So you think you might have bed bugs. Now what? The Ontario Non Profit Housing Association has a quick list of steps to follow to ensure your bed bug problem is dealt with efficiently and effectively.

  1. Report the situation to your landlord.
  2. Begin preparing your unit by washing and drying all clothes, linens and bedding. All items should be washed in hot water then placed in a hot dryer for 60 to 70 minutes to ensure all eggs and bed bugs are killed.
  3. If items can't be washed, or are already clean, place in a dryer for 60 to 70 minutes.
  4. Seal all clean clothes and linens in an air-tight plastic bag.
  5. Vacuum your mattress, bed frame, all furniture and the baseboards around your home -- and make sure the vacuum bag is disposed of immediately afterwards.
  6. Vacuum and/or mop all flooring in the unit including crevices along the baseboard.
  7. Remove as much clutter as possible, since bed bugs will live in any sheltered and hidden space.
  8. Move all furniture a minimum of six inches from the wall to make it easier for the pest control operator to spray the baseboards and electrical outlets.
  9. Once the treatment is complete (this could require several visits to your home by a pest removal operator), use mattress and box-spring encasements to ensure any remaining bed bugs are contained.
  10. Since your home has already been treated, the bed bugs should be gone. But just to be safe, attach "leg protectors" to your bed. Since bed bugs don't fly or jump, simply wrapping double sided tape around the legs of the bed frame should be sufficient to stop any bed bugs in their tracks.
  11. Monitor your unit every day for signs of bed bugs
  12. Communicate with your landlord, especially if the treatment didn't work.