Investor · Lowell, MA · Member since 2024 · 12 posts · 6 votes
9mo
I've had experience dealing with this. If done properly, its not as scary as you'd think. Contact a local exterminator. They'll likely spray the corners, edges, and crevices in every room of the house and dust the inside of your wall as needed by poking small holes in some areas of your drywall where they think nesting spots may be. This will all require you to wash, dry, and then bag all of your clothes as well. It's probably not as expensive or stressful as you think it will be.
Bedbugs are tough but very treatable. Best advice is to act fast and go professional—heat treatment is usually the most effective. In the meantime: bag and wash/dry all fabrics on high heat, reduce clutter, vacuum thoroughly (and dispose of the bag immediately), and avoid moving items out of the house so they don’t spread. DIY sprays rarely solve it long-term.
Bedbugs are tough but very treatable. Best advice is to act fast and go professional—heat treatment is usually the most effective. In the meantime: bag and wash/dry all fabrics on high heat, reduce clutter, vacuum thoroughly (and dispose of the bag immediately), and avoid moving items out of the house so they don’t spread. DIY sprays rarely solve it long-term.
We had a tenant in a duplex get heat treatment on her own without letting us know that she had bedbugs about four years ago. They got it so hot inside that the LVP flooring buckled and all the mini-blinds melted (the duplex was less than 2 years old). She called us after the damage was done and I fought the company that did it but they wouldn't do anything because "the tenant" had signed a waiver that they wouldn't be responsible for any damages.
Real Estate Broker · New York, NY · Member since 2020 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9mo
Hi Laura,
Safest and most effective approach is to hire a professional exterminator. They have the right tools, treatments, and expertise to fully eliminate the infestation and prevent it from coming back.
For now, try to isolate infested items in plastic bags, wash and dry clothings and other fabrics on hottest settings possible, vacuum carefully, and reduce clutter where bed bugs could hide.