Bedbugs are parasites that typically inhabit beds, hence the name. While they once were nearly eradicated through the use of the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (also known as DDT), they have made a resurgence since that substance was banned in the United States in 1972. Once they are in your home, it is hard to get rid of them without help from exterminators.
Vacuum
Use a standard household vacuum cleaner to remove the bedbugs from your bed. During the daytime, they tend to hide in crevices and cracks in the bed itself or in the bedspring area. Vacuum out most of them, but immediately dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag in order to prevent them from getting out and finding their way back to your bed. The Mayo Clinic states this method may not get all of the bedbugs infesting your home.
Heat
You can use heat of at least 120 degrees F (or 49 degrees C) to kill bedbugs. You can do this in a number of ways. Take all the clothing, sheets, blankets and anything else affected and wash them in very hot water. Use a clothes dryer for dry or wet clothes and sheets for a minimum of 20 minutes in high or medium heat. This can kill both the eggs and the bedbugs themselves. Another potential for the use of heat, if the infestation takes place during summer months, is placing the infested items in a sealed bag in a vehicle with all the windows shut. Park the vehicle in the sun and leave it for a day. If the temperature reaches and stays at the desired level, it will kill them.
Cold
Temperatures below freezing---32 degrees F (or 0 degrees C) will kill bedbugs in several days, states the Mayo Clinic. The items may be left outside during the winter or placed in a freezer for the desired effect. If you are placing the items in the freezer, remove all food and place the items in a plastic bag. Tie it shut.
