How to Check for Bedbugs

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Get clothing out of the way.

   If you're checking in a hotel room, make sure to place your luggage and other belongings in a clean bathtub or on a rolling luggage rack that is off the floor and away from walls or furniture.
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   Step 2: Put on medical gloves.

   Bedbugs take in the blood of other humans and if you smash one you could get that blood, with any diseases it contains, on you.
   
   Plus your fingers may be going into some grungy places. , Grab your tools, a flashlight with a strong beam and an old credit card. , Remove all the bedding down to the bottom sheet. , Run your flashlight over the sheet looking for excrement or bloodstains.
   
   If the linen has just been changed you probably won’t find anything. , Remove the bottom sheet and examine the mattress.
   
   Use the flashlight to look for excrement and bloodstains on the top surface of the mattress.
   
   Look for shed bedbug skins and eggs. , Use the credit card to run along the mattress seam, holding it open to look with your flashlight.
   
   You may see live bedbugs hiding there, skins or excrement. , Run the credit card under any buttons to chase out any hiding bugs.
   
   Examine any straps, and look under any tags on the mattress. , Watch for fleeing bugs as you do so.
   
   While the mattress is in the air, check the rails of the bed frame under it. , Quickly shine the flashlight on the wall behind it, looking for fleeing bugs.
   
   Then examine the wall for stains from excrement or small spots of blood. , Bugs may be hiding in the seams between pieces of wood or in the holes for screws. , Check any piece of upholstered furniture thoroughly as you did the mattress, using the flashlight and your credit card.
   
   Turn it over and look at the underside. , Don’t forget cribs and bassinets. , Inspect the seams of decorative pillows. , Turn them over, move them away from the wall, pull out any drawers and flip them over.
   
   Run the credit card in crevices.
   
   Inspect hollow legs. , Take the clothes out of dresser drawers and shake the drawers out over a clean white sheet, looking for bugs, skins or excrement. , Check the seams and underside of dresser drawers with the flashlight and credit card. , Take the clothes out of closets and shake them over a white sheet.
   
   Examine the seams of heavy clothing like coats and under collars. , Move all remaining items from the closets and inspect the walls with your flashlight. , Look inside, under, and around all objects in the room, lamps, radios, clocks, TV’s, computers and so on. ,, This is another place where bedbugs love to hide! , Start with the bed, proceed to the rest of the room (working outward from the bed), and then check other rooms in the house. , Similarly, you'll want to check behind picture frames and mirrors as well. , You are more likely to find them lower to the ground but this does not mean you should neglect the upper areas. , Look under throw rugs and around the edges of carpets.
   
   This is another time where the card and light come in handy. , If you can turn it over inspect the bottom. , You will need other tools for this.
   
   Remove outlet and switch covers and shine the flashlight inside. , Run the credit card behind moldings and baseboards if you don’t want to remove them. , Move appliances away from the wall; shine the flashlight on the wall and on the back of the appliance. , Sweep under large appliances like refrigerators then get down and look under them with a flashlight. , Pay attention to the laundry room.
   
   Inspect dirty clothes; look carefully at hampers and baskets, particularly wicker items.
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   Step 3: Grab some tools.

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   Step 4: Start by examining the bed linen.

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   Step 5: Use a light.

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   Step 6: Continue to the mattress.

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   Step 7: Use a credit card.

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   Step 8: Look at all buttons

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   Step 9: straps and tags.

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    Step 10: Flip the mattress if you can and check the other side.

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    Step 11: Move the bed away from the wall.

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    Step 12: Examine the underside of the bed frame carefully.

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    Step 13: Check furniture.

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    Step 14: Inspect other areas where people sleep

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    Step 15: such as a fold out couch.

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    Step 16: Check pillows.

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    Step 17: Inspect any nightstands or bedside tables.

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    Step 18: Check dresser drawers.

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    Step 19: Be thorough.

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    Step 20: Check clothing.

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    Step 21: Shine your flashlight on the walls of the closet.

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    Step 22: Don't forget objects in the room as well.

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    Step 23: Inspect any toys in the room

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    Step 24: especially ones used in the bed or close to it and that are stuffed.

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    Step 25: Inspect pets’ beds.

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    Step 26: Start in the bedroom where you suspect bedbugs the most.

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    Step 27: Look for loose wallpaper and look under it.

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    Step 28: Check the folds of curtains and behind them.

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    Step 29: Check rugs and carpets.

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    Step 30: Move all furniture away from the wall and check the back of it.

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    Step 31: Inspect behind light switches and outlets

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    Step 32: baseboards and moldings.

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    Step 33: Check moldings and baseboards.

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    Step 34: Check appliances.

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    Step 35: Don't neglect the spaces underneath.

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    Step 36: Check the laundry room.

Detailed Guide

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