EPA's Bedbug Advice

Never let it be said that the federal government fails to provide news you can use in daily life. Well, hopefully this falls into the category of news you won't have to use, but you get the point.

If you have a nasty bedbug problem, the Environmental Protection Agency has some advice for you: Don't go overboard with the pesticides.

"Because bed bug infestations are so difficult to control," the agency says in a consumer alert, "there have been situations where pesticides that are not intended for indoor residential applications have been improperly used or applied at greater rates than the label allows. While controlling bedbugs is challenging, consumers should never use, or allow anyone else to use, a pesticide indoors that is intended for outdoor use, as indicated on the label."

The good news? "Unlike most public-health pests, ... bedbugs are not known to transmit or spread diseases." Non-chemical ways of controlling them include removing clutter where they can hide, using special mattress covers and sealing up cracks and crevices in your home.