Like most property owners, you probably want to keep bed bugs out of your house. The incidence of bed bug infestations is on the rise, and once they take hold, they can be challenging to eradicate. So, how do you keep those pesky bed bugs away? There are several alternatives, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages to consider. Here, we'll discuss several methods for warding off bedbugs and offer advice on which one might work best for you.
Bed Bugs: What Are They?
They come out to play and seek refuge in the shadows when the sun goes down. However, they prefer to feast on your skin, which they can easily access from your mattress. Because of their bites, you might not be able to get enough rest. How, then, do you quickly eliminate bed bugs? Can conventional remedies help them? To put your mind at ease, we'll reveal some tried-and-true methods for removing bed bugs quickly and easily around the house.
Warning Signs For Bed Bugs
These tiny insects are problematic because they are challenging to detect. There are, however, indicators that can help you determine whether or not bed bugs have taken up residence in your mattress.
Those rusty or red stains on your mattress or pillows are probably just dried blood from bedbugs.
Bed bug egg shells look like specks of white or ivory and can be laid anywhere, including on your mattress, carpet, and furniture.
Tiny dark stains or black dots on a mattress or bed may be faeces or the skin of younger bugs shedding.
Additionally, the suggestions above are the home's features that bedbugs find most attractive. They consist of the following:
Bed bugs are attracted to the excess carbon dioxide produced by respiration, which is at its highest after midnight.
Home walls are toasty, so in the event of dampness or moisture, our dwellings become an inviting environment. The same logic applies to their consumption of animal and human blood. As our bodies are always toasty, we cook up a snack for them.
Bedding in dark colours is preferable because it provides bed bugs with a more concealing environment.
Natural Precautions To Take When Treating Bed Bugs
Some prefer DIY methods because they are less expensive and safer than pesticides and insecticides. You may have tried mothballs or other home remedies to ward off these pests, but unfortunately, many of these solutions are ineffective. Avoid these phrases and expressions in your writing:
Mothballs: While effective in preventing moths from destroying your clothing and linens, mothballs are ineffective against bed bugs.
Bed bugs can quickly reproduce, so even if you spray rubbing alcohol on hiding spots, you may only kill some of the pests. You shouldn't spray rubbing alcohol on your mattress or couch because it can catch fire.
Some people think that the bed bugs will be gone if they wipe down their mattress and furniture with dryer sheets. No evidence suggests this will eliminate pests.
Home Treatments Worth Trying For The Pests That Call Your Bed Their Home
Is it true that there isn't any effective home treatment for bed bugs? Most of the time, you should let the professionals handle your bed bug problem. You can take steps to avoid bed bugs while waiting for an exterminator. You can reduce the risk of bedbugs in your home by taking certain steps.
Boiling Water
You should wash bedding, blankets, and clothing in hot, steamy water if bed bugs are suspected of having made a home. Due to the intense heat, these pests quickly become dehydrated and are easily eliminated through heat treatment. You can give your clothes and linens an extra heat boost by throwing them in the dryer. There is little hope for the bed bugs now.
Vacuum
Be sure to vacuum the mattress, the sofa, the coffee table, and any crevices you may find in the wall or wallpaper. As much as possible, you should also vacuum the box spring. If you notice any bugs or eggs on your mattress or other upholstered items, get a brush and gently brush them off. Please take out the vacuum bag, double-bag its contents, and then throw them away. While you're at it, clean the vacuum too.
De-clutter the house and give it a good vacuuming. By doing so, you can be sure that the bed bugs and their eggs have been eradicated.
Vacuum all carpets, rugs, mattresses, curtains, storage boxes, and shelves.
Washroom Purifier
Using a steam cleaner, you can also get rid of the bed bugs in your mattress and box spring. According to studies, the elimination of bed bugs can be accomplished in a short amount of time by using extreme heat. However, renting a professional steam cleaner or getting expert assistance is even better. Depending on your preferences, requirements, and financial situation, you can select either a hot or cold treatment or a chemical treatment.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a good option when looking for natural remedies to get rid of bed bugs because it is a chemical-free powder that can eliminate various pests, including bed bugs. Bed bugs are killed because they become too dehydrated to survive. Careful when using diatomaceous earth, as you can quickly inhale it. To avoid this, wear protective gloves and a face mask.
This item is a miracle worker against all kinds of insects, including fleas and other pests. To make it work, sprinkle it on the ground and in any crevices you can find. The fine powder contains tiny shards that kill insects, but it may take up to 10 days to take effect.
