Bedbugs are survivors. After a good blood feast, they can go an entire year without feeding. Females lay hundreds of eggs in their lifetimes. They are not without their weaknesses though. High temperatures will kill them easily, and they cannot survive underwater. If you can, dismantle your furniture and soak them in very hot water. The addition of some detergent will be quite useful. Your clothes and whatever items that could conceivably be habitats for bedbugs must be washed. Soak them after washing. Sun all items after soaking.
Most of these critters will be found in your bed, especially inside pillows, seams of mattresses, and wood frames; they like to live near their food source. They can also be found in cupboards nearby, especially if these are made of wood and are quite old. Believe it or not, wall cracks and crevices are also known hiding places. After removing all the furniture in your room for heat and water treatment, remember to inspect ALL areas in your room. Do not forget your wooden door and ceiling. You don't want to miss a spot and end up resuming your suffering a month after you move your things back in.
Normal insecticides are useless against bedbugs. You need special sprays to eliminate them. Go to your neighbourhood provision shop or NTUC outlet and ask the auntie/uncle for bedbug sprays. A small bottle of spray (less than 500 ml) can cost you around $15 but it is highly effective. A drop on a bedbug will kill it instantly. You may need to buy several bottles.
If you have a cat or a dog you allow to roam around the house, you should stop it from going into the affected areas. Grab your pet and give it a really good wash. As bedbugs live on blood, your furry friend could carry the critters. You don't really want bedbugs to spread all over your house.
If all else fail, you may have to throw away your furniture. Of course, calling a professional pest exterminator is probably the best way to end your bedbug problem, but given the resilent nature of these pests, success cannot be guaranteed.
