After writing how to get rid of roaches?, how to get rid of fruit flies?, how to get rid of ants?, and how to get rid of fleas?, we are now writing home remedies to get rid of bed bugs naturally. Bed bugs are small, wingless insects that feed on the blood of animals and human. They crawl out at night and bite you, when you sleep and leave behind red, itchy bumps. They can’t fly but they can move quickly over floors, walls, and ceilings. As they are not attracted to dirt, a bed bugs infestation has nothing to do with your personal cleanliness. Getting bed bug bites are every individual’s worst nightmare, especially if it is your own bed at home. It can bite at all possible areas in your body, causing itching, rashes and blisters around the affected area.
The fear of the thought that the crawling, creepy pests are hiding in your bedroom is good enough to keep you awake throughout the night. With an intention to make your sleep peaceful, we are explaining the best home remedies to get rid of bed bugs naturally to free your bed and rooms from bed bug attacks.You must inspect you whole house, before you start using the home remedies for bed bugs. Inspection will help you to decide that, which remedy you should for which area. So, before explaining the home remedies for bed bugs, the first step is about inspection for bed bugs.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Naturally
1.) Inspection Before You Start
Before you choose any home remedies to get rid of bed bugs naturally, it is very important to do the inspection. The first thing before choosing anything or apply anything is to perform an inspection and note it down. You should inspect and see how much is the infestation and accordingly choose the best home remedy for bed bugs. When you are inspecting for these creatures, check for live and dead bugs, rusty stains caused by the bugs being crushed, small spots of reddish black fecal material, cream colored tiny eggs and pale yellow skins that nymphs shed as they grow.
- The most common places where they hide are in your mattresses, cushion, behind the headboards, in the folds of curtains, along carpet edges, the junction where the wall and ceiling meet, under loose wallpaper, in electrical receptacles, crack in wood molding and other dark cracks.
- Bed bugs most often seen, where people sleep because you are their source of food. Also, remember that they tend to prefer wood or fabric over plastic and metal.
- When you will inspect them make a note of inspection and disinfect that infested areas also. Seal up any cracks or hole around baseboards and molding that the bed bugs might be using to hide.
2.) Silica Gel To Starve Them
Silica gel is among the best home remedies to get rid of bed bugs easily and naturally. More over silica will not harm anyone in your family, unless otherwise someone eat silica. The fine grind silica gel will get stick with bed bugs skin and can’t be removed easily. This will dehydrate the bed bug and causes them to death. For this, you need to grind some silica gel and apply it all over your bedroom. You can easily get the silica from nearby store or online. You have seen the silica pouches, when you purchased any new electronics or home ware. Silica is kept in that to keep the moisture away from those items. Any this silica property will help to suck everything from bed bugs. You can put some silica gel along the walls, around the bed and on your mattress and under your mattress. Do the inspection after a week and replace the silica gel after 4-5 weeks.
3.) Make Use of Lemongrass
Lemongrass power is a successful and powerful home remedy for bed bugs. It works very well against the bed bugs and killing the bed bugs their eggs. You can use the lemongrass oil , instead of powder. Both work in similar manner but power stays for long time then oil. Lemongrass power will release oil and bed bugs comes over them and expands the acidic level inside the bugs to a disturbing degree. Bed bugs are such pesticides, which cannot handle the acidic level in their body and even they can live in acidic environment. This outcome in making the bed bugs dead.
Their eggs are excessively killed through the utilization of lemongrass. These bugs need ideal conditions with a specific end goal to survive. There is a certain degree of temperature, acidic level, odor and a particular environment, which is suitable for the bed bugs to survive and reproduce as well. They can’t withstand certain smells, acidic levels and inordinate warmth. Therefore, lemongrass is a compelling home solution to get rid of bed bugs.
4.) Take Help From Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the kitchen staple that you can use to get rid of bed bugs. The best part is that it is safe for your pet and children as well. Baking soda has drying properties that helps to absorb the moisture from bed bug body and starve bed bugs to death. In addition to this, it has antimicrobial properties that kills the bed bugs. Once you check for bed bugs, spread baking soda in the crevices, cracks and wherever you identify their symptoms of presence. Leave it for a night and clean the place next day. Spread the baking soda again next day. You can leave the baking soda below and above mattress and whenever bed bugs comes in contact with baking soda, it will stick to their body and suck everything from their body. Repeat the same until you get satisfactory results.
5.) Use The Hot Steam Treatment
Even if you remove bed bugs using hot water and washing of the fabrics in your bedroom, you may not be able to kill the eggs laid inside the mattresses. And once, you leave them unattended, they may give life to new bed bugs, which will again create nuisance. Therefore, it is better to get rid of the last trace of infection by cleaning the mattresses to hot steam. The eggs cannot survive hot steams and destroying them will help you to sleep without any nightmare.
Steam cleaners emit steam at a minimum temperature of 100 degrees Celsius and bed bugs generally die at eh 50 degrees Celsius or about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Steam clean your infested mattress, upholstery and the items that cannot be washed. You can go for dry steam or a low vapor steamer that leaves behind less moisture.
