Have you ever woken up covered with unexplained red itchy marks? Well, you could have bedbugs in your home. While your mattress may be their favorite dine-in area, they tend to hide behind cracks, crevices, and dark corners. These tiny, blood-sucking pests can quickly infest your bedding, furniture, and even your clothes, causing itchy bites and wreaking havoc on your sleep. This post will discuss everything you should know about home remedies for killing bed bugs and getting rid of them from your home permanently.
Let’s dive in!
How to inspect your home for Bed Bugs.
If you suspect you have bed bugs in your home, don’t panic. Catching an infestation early can save you money and stress in the long term. To make your search easier, you should check some visual signs.
Bloodstains
If you see unexplained rust-colored stains on your sheets, it’s a sign you could have an infestation in your hands. Generally, these stains occur when you squash a fed bed bug.
Eggs
Another indicator is the presence of eggs or empty shells. The eggs are oval-shaped and can be 1mm in length. They look like tiny grains of rice. This means that tracking them down is going to take some detective work – you may need a magnifying glass. Keep in mind a female can lay up to 500 eggs in a lifetime.
The shell castings, on the other hand, are light brown in color and average 1-6 mm.
Fecal marks
Black or dark stains on your bed sheets could be dried bed bug feces. As you search, focus on the corners or mattress seams. You can also inspect any furniture around your bed.
Bedbug nymph
Bedbug nymphs can be about 1mm in length. They are normally whitish-yellow and may have a reddish-brown patch.
Since bed bugs thrive in a specific environment, if your walls are warm and damp, your house can be a welcoming spot for these pest. This also explains why they prey on human blood, due to it’s warmth. They can also lay hidden in dirty laundry.
Bed bugs can camouflage well in dark colored beddings, shades or linens, and thus the reason to to use white instead.
So, what are some home remedies for bed bugs?
Perhaps you’re asking yourself; what kills bugs permanently? What home remedies are the most effective? This section will uncover some home remedies to kill bed bugs.
Baking soda
Sprinkling baking soda around the infested areas sucks the fluids in the bug’s exoskeleton. The small granules of baking soda can also cause internal bleeding to the bed bug.
Due to the abrasive nature of baking soda, it is believed that it’s sharp enough to cut into the bed bug’s body. The only downside is that you have to vacuum afterward. Keep in mind that this is just a temporary solution.
Vinegar
Vinegar is rich in acetic acid that disrupts the bed bug’s nervous system. But you can’t use it as a standalone treatment. You can use it together with essential oils like lavender, peppermint, tea tree, cinnamon, and lemongrass. First, you have to make a homemade vinegar bug spray.
You can spray the vinegar directly or focus on the infested surfaces like furnishings, walls, and carpets. Also, you should pay attention to the corners. For the best results, you should repeat the process every week.
Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth is made from fossil remains of diatoms (marine algae). Because the particles are very small, it mimics the appearance of corn powder. Furthermore, this powdery substance has an abrasive and rough texture.
How does DE kill bed bugs? It works as a desiccant by waxing the outer shells of the bugs. After the coating is perforated, the moisture escapes, and the bugs eventually die.
How do you use diatomaceous earth to kill bed bugs?
First, you should wash your beddings in hot water.
Next, move the furniture away from the walls, and also ensure no part of the bed touches the walls.
Third, If you’re using other liquid sprays, ensure they are completely dry before using DE.
After that, identify the areas where the bugs could be hiding. This could be underneath the mattress, box screens, around the edges of the carpet, or on the legs of the bed.
Wear a mask and gloves to sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the problem area. Use enough to cover the surface – a brush can help to spread it evenly.
Repeat the process on the window seals, baseboards, and the spaces between the walls.
Finally, pour a thick ring of DE such that any bug that climbs into the bed must come into contact with it. You should clean the diatomaceous earth every seven days to eliminate most bed bugs.
According to one study by the University of Kentucky, DE is a silver bullet to solving your bed bug troubles. But here is the catch – diatomaceous earth should be used with care. It can cause respiratory issues when inhaled.
The type of DE you use also matters. You should focus on the garden or food-grade diatomaceous earth. It contains 1% crystalline silica and is effective at killing bed bugs. You may want to avoid pool-grade DE as it’s toxic to human health.
For the best results, you should not use DE as a standalone treatment. It could take 2-4 weeks to get the desired results.
Borax
Borax is a common household product that can kill bed bugs by suffocating them. First, you should remove the beddings and sprinkle some borax on the mattress. Next, fill up a plastic bottle and sprinkle it on the borax-covered mattress. Let the product do its magic for at least 24 hours. The bed bugs will have a challenge breathing which further leads to suffocation.
Alternatively, you can use hot water and borax to clean sheets and bedding. Since borax has a 1% concentration of boric acid, you should expect to see the results within five days.
Rubbing alcohol
Isopropyl is a simple solution for killing bed bugs. It works as a solvent by eating the bug’s outer shell away. . After the shell dissolves, the alcohol penetrates the inside to finish the job. Isopropyl alcohol is so effective that it dries the eggs and prevents them from hatching.
