You should get rid of bedbugs because they have irritating bites that prevent you from enjoying your sleep, they are embarrassing, they emit foul odor, they leave red spots on sheets, and they are difficult to get rid of once you have an infestation. Important tips that will help you prevent a bedbug infestation are good sanitation, eliminating clutter, and cleaning beddings and other fabrics regularly. Conduct research on the hotel you are staying in to ensure there is no bedbug problem. There are many suggestions of how to get rid of bed bugs, but it is important that you separate the chuff from the wheat since some do not work.
Washing clothes that have bedbugs will not work unless the temperature of the water is above 120°F. This means steam cleaning is the only option if you want to kill bedbugs and their eggs by cleaning. You could also kill them by freezing the fabrics. Note that most pesticides are not effective against bedbugs. You could rub alcohol on the bedbugs and their eggs, but this would mean finding all of them. You could use residual insecticides like pyrethroids, but this is not a good option if you have kids or pets around. This option is also disadvantageous in that results will come after about two weeks.
You could read independent reviews in home improvement magazines, get recommendations or join online discussion forums for tips on effective methods. You could follow an IPM (integrated pest management) approach for the best results. Although you will spend more, an exterminator is best suited to follow an IPM approach since exterminators have the experience, the training, the contacts, the supplies, and the equipment necessary. Hiring an exterminator is also advantageous in that you will get tips on how to get rid of bedbugs when he/she is gone, and on preventing another infestation.