6.) Make Use of The Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is another effective home remedy for bed bugs. It help keep the bed bugs away from your bed due to its strong and pungent smell. So, you can spray the oil all around your bed and any other infected areas to get rid of bed bugs from attacking you while you are in deep sleep. Take all beds components apart, then clean, vacuum and hot steam the infected areas and spray them all down with the tea tree oil. Use the spray bottle to spray around the entire house. To make this spray mix 18 oz of water with 18 drops of tea tree oil and spray this solution to the entire house. The beds, carpets, and furniture.
You can even use wintergreen alcohol to kill the bed bugs instantly. It is not expensive and easily accessible. You need to pour the wintergreen alcohol into a spray bottle and spray the solution directly on the bedbugs and nests. The wintergreen burns the bugs, when they come in contact. You can also drench your box spring and mattress with this as well to prevent bed bugs.
7.) Use The Lavender Oil
It is said that lavender oils are natural and very effective as bed bug repellents. The smell or taste of the herb repels the nasty creature in no time. To apply it most effectively, put dried lavender between two cloth pieces and sew them around the bed perimeter. Lavender oil is also easily available in the health food stores. It’s in concentrated liquid form and its fragrance lasts for a few weeks. So, in order to prevent your body from bed bug attacks, all your bed frame and floor can be rubbed with lavender oil to get rid of bed bugs.
8.) Spraying Some Isopropyl Alcohol
Rubbing alcohols are generally used to disinfect the bitten area of your body. You can also use it by spraying the alcohol in the areas, where the bed bugs thrive. It helps to clean the infected areas. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on the eggs of the bugs and kills them. Sprinkle some alcohol on the bugs to kill them instantly. However, the effect of sprinkling alcohol will remain only for a shorter time. A solution of 70-90% isopropyl is preferred to kill bed bugs. Pour alcohol in a spray bottle to use it on the bed bugs and eggs.
9.) Sprinkling Diatomaceous Earth
The main ingredients in the diatomaceous earth are the soil, which is made up of the tiny fossils of algae. The jagged edges of this soil, cut the bugs and they succumb to death due to excessive bleeding. Therefore, you can sprinkle the diatomaceous earth around your bed and protect yourself from its attack. It is harmless to human, its tiny particles cut the waxy shells of bed bugs can cause them to become dehydrated and die. You need to spread a small amount of this chalky substance around your house, including areas, where the wall meets the floors, behind light switch face plates, where carpet meets the walls behind picture frames, on baseboards and into all the cracks and crevices.
You will also like to dismantle your bed and lightly dust the powder on all the joints and crevices. Make sure to use food grade diatomaceous earth. A light dusting will come, if you will use a lot of diatomaceous earth and it becomes airborne. You also need to wear a dust mask to avoid getting an fine particles in your lungs. As long as it stays dry, diatomaceous earth will continue to work even for after months.
10.) Use The Vacuum Cleaner
Once the fabrics are washed properly, try to vacuum out the dreaded creatures from your computers, tables, wardrobes, cots, mattresses, etc. Bed bugs love hiding in corners or cracks which are generally inaccessible and need to be sucked out with the application of vacuum.
Vacuum the carpet floor and your entire house, mainly the areas that are infested. Also vacuum your entire mattress, box spring, bed frame and joints. As wood and fabric are bed bugs favorite places. Make sure to vacuum items made of these materials, even the ends of your curtains. Try to cover all the cracks and holes before vacuuming so they can’t run there to hide. Try to vacuum your house at least once a week.
11.) Cayenne Powder Will Help
Another home remedy that will help you to get rid of bed bugs is cayenne paper. It has antimicrobial properties that kills the bed bugs. So, once you have checked for bed bugs and found them take a tablespoon of the cayenne powder, grated ginger and oregano in a bowl. Add some boiling water into this mixture. Pour this mixture into the spray bottle and shake bottle to mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Spray this solution at all the places that are often visited by the bed bugs. The smell of this mixture will drive the tiny creatures and they won’t be able to breath.
11.) Use the Indica Leaves
Indica leaves have been used to treat the infestation of bed bugs and roaches since ages. It has antimicrobial properties that helps to eradicate these small creatures. In addition, the leaves have strong smell that is not liked by the bed bugs. Crush some Indica leaves and spread it around the suspected places. Alternatively, a boiling water add some Indica leaves. Leave it for a few minutes. Later strain the solution and take a bath with this. This will help to treat bed bug bites. In addition to this, you can use Indica oil to get rid of bed bugs.
12.) Sun Bathing For Items
As specified above, bed bugs cannot tolerate high temperatures and hot weather. You ought to sun-douse your bedding for the duration of a complete day if steaming your bed does not work to get rid of bed bugs.
- Sunlight and radioactive waves are very beneficial to avoid bed bugs. More than 90 degrees Fahrenheit temperature is all what is needed for killing these parasites.
- When you hold your sleeping cushion under the open sun, it warms up to more temperature than 90 degree Fahrenheit. This surely kills all the bed bugs and their eggs too.
