How do I Make Sure Bedbugs Don't Come Back?

Inspect your mattress, box spring, bed frame and pillows for bedbug eggs. These are tiny black specks which resemble poppy seeds. Dismantling the bed frame for a thorough inspection will be necessary. Depending on the severity of the recent infestation, other furniture in the room, such as chairs or clothes drawers, may need to be closely examined as well. In particular, examining the crevices of the furniture with a flashlight may turn up previously hidden eggs or hatchlings.

Vacuum all bedbugs and eggs from your mattress and boxspring, and from furniture crevices. Use a stiff brush and disinfectant spray to scrub previously infested areas clean, and apply a small amount of mineral oil to these areas to act as a bedbug deterrent.

Encase your mattress and box spring in a special mattress bag, designed to make bedbug infestation difficult, if not impossible. There are companies which manufacture covers and encasements designed specifically to protect mattresses and boxsprings from infestation.

Seal and fill cracks near baseboards, and holes where wires and pipes enter through the wall or floor. This helps to reduce points of entry and exit for bedbugs.

Wear pajamas to bed. Covering up exposed body areas with a pajama top and bottom decreases the possibility of bedbug bites.