How to Kill the Bed Bugs in a Mattress

Bed bugs got their name because they are often found in your bed. They will feed on you while you sleep. They inject an anti-clotting agent into your blood when they bite you to make their feeding easier. Their bites cause little welts all over that are hard and irritating. If they cannot find a human host they will also live off of the blood of other creatures, including birds and bats. Even though bed bugs do not usually carry or spread disease, they should be treated immediately to prevent skin irritation.

Vacuum

Upholstery attachment

Flash light

Crevice tool

Diatomaceous earth

Laundry detergent

Hot water

Take apart your bed. Separate the mattress and the box spring. Take the box spring off the bed frame. Remove all bedding. The more parts that are exposed, the more likely you are to find the hiding place of the bugs.

Vacuum your mattress and box springs using your upholstery attachment. This will remove any of the bed bugs on the surface as well as their waste that may be left behind. This will also remove any skin cells you left behind.

Use a flash light to illuminate the inside of your box springs. Bed bugs can use tears and gaps in the mesh covering to make their way inside it. Look to see if you can see any bugs through the meshing. If so, use a knife or box cutter to cut the mesh on the bottom of your box spring, so you can access the inside. Use your crevice tool to vacuum the inside of the box spring and remove visible bugs.

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on your mattress and box spring. Diatomaceous earth is a product made from ground up microscopic fossils. Choose the food grade version that is found at garden supply stores, not the pool grade found at pool supply stores.

Leave the powder on the mattress and box springs for at least four hours. The longer you can leave it the better. Diatomaceous earth works by dehydrating the bugs. The longer you leave the powder on your mattress the more bed bugs it will impact. If possible, sprinkle it inside your box spring or inside any open crevices in your mattress.

Vacuum up the diatomaceous earth after allowing it to sit for several hours.

Wash all bedding in the washing machine using laundry detergent and hot water to kill any bugs that may be on it. This includes your sheets, blankets, mattress covers, bed skirts and pillows. Dry the bedding in the dryer using a hot setting.

Reassemble your bed.

In the event of a severe infestation, call a professional exterminator.

Reduce clutter in your home to help remove infestations not in your mattress. Bed bugs like to live in areas such as your hampers, luggage and furniture. Wash soft toys and clothing in the washing machine as you did your bedding. Clean behind, under and in all furniture, including drawers.

Ensure there are no cracks or gaps in your walls. Use caulk to seal up spaces in baseboards and around wire entry and exit points in the walls. Vacuum the room thoroughly. Make sure you get the baseboards, under and around all furniture, and inside any other crevice. Seal up the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and dispose of it outside immediately.

Use a stiff scrub brush to scrub your carpet in affected rooms. This will dislodge any unseen eggs.