- In the event that you are living in a tropical atmosphere, it is a lucky charm for you to use the sunlight as a natural remedy as the sunlight is very intense in the tropical areas.
- Wash all your garments and cot related apparel in boiling hot water and dry them in immediate daylight. Bugs can’t resist to the hot temperatures and have a tendency to bite the dust.
13.) Use The Cloves Oil
Cloves have pungent smell and acidic pH that rip off the moisture from the bed bugs body. Since bed bugs cannot stand the acidic condition created by cloves therefore, they die. Simply spread clove oil into all the crevices and infested areas. You can also place some cloves in all the nooks and corners to get rid of the bed bugs. However, clean the area later so that it does not come in the contact with pets and children.
14.) Spread Some Mint Leaves
Once you have check for bed bugs, you can use mint leaves to get rid of bed bugs. Meant leaves are considered to be repellents thus it is wonderful remedy to get rid of bed bugs. In addition to this, you should always keep mint leaves handy to prevent the infestation of bed bugs. Crush some dried mint leaves and spread them at the areas where you suspect bed bugs or where you have identified their symptoms. The best way is put dry mint leaves in the sashes and place them on the mattresses and closets. This is the safest way to use mint. Or simply spray mint oil on every nook and corner.
15.) Use The Pyrethrum
Pyrethrum is combination of dried flower. For this you need heads of C, Coccineous and chrysanthemum. Both the flowers are natural insecticides. It will breakdown their nervous system. Thus, this is one of the wonderful home remedy to get rid of bed bugs. However, if you find difficult to get this concoction then simply use an insecticide that has pyrethrum as a main ingredient or canola oil to cure bed bugs infestation.
16.) Use Black Walnut Tea
This is one of the safe herb and natural remedy to get rid of bed bugs. Black walnut tea is believed to be natural insecticide and repellent. Moreover, it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that destroys bed bugs. Sprinkle some dried black walnut tea on the infested areas or you can also place tea bags at the suspected areas such as creases of the bed, corners of the room, closet area etc. Alternatively, in a bowl mix lavender, mint leaves, sweet flag, thyme and black walnut. Pour this mixture into the sachet and hide this sachet at the conspicuous areas they are visited by bed bugs. The strong aroma of this mixture will definitely work in your favor.
17.) Use The Scented Sheets
The smell of scented sheets is appalling to the bed bugs as they cannot tolerate different nature of smells. The bed bugs are fond of surviving in normal environment, which has a certain level of heat and odor. If you put the scented sheets under your mattress, between the pillows and inside your cupboards as well, it may help to get rid of the bed bugs through the unfavorable smell. The smell created by the scented sheets cannot be tolerated by the bed bugs to survive.
The idea of buying scented sheets is a novel idea, which is not known by many people. Many people hesitate from using some natural home remedies like using garlic or turmeric powder because they may not like the smell of that particular remedial product. But the smell of the scented sheets may not be unfavorable for the human beings to adjust in but it definitely is not appalling for the irritating parasites.
The scented sheets are available in different scents of flowers and fruits, which can make the environment of your room refreshing, but intolerable for the bed bugs at the same time. So you can easily adopt this simple and a very comforting way to get rid of the bed bugs.
18.) Use The Lilac Leaves
Lilac is also one of the great home remedies to get rid of bed bugs easily. To use this method, take few lilac leaves, crush them and place on the prone area. The antimicrobial properties and smell of this plant helps destroy bed bugs excellently. Alternatively, you can also boil some handful of leaves in water for 15 mins. Strain the water and bath with this solution. It will help reduce the infection on the skin. Also, it will keep bed bugs away from you.
19.) Use The Thyme Sticks
Thyme also works great in dealing with bed bugs and other sort of insects. To use this method, put some thyme sticks in a cotton cloth and burn it in each of your room and close to the infested area in order to prevent bed bugs. Alternatively, you can also place this cotton cloth, in the mattress, cupboards, corners under the sofa, under the cushions and other places. Make sure you replace these bags after every 3 days.
20.) Encase Your Mattresses and Pillows
Once you have cleaned, hot water washed and steam washed your mattresses, you may take help of encasement as a last option. With proper encasing of mattresses, bed bugs may not be able to find escape routes easily. You might as well encase the pillows to prevent bites on your face and neck areas.
21.) Wash All Your Fabrics
Any clothes or items coming in contact with the infected bed like linens, shirts, bed sheets, etc. need to be washed properly with hot water. Bed bugs cannot withstand very hot water and the easiest way to kill them is to use extremely hot water while washing infected items.
Try to wash your infested clothes and bedding from hot water and dry them on a hot cycle is effective way to get rid of bed bugs. A temperature of 50 degrees Celsius or 120 degrees Fahrenheit can help to kill these bed bugs at all stages of their life cycle. Wash all your clothes, sheets and other bedding at the hottest possible setting for about 30 minutes or more. Then place all the clothes in the dryer and run it on high heat for about 10-20 minutes. For items that can only be dry cleaned, use a hot dryer for at least half an hour.