1. Inspect – Using a flashlight and magnifying glass, carefully look for bed bugs, eggs and spotting in the seams of mattresses, behind wall hangings, and in the cracks and crevices of box springs, bed frames, dressers and nearby furniture. If you sleep on a recliner or sofa, look in crevices where fabric overlaps, in seams, under dust skirts, under labels, and the underside (springs) of furniture. Inspect motorized scooters, computers, desks and desk chairs, along carpet edges and baseboards.

2. Vacuum – Remove live bed bugs using a professional, high-efficiency vacuum with a HEPA filter. When done, discard the vacuum bag in a plastic garbage bag and place outdoors in the garbage bin. Sucking up visible bed bugs will not solve the problem on its own, but it does significantly reduce the number of bed bugs left to kill.

3. Washing and Drying – Throw your dirty clothes/bedding and soft goods in the washer without allowing bed bugs to escape. You can also put infested bedding, clothing and soft goods (stuffed animals, backpacks, etc.) in the dryer and run on a high-heat cycle to kill bed bugs and their eggs. Use separate garbage bags or bins to transport items so you don’t accidently reintroduce bed bugs to the heat-treated items. 

4. Encase your mattress and box spring – Mattress encasements designed specifically for bed bugs will trap and kill any bed bugs in your mattress and box spring. They also help to prevent future bed bugs from getting in. Encasements provide a smooth, white surface that makes it easy to see signs of future bed bug activity.

5. Use bed bug traps – Bed bug traps prevent bed bugs from crawling up the legs of beds and other furniture. Instead of reaching where people sit and sleep, the bugs get trapped in the devices and cannot get out. Other bed bug traps use lures to attract bed bugs away from sleeping and resting areas. As well, pest control traps help you monitor for future bed bug activity. Check traps regularly for early signs of bed bug introductions so you can act quickly before an infestation develops.  

6. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) – Also called bed bug powder in Canada and exterminator dust, DE is a natural bed bug pesticide. Lightly apply it to bed bug pitfall traps, baseboards, and the cracks and crevices of bed frames, box springs, mattress seams, dressers and furniture using a dry paint brush or hand bulb duster. Bed bugs walk through the DE, which scratches their waxy exoskeleton. This causes them to dry out and die. Bed bugs are growing increasingly resistant to bed bug pesticides, which makes DE is one of the best bed bug killers in Canada. Learn about DE and how to use it.

7. Bed bug killer spray – Pest HQ sells professional bed bug spray to the DIY or do-it-yourself market. This includes aerosol bed bug pesticide, which is a most effective bed bug treatment when applied according to the label directions. The label explains how to use the aerosol, where to apply it, how often it can be applied, and more. Bed bug spray in Canada is regulated by Health Canada and the label is the law.

8. Prevent bed bugs from coming back - Once you get rid of bed bugs, you never want them to come back. As such, be careful to not reintroduce them to your home or business. Before traveling, check the bed bug registry for hotels with bed bug problems. Ask visitors to store backpacks and purses in a plastic bin by the door. Keep a bin at work to store your personal belongings. Thoroughly inspect used furniture before bringing it home. Use bed bug traps and monitors to identify early signs of bed bug activity. 

Read more: 

Steps to prevent bed bugs

How to use Crawling Insect Traps and Monitors