5 Closet Hideaways For Step By Step Bed Bug Inspections

In this article you'll find the 5 simple tools required if you want to understand how to check for bed bugs.

When you are done reading, you will understand how to conduct a bed bug inspection like a pro, using tools around the house.

Don't worry, if you don't have these tools on hand, you can grab them at the nearest hardware or home improvement store.

5 Tools To Conduct Your Inspection

1. Gloves

2. Flashlight

3. Magnifying Glass

4. Flat-Head Screwdriver

5. Small Staple Gun (or Flat Thumbtacks)

Let's go through these one by one.

Gloves - They simply create a barrier between your skin and the bed bugs as well as any fecal matter or skin casting they have left behind.

Although you can inspect without them, they give you increased confidence to really get in there and be thorough.

Flashlight - Good light is vital to find these guys. They specialize in hiding, can crawl into the tiniest of cracks to avoid detection and move quite quickly when the see light or sense movement.

The eggs and nymphs, or young bed bugs, are very small and the light will help you spot these little guys. The can often be a very similar color to your matress and the light makes them "stand out" a bit.

Magnifying Glass - Although it is possible to do an effective inspection with out this tool, it definitely helps to find these little guys, escpecially if your sight isn't exactly 20/20 anymore.

I definitely find this to be helpful. Even if your sight is perfect, this gives you an added advantage.

Flat-Head Screwdriver - This is for taking the staples out of the "cheese cloth" covering on the bottom of the box springs.

Bed bugs LOVE to hide under the seams where the fabric conects to the wood at them bottom of the box springs. You can only access this area by taking off the covering.

Small Staple Gun (or Flat Thumbtacks) - Very helpful in re-attaching the "cheese cloth" covering to the bottom of the box springs.

If you don't have a staple gun, you can use flat thumb tacks in a pinch. You may want a hammer to tap them in place. No one is going to see the bottom of you box springs anyway, so no worries.

Quick Tips On Where To Look

- Seams of mattresses - Bed Frame

- Bed Board

- Furniture

- Electronics

- Between Carpet & Baseboards

Note - If you don't have exactly what's listed here, just improvise. For example, sometimes you can gently tug at the "cheese cloth" covering and pull it away without tearing it.

The thing is take some action. Also if you find any bugs, keep a sample. An easy way to do this is take a piece of tape and "pick up" the bug with that. If you decide to call in a professional it is very helpful to have a sample to show.

There is so much that goes into doing a complete inspection, it can't all be covered in a short article like this, but I hope you have the information you need to at least get started.

Now you know how to check for bed bugs. Inspection is always the first step in any prevention and control program. Once you what you're dealing with, then you can move on to the next step of your streatment plan with confidence.