mattress and vacuumed them several times. Then I encased my mattress in a plastic cover. I also removed the supporting cross boards from my bed rails, killed every bed bug I could find, removed any eggs I saw (they are pretty easy to spot), washed the bed rails and cross boards, reattached them and then taped over the screw holes as this is where the bed bugs had been collecting. I checked the drawers in my wooden dresser, as well as the cracks in my wood floor in my bedroom, and thankfully found no evidence of bed bugs in either place. I vacuumed and washed the wood floor thoroughly as extra precaution. I checked for bed bugs along the bed rails from time to time during the following months and did so again today when I started writing this report. I'm happy to say they are gone for good! I probably picked them up when I was traveling so I'll have to be more careful about cleaning my luggage and clothes when I return from future trips.