Here is the tricky part, alcohol only works on contact. Also, you have to spray the bugs directly. This can be overwhelming if you have an infestation.
Since bed bugs like to thrive on cracks and crevices, getting alcohol to such places is nearly impossible.
Use bed bug heat treatment
Heat is an effective remedy for killing bed bugs. It’s non-toxic and can destroy the lifecycle. First, you can wash the beddings with boiled water (above 140 F). For big items like mattresses, use the hottest setting. Don’t forget to pay attention to the crevices where bed bugs like to hide.
With heat treatment, it’s a matter of combining the right tools and following the right instructions. Between 125 to 140 degrees F, adult bed bugs can be eradicated. If you’re using a heater, it should be powerful enough to get your space to the desired temperature.
Bed bug freezing treatment
A lower temperature means less time to kill the bugs. Although it’s not practically possible to use low temperatures to kill the whole population, this method work wonders. Before you use this remedy, you should know that bed bugs are experts at hiding. First, you should set your freezers at 0 degrees F for at least four days. If you’re not sure of the temperature, you can use a remote thermometer to check.
Generally speaking, you can freeze non-washable items and then put them into plastic bags. After that, remove them and shake off the dead bugs.
Hydrogen peroxide
While hydrogen peroxide may be too mild to kill bed bugs, it can suffocate them leading to their death. But just like isopropyl alcohol, you should rub them directly on the bug’s skin. The tricky part is that bed bugs are so tiny that finding them can be a challenge. And despite the strong antiseptic properties, it won’t penetrate the egg shells.
Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is strong enough to deliver a death blow to bed bugs. It exhibits potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Plus, it doesn’t smell at all.
You can use tea tree oil in many ways, but the most important is checking the lethal dose. Some of the ways you can prepare for a deadly strike include:
Adding vinegar
If you want to increase the potency of tea tree oil, you can add vinegar. Since the odor takes time to dissipate, you should leave the windows open to let in clean air.
Use as spray
This method is by far the most effective. Simply put two drops of tea tree oil in a bottle, spray the problem area, and let it dry. Repeat the process 2-3 times a week until the infestation is over. Most bugs will die after getting in contact with water.
Pair with vacuuming
After you spray tea tree oil, use a vacuum cleaner to ensure no bed bug escapes.
Adding to a detergent
In severe infestations, you can use tea tree oil with your favorite detergent. You can repeat it 2-3 times before you dry the fabric.
Lavender and peppermint oil
This is a powerful combo for eliminating bed bugs. In Ayurveda medicine, peppermint oil is used as an insect repellent. And it smells lovely to humans. Lavender oil, on the other hand, won’t kill the bed bugs but will suffocate them. To prepare the solution, mix 10 drops of peppermint oil with 10 drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle and focus on areas where you suspect the bugs may reside. It’s advisable never to use any of these oils as a standalone treatment.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice that exhibits strong aromatic scents that can keep bed bugs at bay. For the best results, you can place a few sticks on the head of your headboard or bed legs. It’s worth mentioning that cinnamon won’t kill the bugs but can repel them.
Vacuuming
A vacuum is effective at removing a cluster of bed bugs. And you can use it in conjunction with other nonchemical controls. If you want to capture as many bugs as possible, ensure the suction is strong. You can use a crevice attached to the tool to ensure the bugs don’t wedge into the crevices.
As you vacuum, you should avoid pressing hard on the fabric. This could leave the bed bug eggs on the surface. Once you’ve finished, remove the vacuum bag and seal it with tape. Vacuuming is arguably the most effective bed bug home DIY removal method.
Benefits of using natural methods to remove bed bugs.
They are cost-friendly
Removing bed bugs can be costly, especially if you have to repeat the process several times. Unlike the use of chemicals, natural remedies are pocket friendly. The secret is to work within your budget. For instance, cinnamon is a popular kitchen ingredient that won’t get wasted.
They are easily available
Most of the kitchen ingredients are available at your local grocery store.
Safer than chemicals
Certain ingredients like baking soda and peppermint oil won’t cause any harm to your body. In contrast, insecticides have undesired side effects that can lead to poisoning. If you have children around, you must be careful where you place them.
aroma
The aroma of essential oils is breathtaking. They won’t only keep the bugs away but also leave the house smelling fresh.
Give long-term results
While not all natural remedies are the same, the most effective ones guarantee long-term results. Some require occasional use.
What home remedy kills the bed bugs permanently?
According to experts, heat is a surefire way to kill bed bugs for good. You can use a steam cleaner to kill any bed bugs hiding in fabrics or crevices.
How can you reduce bed bug infestations?
You can prevent future bed bug infestations by checking for signs of infestations, especially on your bedding. In addition, you should carefully vacuum floors and upholstered furniture. On each use, change the bag and seal it to avoid escape.
We all understand that Having bed bugs in your home can be a nightmare. These pesky pests like to hitchhike in warmer environments, especially in the winter. If you want to win the war on bed bugs, you can try any of the above home remedies. In the event that you where unable to eliminates all the bed bugs as a result of these remedies, it is time then to contact an exterminator, see a list of top local bed bug exterminators