We caution you against giving it a whirl on your mattress, no matter how tempting that might seem. This is because even tiny fragments can cause significant damage if lodged in the lungs.
Sprinkle D.E. on the affected area and leave it there for 24 to 48 hours. It's a slow method, but it gets the job done!
Safer Brand Diatomaceous Earth is one that I would recommend getting if you need a D.E. for pest control. When I say that this stuff works, I mean it! It's safe to handle and won't make breathing hard, but keeping pets and kids away from it is a good idea because it's poisonous.
Thyme
You may be familiar with the practice of burning sage to exorcise a home, but what about using thyme to keep bedbugs at bay? You can drive bugs away from an infected area by burning a bundle of thyme that has been wrapped in a piece of cloth and set ablaze. This process will take time (haha) and must be repeated every few days until the pests are gone.
Always be cautious around fires. You can also kill them by setting fire to your home, though this is not a good idea.
Leave The Bedbugs Hungry.
Starving your bed bugs is an alternative if you don't mind going about things slowly and steadily.
Before anything else, you should give your bed good vacuuming. Next, obtain some Ziploc bags for your mattress and leave them on for about a week; this will prevent any bugs from escaping and feeding, eventually killing them.
To Make A Baking Soda.
Baking soda dehydrates and kills bed bugs. You can use baking soda to treat areas where you believe the pests are residing. Don't use the vacuum cleaner for a week after putting the powder on the floor. Repeat as often as necessary until there are no more bugs or eggs.
Since baking soda dehydrates bed bugs, you can use it to make infested areas uninhabitable. This method won't permanently eliminate them, and it's not exactly convenient because you'll have to vacuum up the baking soda afterwards, but it will work in a pinch.
To Be Clear, Silica Gel Is Used Here.
These little packets, typically used to keep food and shoes dry during shipping, may also be effective insecticides. To use, crush the beads into a powder and disperse them near the points of origin. Direct exposure and inhalation of silica are harmful, so you may want to avoid this technique if you have children or pets. In its place, you can use baking soda, which works similarly.
The Tea Is Made From Black Walnuts.
Black walnut tea has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and insecticidal properties that can contribute to getting rid of the infestation in your home. Please don't throw away your used black walnut tea bags; instead, put them in areas where bed bugs are likely to hide. It includes spaces such as those between floorboards and walls. You can use the dried tea leaves to rid your mattress and linens of bed bugs and their eggs by scattering them over the surface.
Baking soda can effectively eliminate bed bugs, which is yet another reason to keep some on hand at all times.
Bicarbonate of soda, when sprinkled on infested areas, is thought by some to physically dehydrate the bed bugs by drying out their skin, while others claim it is abrasive enough to cut them.
If something is practical and low-priced, then why not use it? Baking soda is a time-consuming treatment for bed bugs because it must be sprinkled and vacuumed repeatedly to be effective. That means the powder is more expensive than a typical home remedy.
Oil From The Tea Tree
Tea tree oil's antifungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties make it a better choice than rubbing alcohol. You can spray as much as possible because it is not harmful to your health, but the strong scent may put some people off.
Tea tree oil is not 100% effective against bed bugs, but it is a potent deterrent and can cover the scent of sweat, drawing them in. I suggest spraying your mattress and furniture with pure tea tree oil. For those particularly sensitive to the odour, you can add a small amount of water to weaken it.
Pepper, Or More Specifically, Cayenne
Even though this method won't kill bed bugs, the combination of ginger, cayenne pepper, and oregano essential oil is strong enough to drive the pests away. It can be helpful in conjunction with other strategies for pest management. Cayenne pepper, oregano oil, and grated ginger, each measured to a teaspoon, and a cup of water is all you need. Next, pour the liquid through a strainer into a spray bottle. Any room you suspect harbouring bed bugs should have the entire perimeter sprayed with the solution.
Lavender Or Peppermint Oil Spray
Lavender is commonly associated with rest, so it may be a surprise that you can use it to combat bed bugs. Like in tea tree oil, you can use lavender oil to spray on possible hiding places of bed bugs. Lavender essential oil is risk-free for human and animal consumption without adverse reactions. However, the intense aroma of peppermint oil can help deter these pests. If you mix the two, you have a natural spray that can help you eliminate bed bugs.
