Summarize the following:
Before trying to get rid of booklice, it's a good idea to ensure that you actually have them. Otherwise, your attempts to kill them may not work! You can identify booklice by their appearance and by where you find them. Booklice are small insects between 0.04 and 0.08 inches (1 and 2 mm) in length. The abdomen makes up the majority of the entire body. These insects come in a range of colors, from translucent to white, and from gray to brown. Booklice that live indoors do not have wings, but they do have relatively large mouthparts. Because booklice feed on mold, they're often found in warm, moist environments, such as near books and papers, under wallpaper, in pantries, and in open food and grain containers. One of the simplest ways to get rid of booklice from a home or other space is by throwing out infested items, such as books, boxes, stacks of paper, and food. Throw out any contaminated food items that you find, such as old cereal boxes, bags of flour, or grains and other items that aren't airtight. To kill booklice on infested items that you don't want to throw out, seal the items in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for one to two days. Then remove the bag from the freezer and vacuum the item to get rid of the dead booklice. Booklice love eating mold, and removing their primary food source is a great way to get rid of them. Mold isn't good for human health, so it's a good idea for your family and for your infestation to get rid of it. Mold grows where there's moisture, such as on food, in bathrooms and kitchens, in laundry rooms, and on paper products. When you see visible mold in your house, kill it by scrubbing the area with oxygen bleach, vinegar, or borax. There are some items, such as paper and books, that can't properly be disinfected without destroying the item. Throw out moldy items that can't be cleaned. Booklice need moisture to survive, so reducing the humidity in your house will kill them. Set up a few dehumidifiers, especially in damp areas like basements and bathrooms. Run them to remove moisture from the environment. To kill booklice, you'll have to get the humidity under 50 percent. Use a hygrometer to measure the humidity. Be sure to empty the reservoir on the dehumidifier when it becomes full. There can be lots of standing water in your house that leads to mold, and removing these will stop the primary food source from growing. To clean up and prevent standing water in your house: Fix any leaking or dripping pipes in the house Place removable trays under indoor plants to catch excess water Clean up spills immediately Use mats in front of showers and bathtubs Another way to remove moisture and prevent mold is to increase the ventilation inside. The best ways to do this is by opening windows whenever and wherever possible, and by running ceiling or standing fans to circulate air. Ventilation is particularly important in areas that are prone to moisture, such as basements, attics, and bathrooms. All bathrooms should be equipped with ceiling fans to remove moisture when showers and tubs are in use. Although booklice can destroy books, they don't bite and don't carry infectious diseases. Because of this, pesticides aren't usually necessary, especially because infestations can usually be controlled by reducing humidity and increasing ventilation. However, if you have a large and uncontrollable infestation, you may want to try a pesticide. For house-wide infestations, spray anywhere you've seen booklice, in all damp rooms and areas, along the foundation of the house, around window and door frames, and even the cracks and seams in bookshelves and pantries. Pesticides you can use include Tri-Die Aerosol, diatomaceous earth, Demand CS, and 565 Plus XLO.
Identify a booklice infestation. Remove infested items. Kill mold and mildew in the house. Run a dehumidifier. Eliminate water sources. Improve ventilation. Use pesticides as a last resort.