How to Exterminate Bedbugs & Fleas

Identify and remove potential hiding places for bedbugs and fleas. Remove the clutter from your home, such as boxes and piles of clothing. Check small items such as books and picture frames for bedbugs. Look closely at the seams for evidence of small, black insects. Seal infected items in plastic bags. Throw them out, or keep them in a secure place until a professional can treat them. Wash pets, as they can host fleas. Scrub them with flea shampoo.

Wash or remove all the bedding in your house, as well as curtains and rugs. Wash them in hot water and dry them on a hot setting. Soak delicate clothing items in hot water with plenty of laundry soap. Place wool items in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes. Clean carpets with insecticide shampoo. Alternatively, have your carpets professionally steam-cleaned.

Vacuum all mattresses in your house. Use a vacuum attachment to get under the seams and in all cracks of the mattress. Vacuum furniture and floors, paying special attention to seams and other small places where bedbugs or fleas might hide.

Throw out expendable items that can't be cleaned. Put old furniture and mattresses out of the house. Damage them or write on them so others don't pick up them up and spread the infestation.

Call a professional exterminator if flea or bedbug bites persist. Ask people you know for referrals of effective exterminators.