Borax
Borax suffocates bed bugs. Sprinkle borax over a mattress. In 24 hours, bed bugs will die. Borax won't kill bed bugs, but it will make them suffocate.
When washing clothes, add borax. Salty acid dries them out.
Rubbing Alcohol
Alcohol can end your bed bug problem once and for all. If you use a 90% alcohol dilution, you can kill bed bugs on contact. I put alcohol in a spray bottle and spray bed bugs when I spot them. I spray places they want to hide, like crevices where they can lay eggs.
However, note that inhaling alcohol is highly flammable and toxic to your health, so use caution.
Peroxide Of Hydrogen
You can kill bed bugs by spraying with a bleaching agent, but this method is not as effective as using isopropyl alcohol, and it leaves stains. As a contact killer spray, rubbing alcohol is preferable to hydrogen peroxide.
Vinegar
It's also the best home remedy to use in an emergency because most of us already have it.
It would help if you sprayed white distilled vinegar directly onto bed bugs around the perimeter of the infested area (such as underneath and around furniture). This way, even if they get away, it'll still douse them in vinegar.
Prevention Strategies
Preventing an infestation of bedbugs is much simpler than trying to get rid of them. If you want to avoid a bedbug infestation in your home, you can do things like:
Routinely vacuuming
Vacuuming is a quick and easy option if you have bedbugs and want to get rid of them. While regular vacuuming won't eliminate an infestation, it will help immensely.
Examine the used furniture market.
Before making a purchase, looking for evidence of bedbugs is essential.
If you discover bedbugs, you should know that eliminating them will be a significant undertaking.
When doing laundry, it's essential to take safety precautions.
Bedbugs can hitchhike on luggage, clothing, and other movable objects. When using a public laundry room, take precautions to avoid contracting a disease from a sick person.
Clothes should be transported to and from the laundromat in airtight plastic bags and should not be left out for extended periods.
Conclusion
Is there a tried-and-true method for keeping bed bugs at bay? Despite the plethora of possibilities, we suggest combining several approaches for the best outcomes. Diffusing essential oils like lavender and peppermint can help keep pests at bay, as can using diatomaceous earth around your bed and furniture and a regular vacuuming routine to get rid of leftover bugs or eggs. We'll send an expert if you can't get rid of these pests.
Content Summary
- Your goal, like that of most homeowners, is to prevent bed bugs from infesting your property.
- Here, we'll go over a few different approaches to bedbug prevention and offer suggestions for what might work best for you.
- Put your mind at ease as we discuss several time-tested strategies for eliminating bed bugs with minimal effort around the house.
- While waiting for an exterminator, you can take measures to protect yourself from bed bugs.
- You can also eliminate the bed bugs in your mattress and box spring by using a steam cleaner.
- The bed bugs can be killed and dehydrated with baking soda.
- If you're concerned about bed bugs, don't toss out your spent black walnut tea bags; instead, place them in places where the bugs are likely to hide.
- Pure tea tree oil is what you want to spray over your mattress and furniture.
- Cayenne Pepper, or Pepper in General
- The bed bugs won't be killed, but the ginger, cayenne pepper, and oregano essential oil mixture will keep them at bay.
- Lavender oil, like tea tree oil, can be sprayed on areas suspected of harbouring bed bugs.
- The mattress would benefit from a dusting of borax.
- Bleach-based pesticide sprays are effective against bed bugs, but they also leave behind unsightly stains and are not as safe as isopropyl alcohol.
- Rubbing alcohol, rather than hydrogen peroxide, is the better choice for a contact killing spray.
- Diffusing lavender and peppermint essential oils, using diatomaceous earth around your bed and furnishings, and vacuuming frequently can all help keep pests at bay.
- Bed bugs can be eradicated by spraying baking soda on affected areas.
- Baking soda is an instant kill for bedbugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lavender and peppermint repel bed bugs and other insects. A lavender and peppermint essential oil spray doesn't kill bed bugs on contact but repels them.
Baking soda is a popular bedbug remedy. Spraying baking soda on infected areas kills bed bugs. You can kill bedbugs instantly with baking soda.
White distilled vinegar isn't just for cleaning; it also kills bed bugs. Natural cleaners may work depending on the level of your bed bug infestation.
A new study finds that bedbugs, like flies and other insects, have favourite colours. They prefer dark red and black over white and yellow.
They can travel in luggage, purses, backpacks, and other soft items. They can move between apartments and hotels.