Once a rarity, bedbugs are making a comeback. Dealing with the pests can be a scary experience, and it's probably best to call an exterminator if you find them in your house. There are steps you can take to partially remove bedbugs from affected areas before the exterminator comes. By making sure the room is clean and neat and that some items have been removed, you can help the exterminator get rid of as many bugs as possible.
Instructions
1. Clean out the clutter. Bedbugs love to hide in dark places, so the less junk in the room, the better.
2. Buy plastic bags and other wrapping materials. Remember that everything that you take out of the infested area will need to be secured in plastic to prevent further infestation.
3. Remove any clothes and linen from your room and wash them in hot water (over 120 degrees F).
4. Dry non-washable clothes and other items for 20 minutes at a medium or high setting. The heat of the dryer should kill off the infestation.
5. If you need to move any other items out of the room to vacuum, wrap them securely.
6. Move wrapped items outside of the house, where they can't spread any further infestation. Areas that experience freezing weather or heat over 120 degrees for constant periods of time may kill off infestations. You may want to put wrapped items into a freezer if you don't live in such an area.
7. Vacuum. Target baseboards and cracks in the walls and floors and vacuum the crevices of sofas and beds. If your vacuum uses a bag, remove the bag after vacuuming, seal it inside a plastic trash bag and throw it out.
Tags: further infestation, other items, over degrees, wrapped items