Healthy Approaches to Killing Bed Bugs

Around the bed

• Prepare the area for cleaning by moving furniture away from the walls, and searching for the staining of bed bug fecal matter. Rust colored stains can also indicate places where bed bugs have been smashed after their blood meal. Vacuum this area. Clean and scrub any walls to remove egg clusters. Remove bedding and covers and wash in hot water. Do not replace until all of the cleansing is completed.

Small Objects

• Small objects like pillow cases, blankets, and even electronics can be placed into sealed plastic bags with Nuvan Strips or a similar product, which will kill any bed bugs inside without endangering the surrounding air. Leave items in sealed bags for a minimum of 48 hours, according to the Nuvan website. Once you remove these objects, seal the bag again and discard safely.

Mattress

• Usually, people who get bed bug infestations discard their mattresses or resort to dousing the mattress with insecticide. This is not always necessary. Many companies sell plastic bags big enough for your mattress. Seal the bag over your mattress, normally with some sort of insecticide product inside. Leave the bag sealed for about a year. Make the bed with sheets and comforters over the sealed bag. After a year, you can safely assume that all bed bugs in the mattress itself are dead.

Preventing Reinfestation

• To prevent reinfestation, clean the area often and keep on the lookout for signs of new colonies. Seal any cracks in the walls on the inside or outside of the house. This will prevent direct entrance of bedbugs, as well as their carriers such as bats and mice. Using a healthy dose of outdoor insecticide around your house can also keep bed bugs from re-entering the house.