Once the infestation under control, the following tips will help prevent its return:
Avoid moving to another room. You will probably want to do so very much, but the bed bugs that will have survived will follow you to the other room, which could cause another infestation. Instead, continue to occupy the same bedroom while inspecting frequently and thoroughly the room to detect any bed bugs still alive. On the other hand, follow the steps below to protect yourself against bites.
Completely wrap your mattress and spring box with a cover available at companies that provide accessories to fight against allergies or pests. Cover the zipper with duct tape because the bed bugs can escape through holes in the zippers. The mattress can also be covered with sealed plastic wrap. The bed bugs will not be able to bite you through the cover and will eventually die, as long as the cover remains intact (no hole or tear). It is recommended to keep the mattress covered this way for one year.
Cover the bed legs with double-sided carpet tape or petroleum jelly. You can also place the bed legs in guards or glass jars filled with a little baby powder to trap the bed bugs that climb or descend along the bed legs. One also finds on the market interceptors for bed legs that can detect bed bugs.
Use white or light colored sheets. This will make it easier to detect bed bugs.
Remove completely the headboards of the bed.
Vacuum daily. For a few weeks, even if you do not see bed bugs, get rid of the vacuum bag immediately as you did during the treatment.
Do periodic inspections to detect the presence of bedbugs.
Reminder of the responsibilities of the tenant:
- The tenant has a role to play in controlling bed bugs in his housing. He must commit to carrying out certain actions for the extermination to be successful as quickly as possible.
- The occupier must notify the owner of the presence of bed bugs in his housing as soon as possible.
- Do not solve the problem alone.
- Do not spray insecticide on people or on mattresses.
- Avoid moving the clothing or bedding, infested furniture or objects (or bags filled with these items) into the common portions of the building.
- If infested mattresses or furniture are thrown into the street, you must first make them unusable and clearly indicate that they are infested with bedbugs.
- Allow a certified exterminator, that is to say one holding a Government permit to have access to all parts of the housing.
- Prepare your home for easy extermination.
- Be sure you know the recommendations of a certified exterminator for the evacuation of the housing during extermination