Controlling bed bugs

Drat! Despite your precaution, you got those critters in your house. Get professional help ASAP (see future article)! In the meantime, you can keep them from feeding by creating obstacles to the food source—which, unfortunately is your unconscious body.

Create a bed bug-free zone by doing the following:

1. Disrupt pathways to the bed and you.

• Coat the legs of your bed with vaseline or mineral around 2 inches wide.
• Place a barrier of chalk or silica aerogel around the bed posts.
• Wrap double-sided carpet tape (or other tape) around the bed legs and the floor area.

2. Eliminate hiding places

• Caulk cracks, and areas where pipes and wires penetrate walls and baseboards.
• Encase the mattress with tight bed bug cover. Replacing it does nothing. The bugs can come back.
• Pull the bed away from the wall, make sure no linen or blanket touches the floor.
• Reduce clutter to minimize hiding places. 

3. Thoroughly clean suspect area

• Inspect crevices and bed area and suck bugs up with vacuum cleaner. Use stiff bristle brushes to dislodge eggs. 
• Dismantle bed frames to find more hiding places.
• Remove drawers from desks and drawers
• Turn over furniture