check the pages for small black or dark red spots.
   • Raise radios and telephones. Use a magnifying glass and flashlight to examine the bedside tables, especially where the boards meet.
   • Unscrew electrical outlets. Be sure to turn off the general power in the bedroom before doing this. Shine a flashlight and check for live bugs, shells, or faeces in the outlets.
6. 6 Check the edges of the flooring. Bed bugs love to hide in various types of carpeting (fixed or loose) or linoleum. In addition, these areas are great for insect breeding. If you can do this without damaging the carpet or linoleum, fold back the edges. Use a magnifying glass and flashlight to check for traces of bed bugs, their shells, or faeces. Look also at the joints of the boards or parquet flooring.
7. 7 Examine the wardrobe and clothes. Bedbugs love to live in a variety of items of clothing (such as T-shirts or pants), especially if they are not washed often. They are comfortable and warm in the wardrobe, and besides, it is easy to get to the bed from it.
   • Open the closet and check the clothes. Rub the clothes hanging in the closet and see if there are any small specks on your hands.
   • You can do the same with clothes on the shelves and in the dresser. Rub the fabric with your hands. Use a magnifying glass and flashlight to examine the joints and crevices in the wardrobe.
8. 8 Check to see if the wallpaper and / or paint has come off in the bedroom. This is another place that bed bugs can take a fancy to. The wallpaper that peels off the wall serves as a good shelter for insects, and from here it is easy to get to the bed. If you are unable to find bugs in other places, look under the paint or wallpaper that has come off the wall. Look through the magnifying glass to see if there are any white maggots. In addition, black specks may appear there.
9. 9 Look for bite marks on your skin. Bed bugs are usually nocturnal and bite through the skin to suck blood. Many people confuse the bite marks of bedbugs and mosquitoes, although in fact they are very different.
   • Examine your ankles and feet in the morning. Bedbugs bite through exposed skin, and it is often the feet and ankles that are not covered by clothing at night. However, bite marks can appear anywhere else on the body.
   • Look for bite marks in the morning, right after waking up. Unlike mosquitoes, which usually leave one bite mark, bed bugs often bite three times and the marks are in a straight line. Bedbug bite marks appear as a group of small red dots.
   • Bedbug bites usually do not hurt at first. However, if the skin at the site of the bites begins to itch after a few days, then these are most likely bedbugs. Itching and redness may not go away for up to nine days.
10. 10 Contact a pest control specialist. It happens that the presence of bedbugs is not easy to identify. In this case, it is better to contact specialists who are engaged in the destruction of bedbugs and other harmful insects, so that they examine your house and determine exactly if there are bugs in it.

Part 2 of 3: Removing bedbugs in the house

1. 1 Do your bed linen. This is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of bed bugs. Insects die quickly in high temperatures, so remove sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, and blankets and put them in the washing machine.
   • Just wash your bedding in hot water. First make sure that certain bedding can be washed in hot water (look at their labels).
   • After washing the bedding, immediately transfer it to the tumble dryer and set it to the maximum temperature.
   • You can do the same with clothes. However, in this case, extra care is needed, as some garments can shrink in hot water or when hot dried.
   • Items that cannot be washed can be placed in the tumble dryer and dried at high temperature for 30 minutes.
2. 2 Cover the bed with a thick cloth. Wrap a spring and plain mattress with a thick cloth, such as a mattress topper. As a result, bugs will not be able to penetrate the crevices and folds of the mattress. In addition, after that you can more easily get rid of bedbugs: it will be enough to wash the mattress topper.
3. 3 Place the legs of the bed in plastic bowls. Purchase four plastic bowls and place them upside down on the floor next to the legs of the bed (one bowl next to each leg). Place each leg inside a bowl. As a result, bugs will not be able to climb onto the bed from other places (closet, carpet, etc.).
4. 4 Tidy up around your bed. If the area around the bed is cluttered, bugs can easily hide there, so remove any excess. This will remove insects from their hiding places and make it easier to cleanse your bedroom of them.
   • Collect the books and put them somewhere away from the bed, or place them on the bookshelf.
   • Clothes should be clean, folded neatly and kept in place. Gather all your clothes and put them in a dresser or hang in a wardrobe.
   • Keep your bedside table and / or table clean and tidy. Remove all rubbish, cups, plates, kitchen utensils, napkins, towels, and the like from them. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth or use a healthy cleaning spray.
5. 5 Vacuum the floor around the bed frequently. Bedbugs love to hide in carpet and move stealthily on it. In this case, the vacuum cleaner must be powerful enough to suck in what is deep in the carpet.
   • Cyclonic vacuum cleaners with four chambers are perfect for this.
   • Vacuum the floor regularly (every day or at least once a week). Don't let bed bugs creep in different places.
6. 6 Fill up the cracks. Bed bugs love to hide and breed in crevices and cracks in furniture, beds, and headboards. Seal the gaps with putty, plaster, or safe wood glue to prevent bugs from getting in.
7. 7 Purchase a portable heater for your bedroom. It can be handled or placed on the floor. Since bedbugs cannot tolerate high temperatures, a heater will help kill them.
   • Use a vertical heater. Place it on the floor and set the temperature to 27–30 ° C. Remember to close the door to keep warmth out of the bedroom. Warning: keep an eye on the room so that no fire breaks out in it.
   • Use a manual heater. Run them along the spots where bed bugs may be. Be careful not to touch the heating surface of the heater with your hands, as it can be very hot.
   • After you have treated the room with a heater, clear it of dead bugs. Vacuum carpet, wipe wood furniture, and wash bedding.
8. 8 Get rid of the mattress / furniture. You can often do without this, but if bedbugs have filled the bedroom, it is possible that such an extreme measure will be needed.
   • Throw the mattress far enough away from your home. You can leave the mattress near the dumpsters or take it to the landfill yourself. Do the same with furniture infested with bedbugs.
   • Keep in mind that bed bugs are more likely to be found in used furniture and mattresses. If you have used furniture and mattresses, you should get rid of them all the more. Most likely, the bugs were already in them when buying, and then bred.
9. 9 Treat the bed and surrounding area with chemicals that are harmless to humans. There are many different remedies for bedbugs on the market. Choose a safe spray.
   • Spray surfaces where bedbugs may be. Leave it on for a few minutes to take effect.
   • You can also purchase substances that kill bedbugs and place them in specific places (this is often the case for pest control specialists).
   • After you've treated the surfaces with bug repellent, wipe them down with a damp cloth or paper towel. Throw away the used rag or towel immediately, as it contains the product and dead bugs, as well as their faeces and shells.
10. 10 Contact a pest control specialist. It is better not to use bedbug remedies on your own, as they can be harmful, but to contact the appropriate specialist. A professional will be able to determine the severity of the problem and select the appropriate remedies.

