Bed bugs are everywhere these days.  From movie theaters to clothing stores, park benches to offices, hardly a day goes by that you don't hear or read about them.  There are ways to help yourself.  Be armed with good information.  Be ready.

Bed bug prevention begins with some basic information.  The three most basic and vital things you need in your bed bug prevention arsenal are:

  1. The WASHING MACHINE:  Washing things in hot water (above 113°F) and detergent will kill all stages of bed bug development, from eggs to adults.  The washing machine does several things: 

• the hot water kills bed bugs
• the agitation and detergent dislodges eggs so they can be carried down the drain
• the detergent suffocates the bed bugs by clogging their breathing holes (spiracles) so they cannot breathe even if there is air available

2.  The CLOTHES DRYER adds heat to the process to assure that the bed bugs are dead and gone.  It is best to wash clothes first, but if you want to just use a dryer you can if the dryer gets to 130°F and you leave it on for at least 50 minutes.  Remember, if you try to kill bed bugs with heat alone from the dryer, the bugs can make the inside of the dryer very messy when they die.  The things tumbling around in the dryer may get blood stains and in combination with the heat of the dryer the stains will be very difficult to remove.  Wash first! 

  3.  The VACUUM CLEANER is the final necessity.  Any good vacuum cleaner will do, the most important thing is good suction.  Bed bugs cannot grab onto things, so they are not difficult to vacuum up.  There's a lot of talk about using HEPA vacuums for this work, but HEPA refers to the filtration system - it does not help with the suction.  Paying more money for a HEPA filtered vacuum makes sense if you are concerned about allergens, dust mites, the vacuum cleaner exhaust air, etc.    

Vacuum frequently all hard floors and carpeting.  Use the crack & crevice tool to get into corners and the edges of the baseboards where they meet the floor.  Bed bugs like to hide in these places.  Use the crack & crevice tool to vacuum all upholstered furniture, paying attention to nooks and crannies, folds, seams, tufts. You can even vacuum the mattress and box spring too.  

If you think you've sucked up bed bugs, remove the vacuum bag, tie it up in a plastic bag and throw it away.  If you have a canister vacuum, empty the canister immediately into a plastic bag, tie it and throw it away.

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Sanitation is one of the most important aspects of bed bug prevention.  Proper sanitation methods include frequent laundering of clothes and bed linens (sheets, pillow cases, dust ruffles, comforters, blankets, etc.).  Frequent means at least once each week.  Proper sanitation practices include frequent cleaning as well.  While mopping the floors and cleaning up spills are good common sense practices to follow, frequent vacuuming will help with bed bug prevention and is an important part of elimination. 

Clutter reduction is essential.  Imagine that you have bed bugs.  Look at all the stuff packed into your bedroom closet and imagine that those items are loaded with bed bugs!  It's going to take so much more work to deal with the problem than if that clutter was not there in the first place. 

Before you get bed bugs, you have a wonderful opportunity to get rid of clutter and do something constructive at the same time.  Maybe a relative or friend can use something that you no longer use (but is hiding up on a shelf).  Have a yard sale and make a few bucks.  Donate the things you no longer need; someone will have a use for it and appreciate it.  Once you get bed bugs, though, you lose these chances to do good.  

Foreign and domestic travel are two of the top reasons that bed bugs are back with such a vengeance.  Travel is a big RED FLAG that everyone needs to be sensitive to.  More and more we see a variety of hotels and motels with reports of bed bug activity.  Many foreign countries have had bed bug problems for decades; in many places bed bugs are an accepted fact of life. 

You can protect yourself from bringing bed bugs home by being alert while traveling.  Look for tell tale signs of bed bug activity in your overnight accommodations.  Bring a flashlight to inspect the bedding and the space behind the headboard for bed bugs or bed bug evidence.  If you see anything suspicious, go to the manager and change rooms!

More and more, kids are bringing bed bugs home from school and college dorms.  Get in the habit of inspecting all clothing and schoolbags whenever kids or young adults return home from school.  Do it as soon as they come through the door!  Have the vacuum cleaner ready in case you see anything that shouldn't be there! 

  Increased travel can mean someone is visiting you.  House guests, as much as we may enjoy having them, can bring bed bugs into your home or apartment.  Whether they stay for a few minutes or overnight, this is an opportunity to transfer bed bugs from them to you.  Be cautious.  Are you comfortable speaking with your guests about bed bugs?  You should be or you may wind up with them.  If you have bed bugs you should not visit anyone else until you are certain your problem is gone.  People should show you the same consideration, so ask just to be sure.