How to get rid of bed bugs without wasting money

Cheap steps that help right away

• Wash and heat-dry bedding and clothing that touches the floor. IDPH says a hot dryer for 20 minutes or more kills all stages of bed bugs (IDPH).
• Encase the mattress and box spring. Encasements make it harder for bed bugs to get to you while you sleep (EPA), and IDPH notes two encasements cost much less than a new mattress and box spring (IDPH). The EPA says to leave them on for a year and buy ones tested for bed bugs (EPA).
• Cut the clutter so there are fewer places to hide and treatment is easier (EPA).
• Vacuum carefully and put the bag in a tightly sealed plastic bag in an outside garbage bin (EPA). IDPH says to vacuum with great care to avoid spreading bugs, and notes eggs are sticky and harder to vacuum up (IDPH).
• Seal cracks with caulk to remove hiding spots (EPA).

What wastes money, or is dangerous

• Foggers (bug bombs) alone. The EPA says foggers shouldn’t be your only control, because the pesticide has to touch bugs hiding in cracks. Too many can cause an explosion (EPA).
• Rubbing alcohol, kerosene or gasoline. The EPA says these can harm you and easily ignite; rubbing alcohol has caused house fires (EPA, EPA).
• Outdoor pesticides indoors, or anything from a street vendor or flea market. The EPA says this can make your home unsafe to live in (EPA).
• Turning up the heat. Raising the thermostat or using space heaters won’t work and can be dangerous (EPA). Real heat treatment needs special equipment and very high temperatures (EPA).
• Sticky traps. The EPA says they’re not for bed bugs (EPA).
• Spraying over and over. The EPA says pesticides alone won’t eliminate bed bugs, and some populations are resistant (EPA).

If you do buy a product, look for an EPA registration number and bed bugs on the label, and follow the label exactly (EPA).

When to call a professional

Bed bug treatment can take weeks to months (EPA). The EPA says hiring an experienced pest control professional can improve your odds, and to ask for an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, not just spraying (EPA).

• In Illinois, pest control businesses are licensed by IDPH. Check a company with the IDPH business search (IDPH).
• Get more than one free inspection. IDPH suggests asking which pesticides will be used and for copies of the labels, whether the technician is state certified, whether there’s a guarantee, and the cancellation policy (IDPH).
• Ask how many visits are included and how they’ll check that the bugs are gone. The EPA says to keep watching for at least a year (EPA).
• Do the prep work they ask for. The EPA says good preparation raises the odds of success and lowers treatment costs (EPA).

Renters: tell your landlord

The EPA says to notify your landlord, have nearby units inspected, and check local housing codes, since landlords may have a duty to help with treatment (EPA). The EPA lists Chicago as one city with its own bed bug rules (EPA). If your landlord isn’t helping, IDPH says to contact your local health department, city hall or building code office (IDPH).

Keep them from coming back

• Check secondhand furniture, beds and couches before you bring them home (EPA).
• Check the hotel luggage rack when you travel, and carry laundry to shared machines in plastic bags (EPA).
• If you throw out infested furniture, the EPA says to destroy it (for example, rip the covers) or spray-paint “Bed Bugs” on it so no one else takes it home (EPA).