Part 3 of 3: Keeping Bed Bugs Out of the House

1. 1 Explore your temporary hideout. If you find yourself in a hotel, student dormitory, rented apartment, cruise ship cabin, or homeless shelter, you need to inspect your temporary home and check for bugs or their traces (feces or shells). Bedbugs are sometimes found even in the best five-star hotels.
   • Take a magnifying glass and flashlight with you on the road. Take a close look at the mattress, bedding, headboard, rug, wardrobes, and other places where bed bugs may be hiding. Look for not only small, dark, oval-shaped insects, but also small black specks (feces) and clear or yellowish bug shells.
   • If you find anything suspicious, immediately report it to the landlord of your temporary home. He will be able to contact people who will clean the room and carry out pest control.
2. 2 Check your luggage upon returning from travel. If you are on vacation away from home, you should check on your return to see if there are any bugs in your luggage from the hotel, the cabin of the cruise ship, etc.
   • Use a magnifying glass and flashlight when checking. Take a close look at the seams and folds of bags and suitcases, as well as your clothes.
   • Even if you do not find bed bugs, it is better to disinfect. Remove clothing from bags and suitcases and spray them with a mild disinfectant.Then wipe your bags and suitcases with a clean damp cloth or paper towel.
3. 3 Wash your clothes often. Wash your clothes as soon as you return home from vacation or travel. Wash it in hot water to kill possible bed bugs. After washing, place the garment in the tumble dryer and set to the maximum temperature.
4. 4 Inspect your workplace. Oddly enough, bedbugs can start not only at home, but also at work. They can appear in the break room, teacher's room, office, or warehouse.
   • Inspect furniture with a magnifying glass and flashlight. Check the seams and folds of the fabric. Examine the wood baseboards. Check for bedbug marks in cracks in the wall or behind wallpaper / paint that has peeled off the wall. It is in these places that bedbugs like to hide.
   • Look for bedbugs themselves, as well as blackheads (feces) and clear shells.
   • If possible, treat your workplace with a product that is safe for people. After handling, wipe the surfaces with a damp cloth or paper towel. If you are not allowed to disinfect the work area yourself, report any problems you have with bedbugs to management.
5. 5 Inform your colleagues. It is important that your colleagues and management know how to identify bed bugs. Tell them to look out for small, dark, oval-shaped insects, as well as small dark spots (feces) and clear or yellowish shell debris.
6. 6 Consider a plan for monitoring your workplace. Create an audit schedule and include all employees. Thus, you will distribute responsibilities, and employees will take turns examining the workplace and checking for bugs.
   • Ask employees when it is convenient for them to inspect the break room, office, furniture, and so on. Based on the information received, create a schedule that will be convenient for all your colleagues.
   • Send the schedule out to all your colleagues and post it on the wall outside the break room. This will serve as an additional reminder for all employees.
7. 7 Suppress possible panic among colleagues. Explain to them that they should not be panicky about bedbugs. These insects are not life threatening, and sometimes they are found even in the cleanest places. You just need to know what to look for and be on the lookout. This should not adversely affect work and daily life in any way.
8. 8 Make a list of basic rules. Write down on a small piece of paper a list of rules to follow when looking for bed bugs. Put this slip in your wallet and carry it with you so that it is always close at hand.

Tips

• Take your time and methodically as you scan your bedroom. Bedbugs can hide and can be difficult to spot. Monitor your bedroom closely for extended periods of time. Check the same places over and over.
• You can ask a friend or relative to help you look for bed bugs and determine if the signs you find are really indicative of the presence of these disgusting insects.
• Don't take everything too personally. Remember that bedbugs can grow even in the cleanest places.
• Wash your bedding regularly and change the mattress every few years.
• Check in the middle of the night - you may be able to find live bugs, as at night they crawl out of their hiding places in search of food.

Warnings

• Make sure that the bug chemicals you use are harmless to humans. If you are not sure, consult a specialist.
• Always wrap and sign items that you throw away due to bed bugs. This way, you will not only protect those who clean up the garbage, but also help prevent the spread of bedbugs, as someone else can pick up the discarded items.

What do you need

• Magnifying glass
• Flashlight
• Putty, putty or wood glue
• Pesticides (consult a pest control specialist)
• Rag
• Washer and dryer