Bedbugs come out at night to feed on sources of blood.
Bedbugs aren't just fictional pests from childhood rhymes. In reality, they are tiny, flat, reddish-brown insects that can live in your mattress and the dark corners of your home, waiting to feed off the blood of your family and pets. If you have bedbugs, you'll naturally want to be rid of them as soon as possible. If paying for a professional isn't something you can afford, you don't have to give up hope and live with your unwanted guests. Learn free your home of these troublesome pests without bringing in outside help.
Instructions
1. Conduct a thorough inspection of your home. Finding the bedbugs is important for targeted cleaning and removal. Dismantle your bed and check the mattress, box spring, bed frame and headboard. Be aware that bedbugs are likely to hide within the mattress and may not always be visible. Also, check dark, secluded areas such as behind furniture, corners, baseboards, window frames and draperies. Wall hangings and furniture are also areas where bedbugs may hide.
2. Gather your bedding and clothing. Wash them in hot water in the washing machine and dry them at the hottest setting. If your clothing is dry-clean only, put the items in a laundry bag and run through the hot dryer only.
3. Vacuum your home thoroughly. Move furniture away from the walls and vacuum all areas of your home, including the bed. Use the vacuum attachments to reach tight corners and vacuum the baseboards and other crevices. When finished, put the vacuum bag or the contents of the vacuum cleaner's canister into an airtight garbage bag and discard.
4. Eliminate any potential causes or risks of re-infestation. Seal or fill any cracks or crevices in walls or around electrical outlets. Remove any nests or wild-animal bedding that may be near your home, as these are also potential sources of bedbugs.
5. Buy a new bed. In some cases, your bed may be so infested that it's impossible for you to believe that you've rid yourself of bedbugs. Put your mattress in an airtight bag and discard all parts of the bed. Eliminate all bedbugs from your home before bringing in a new bed.
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