Ongoing maintenance
- Change your bedding, pick up clutter, clean and vacuum and at least twice a month. Weekly is even better. Look for bed bugs while you clean especially around the edge of the mattress and the box spring. A careful inspection of these areas will help prevent bed bugs from becoming established and catch infestations early. An early infestation is easier and cheaper to treat than an established population of bed bugs.
- Check all used items you bring into your home carefully for bed bugs and eggs. Inspect all used furniture, mattresses or box springs, bedding, and used clothing and books. Remember: eggs and the immature bed bugs are very small and easily overlooked.
- Stay clutter free. Remove boxes and other stored items in bedrooms. Keep your bed bug-free by keeping it away from walls. Keep bedding from touching the floor and keep clothing and other items off the bed.
- Clean regularly and eliminate hiding places. Seal cracks, crevices, and hiding places. This will also discourage movement of bed bugs from one place to another. Repair and seal cracks in plaster, walls, and baseboards; repair or remove loose wallpaper.
- Inspect and clean used furniture, clothing and books for bed bugs before bringing it into your home. Don't take home discarded bed frames, mattresses, box springs, or upholstered furniture.