Home Remedies For Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are a common problem in many houses. People have been plagued with infestation of bed bugs since times immemorial. The only effective way of getting rid of bed bugs is by killing the pests and destroying their eggs.

Bed bugs are very small, almost microscopic, in size. They are usually red in color due to the blood that they suck from the living bodies. Bed bugs hide themselves well in mattresses and other fabrics. So to treat the problem of bed bugs you will have to sanitize the entire house. Here are a few simple and effective home remedies for getting rid of bed bugs.

1. Vacuuming the entire Space

Vacuuming will not get rid of all the bed bugs. Some bed bugs hide themselves really well within the fabric and are difficult to be pulled out through the mere power of suction of the vacuum cleaner. But it is possible to remove maximum number of bed bugs by simply vacuuming beds, sofas, chairs, tables, curtains and other fabrics likely to be infested with bed bugs. Vacuuming will also deprive the bed bugs of the dead skin cells and other dirt that they usually feed on for nourishment. With no food for sustenance the bed bugs will die.

2. Spraying Insecticide

Never use the insecticides that are used in farms to spray inside the house. These are harmful and should never be inhaled. Besides, the insecticides are loaded with chemicals that can harm the skin when they come in contact with the skin via insecticide leftovers on fabrics. Some of the sprays used to kill the house insects are dangerous and should not be used for killing bugs.

The best insecticide to use for bed bugs is diatomaceous earth. This insecticide does not give out harmful fumes and is no threat to human and animal life. The insecticide resembles a chalk and is made from fossilized plankton. Diatomaceous earth effectively helps get rid of the bed bugs with regular use.

3. Indian Lilac

Indian Lilac or ‘neem’ is an Indian tree with plenty of medicinal properties. The leaves of the tree are bitter in taste and have antifungal and antibacterial properties that are effective for killing insects such as bed bugs as well. Take a bucket of hot water and add leaves of Indian lilac in the water. now dip the infested fabrics including sheets, pillow covers, towels, curtains and clothes. you should even soak all the soft toys in the house.

Let the Indian lilac work its bitter medicine on the bed bugs for 45-60 minutes. Now take the clothes out and wash them in a strong detergent. To treat the mattresses and other immovable objects like sofas simply spread clean leaves of Indian lilac on the surface and below it.

Photo Credit: Gettingridofthings.com

For example, to rid the mattresses of bed bugs put leaves of Indian lilac below the mattress and above the mattress before spreading a sheet over it. Do the same with sofas and cushions. The bed bugs will be tempted to feed on the leaves of Indian lilac and the bitter taste of the leaves will effectively kill them.

Boil 100 grams of Indian lilac tea in hot scalding water for about 7-10 minutes. Cool the water and strain it. Use the resulting liquid as a last rinse during your bath. Do this daily at night before going to bed. The bed bugs will steer clear of your body and will not be tempted to suck your blood.

4. Hot iron

Take clothes iron and heat it. Now start ironing all the fabrics within site especially the fabrics that you know are majorly infected with bed bugs. Also make it a point to hot iron all your bed sheets, pillow covers, clothes and curtains. Extreme temperature is known to kill the bed bugs. For this reason, it is generally advised that mattresses, carpets, drapes and other upholstery be gotten rid of bed bugs by placing them outside under hot sun or by putting them out in cold harsh climate.

5. Hot dryer

Putting the fabrics in the dryer of the washing machine will also help remove the bed bugs to a considerable extent. The dry heat of the dryer will kill the bed bugs and their eggs.

6.  Sealed Plastic bags

Once you wash your clothes, curtains and other fabrics do not put them back in their place again for a while. Instead pack and seal them in plastic bags. Put leaves of Indian lilac in the plastic bags to ensure no infestation takes place. Let all your fabrics remain in plastic bags until you are able to get rid of the bed bugs and their eggs successfully.

7. Freeze

Just like extreme heat, extreme cold conditions will also kill the bed bugs and destroy their eggs. Hence if possible put your sealed fabrics in either cold store rooms or your freezer. However, this might not be a very practical solution especially since there isn’t enough storage in freezers. So you next best bet is to wash everything in extremely cold water. For this you will have to either freeze or buy plenty of ice because you will have a lot of things that will require sanitization.

The home remedies for bed bugs might not always work out if the area for treatment is too large. If the bed bugs are confined to one area like your mattress or your cupboard they can be easily treated making use of the home remedies. Professional insecticide services should be used if the bed bugs are hard to rid of.

These services are expensive but are effective with their treatment. The insecticides sprayed for the removal of bed bugs will also successfully destroy their eggs so that the problem of bed bugs is stopped for once and for all. However, a good idea is to get the treatments going at the slightest possibility of any bed bugs infestation. Professional insecticide services will advise you to get your house sanitized once every six months to remove any possibility of infestation of bed bugs.