Kill the Bed Bugs
Make sure the methods you select are safe, effective and legal. See What's Legal, What's Not for more information.
Consider non-chemical methods of killing bed bugs. Some will be more useful than others.
Heat treatment using a clothes dryer on high heat, black plastic bags in the sun or a hot, closed car (pest management professionals have other methods that are not suitable for non-trained individuals to use).
Cold treatment can be successful in the home environment if the freezer is set to 0o F. You must leave the items in the freezer at that temperature for four days. (Always use a thermometer to check the temperature, since home freezers are not always set to 0o.)
Reducing the numbers of bugs with these and other non-chemical methods is helpful, but is unlikely to entirely eliminate the infestation.
If needed, use pesticides carefully according to the label directions or hire a pest management professional.
Look for EPA-registered pesticides.
Bed bugs must be listed on the label.
Use foggers (bug bombs) only with extreme care. Improper use can harm your health or cause a fire/explosion.
Because foggers work with a broadcast spraying action, they should not be used as the sole source of bed bug control. The spray will not reach the cracks and crevices where bed bugs hide.
See Should I Use a Fogger?
Every few days after you complete your initial cleanup and control processes, carefully look for any evidence of bed bugs.
If you see bed bugs, that means that either the initial cleanup missed some individuals or that eggs have hatched (finding and removing or killing all eggs can be very difficult) and retreatment may be needed.
If repeated treatments are needed, consider using pesticides with different modes of action.
Desiccants (drying agents) can be particularly effective in some situations since they work by drying out the bug (which means the bed bugs can't develop resistance to it).
If using desiccants, be sure to use only products registered as a pesticide.
Do not use pool or food-grade diatomaceous earth - this type of diatomaceous earth can harm you when you breathe it in. The pesticide version uses a different size of diatoms, which reduces the hazard.
Desiccants can be very effective; however, they can take up to several months to work.
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