Whenever we hear the word bedbugs, chills run down our spine, we know they’re a nightmare to get rid of and are simply disgusting.
Bedbugs are small parasites that feed on our blood and dead skin cells and are so tiny that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
They’re oval, brownish parasites with a flat body that turns red and swells when they’ve fed. Bed bugs are more active at night but are not entirely nocturnal.
The female bedbugs can lay thousands of eggs during one lifetime as they reproduce awfully quickly.
These eggs are as big as a speck of dust which can easily be brought to your home through used furniture, baggage, used bed, linens, clothing and so on.
Bed bugs can cause serious problems as they can cause rashes, allergies and even psychological problems in certain cases.
How to tell if you have bed bugs at home?
The most common symptom people with bed bugs experience is an itching sensation all over their body first thing they get up from bed.
The itching place is where the bug has bitten you and sometimes these places become reddish and swollen as a result. There can even be blood stains on your sheets and pillows from the bites.
The bed bugs’ feces are another sign that you’ve got a bed bug infestation.
Look for these among your sheets and mattress.
They secrete a musty odor from their scent glands, so this is another sign you probably have a problem with bed bugs.
Since they’re small and flat they can move rather quickly and hide in places like the mattress, the headboard, box springs and bed frames.
As time passes by they can scatter around the bedroom and cause serious infestation problems.
Getting rid of bed bugs
So you’ve got bed bugs? Don’t worry it’s not the end of the world, they may be a nuisance and difficult to eliminate but be patient, it may take a while but there’s a way to get rid of them.
The main thing you need to do is clean every corner of your house where you found these parasites. Wash and dry the linens, bedding, curtains, clothing and everything else you think needs washing.
Then vacuum your entire house thoroughly, including the furniture and furnishing. This needs to be done regularly. When you finish vacuuming remove the bag and throw it out in the garbage immediately.
You can also try freezing the infested items at -17C as they cannot survive these temperatures.
Steam is a good idea as well, as it can get into all the crack and crevices and terminates the bed bugs. Use 60C to clean the infested areas.
Home Remedies For Bed Bugs
You can get rid of bed bugs with certain alternative remedies as well, we recommend using essential oils as they are quite effective.
Here are the best natural remedies for bed bugs:
1. Diatomaceous Earth
This is a no-toxic insecticide that we commonly use against pests in the garden and the house. It’s completely safe and natural and can be used in the unreachable places around the house. Just sprinkle the food grade diatomaceous earth around the house, on the bed, the floor and everywhere where you think these pests may reside. Leave it on for 3 days and vacuum the entire house afterwards. Throw the vacuum bag in a garbage bag and throw it outside in the garbage.
2. Tea Tree Oil Spray
Studies show that tea tree oil is super effective against insects. Mix it with some water and create your own homemade anti-bed bugs spray. Combine 2tsp. of tea tree oil with 50ml of water and pour the mixture in a small spray bottle. Spray this mixture wherever you think bed bugs may live, spray it every day until there are no more bugs. Just shake the bottle before every use.
3. Clove Oil
Clove oil is a powerful insect repellent with insecticidal properties. Thanks to the clove’s acidic pH and its pungent smell it destroys these parasites effectively. Mix 1tsp. of clove essential oil with 1 cup of water and pour the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray as needed.
4. Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is a powerful natural insecticide that is effective against bedbugs. Its bug-eliminating properties are mostly owed to its smell. But it also acts as a cytotoxin, killing the parasites almost instantly.
Mix 10-15drops of lavender oil with 50ml of water and pour the mixture in a spray bottle. Shake it well and spray it around the house.
A combination of peppermint and lavender is also very effective. Mix 15 drops of peppermint and 15 drops of lavender essential oil and transfer the mixture in a spray bottle. Shake well before use and spray it everywhere.
5. Thyme
Thyme oil or thymol concentrate is an excellent bed bug repellents and deterrents as well. Using thyme to repel insects is not as simple as the previous remedies but you’ll get the hang of it, we’re sure.
Tie a thyme stick in a cotton cloth and burn it in your bedroom or anywhere else where you feel there’s a bedbug infestation.
You can also put a bunch of thyme leaves in small net bags and place these bags in the infested areas. Replace the bags every three days and repeat the procedure for a month until the bedbugs are eliminated.
6. Citronella Spray
Citronella or lemongrass is an essential oil with amazing insecticide properties, killing both the bedbugs and their eggs. It increases the acidity within the bugs and eliminates them from within.
Add 10 drops of the oil in a small bowl with water and pour the remedy in a small spray bottle. Shake well and spray it all around the house.
7. Bean Leaves
Studies show that bean leaves contain trichomes, which are microscopic hairs, on the surface which hook onto the bedbugs’ legs and trap them.
Scatter some kidney bean leaves around the house everywhere you think bedbugs reside. Place some under your mattress as well. Leave them around for a few days before throwing them out and replacing them with new ones.
The bugs will be trapped in the leaves and thrown outside in the garbage, eliminating them for good.
8. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil is a widely used product in the cosmetic industry, in perfumes, pharmaceuticals and other products. But it’s also very powerful as an insect repellant.
Mix 30 drops of eucalyptus essential oil with 2 ounces of water and 1,5 ounces of witch hazel or vodka. Transfer the liquid in a spray bottle and spray every corner of your house. Continue spraying every 4 hours while you’re at home.
9. Sweet Flag
Sweet flag is a semi-aquatic, perennial plant, native to Eurasia and America. Its medicinal and insecticidal properties make is a rather popular plant.
Recent studies show that it has antimicrobial and antifungal properties which make it an effective bedbug destroyer.
Boil a liter of water and add 100gr. sweet flag and 50gr turmeric. Let it simmer for an hour and transfer the mixture in a container with a lid.
Store it for a day before you dilute the mixture with water in 1:10 ratio. Spray your entire house with the mixture.
10. Orange Essential Oil
Orange essential oil is the last powerful natural bedbug insecticide on our list.
To create your very own spray mix 2 ounces of orange essential oil, 4l of water, 1 ounce molasses and 1 cup of compost tea. Shake well and spray your house with the mixture. The bed bugs will be eliminated instantly.
11. Neem Oil
For a long time, the neem oil is used for different insecticidal and medicinal properties. In fact, the seeds, the leaf and the tree, everything is used for medicine and is very beneficial.
According to studies, the cold pressed neem oil can repeal a lot of pests, and it is highly toxic.
Also, it has high properties when it comes to larval growth inhibition.
How to Make
To make your own spray, in 4 ounces of water put 1 ounce of concentrated neem oil. Also, put ½ tsp. of soap to emulsify the mixture.
You will need to mix well. Take the mixture and put it in a spray bottle.
You can use it to spray and wipe walls, sheets, beds, and crevices. Use it in all places where the bed bugs hide.
In the first 3 days, you will need to spray 3 times per day. Then for 18 days, you will need to use this solution, but you will only need to do that every alternate day.
The essential oils are effective when it comes to eliminating bed bugs because they act as cytotoxins. Which means that they destroy the membranes of the bed bugs.
Start today and stay safe from bed bugs.