Bedbugs are a nightmare for everyone. They are actually parasites that come from the cimicid family. Bed bugs are oval, small, and brownish insects that need blood in order to feed themselves.
There are some parasites from this cimicid family that need animal blood in order to feed. However, the most famous and common bed bug the so-called Cimex lectularius prefers human blood.
An adult parasite like the bed bug has a flat body; they have a similar look to the seed from the apple. But, once it feeds, the body of the bed bug swells and has a red color.
The bed bugs feed unnoticed.
It is believed that bed bugs are more active at night. However, these parasites are not nocturnal creatures. The female bedbug in its lifetime can lay hundreds of eggs.
The eggs are big as specks of dust. They can be easily brought to your home with the adults. How?
With used beds, clothing, luggage, used furniture, etc. These bed bugs are not able to fly, but they can move fast over ceilings, walls, and floors.
As a result of bites from bed bugs, you can have allergic symptoms, skin rashes, and in some cases even psychological problems.
Do You Have Bed Bugs in Your House?
An evident sign that you have bed bugs is if you have areas of your body that are itchy. You will notice this once you wake up, and if it starts itching that is probably the place where you have a bite from bed bugs.
In some cases, the itchy areas have small bumps that are usually red. You can also find out if you notice blood stains on your pillowcases and sheets.
Also, you can notice if there are feces on the bed from bed bugs and walls or bed linen, and in areas where they usually hide to have shed skins or eggshells. Another sign of bed bug infestation is the musty odor of the scent glands from the bugs.
Because of their flat bodies, they can quickly move and hide in tiny places like headboards, mattresses, bed frames, and box springs. They do not have nests, but they live in groups.
With time they scatter through the bedroom and can move to any protected location or crevice and also to adjoining rooms.
If you think that you have a bed bug infestation what you need to do is to remove all the dust and bedding covers, box springs, and blankets to look for signs of bed bugs.
Remember to look around the area around your bed like the electrical outlets, books, carpet edges, radios, and telephones.
How to Exterminate Bed Bugs
In case you found that there is a bed bug infestation know that you need to prepare in order to eliminate them.
It might take longer, but it will be worth it in the end.
You need to start cleaning the areas in your house where these parasites live. It is not that easy to do that.
You will need to wash and dry the bedding, clothing, linens, and curtains. Do this in hot water and after check if everything is free from bed bugs.
Also, you will need to vacuum the entire house, the furnishing, furniture, and linens on a regular basis.
After you are done vacuuming, remove the bag from the vacuum and put it in a plastic bag. Remember to throw it out in the garbage bin, not put it inside.
Another alternative is to freeze the bed bugs. They cannot survive in the case of freezing temperatures.
You can freeze the items that are infested for 2 hours at 1.4°F(-17°C).
If you do not want to do this, you can use steam. The steam can penetrate into the cracks, crevices, and mattress linings.
To destroy the bugs you will need to clean at 140°F (60°C). Do not worry; this temperature won’t damage or destroy the surroundings.
Home Remedies That Help Eliminate Bed Bugs
There are also other ways to eliminate bed bugs and eggs, for example with natural insecticides. As an important natural source of pesticides, plant essential oils have gained importance.
They have a market estimation of $700 million. And their production worldwide is around 45000 tons.
They can affect the insects and their inner cell membranes and lead to cytotoxic effects.
This is why essential oils have gained a good reputation. Do not worry the essential oils are toxic for these unwanted bed bugs, but when it comes to humans, they are safe.
11 Essential Oils and Other Less Harmful Repellents
1. Diatomaceous Earth
DE i.e. diatomaceous earth is an insecticide that is not toxic. It is usually used to control pests in the garden and the house and protect stored products.
It is not harmful and is a natural product. You can use it in regions that are not accessible, walls, and crevices.
You can find DE as a crystalline powder that might look nice but will tear up the parasites.
How to Make
Sprinkle DE food grade on the floor, bed, crevices, and other areas where you suspect that there are bed bugs. Leave it for 3 days.
After 3 days, vacuum the entire house and all the places where you have sprinkled it. Remember to throw away the bag from the vacuum in a plastic bag and out of the house.
You can also use boric powder or baking powder. Bear in mind that boric powder is toxic and on the other hand, baking powder is harmless and safe for humans.
2. Tea Tree Oil Spray
According to studies, tea tree oil is efficient insecticidal. What it does is that it disrupts the permeability barrier of the structures of the cell membrane and with that, there is no chemiosmotic control and fatality.
This is why the tea tree essential oil is good when it comes to eliminating bed bugs. You make your own spray and use it for unreachable places like furniture joints, places, crevices, and cracks.
How to Make
Mix 2 tsp. of tea tree oil with water- 50 ml. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and make sure to shake well. And there you have your own homemade spray.
Spray everywhere you think you need to. Do this on a daily basis, and you can stop when there are no more signs that there are bed bugs in your house.
Note: Every time before you spray, shake well the spray bottle.
3. Clove Oil
Clove oil has insect-repellent and insecticidal properties. What makes it useful is the acidic pH of the cloves and their pungent smell. That helps to destroy these parasites.
How to Make
Make your own natural repellent. In one cup of water put 1 tsp. of clove essential oil. Mix the two ingredients and then put the mixture in a spray bottle. Shake well and use it.
4. Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is a potent natural insecticide that can help eliminate bed bugs. It is believed that actually, the smell kills the bugs.
However, what probably happens is that the lavender oil acts as a cytotoxin and that is what kills the parasites.
How to Make
Make a spray by mixing 50 ml of water with 10 to 15 drops of lavender oil. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake well before using it around your house.
You can use lavender powder or lavender soap as a spray.
Another alternative is to put fresh lavender flowers or leaves in the infested areas.
You can also make a combination of peppermint oil and lavender oil to eliminate bed bugs.
How to Make
Put 10 to 15 drops of peppermint oil and 10 to 15 drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle. Fill the bottle with a bottle. Shake and spray.
5. Thyme
Thymol concentrate or thyme oil is good as a bed bug repellent and is also a good deterrent when it comes to the egg by mites.
How to Make
Take a thyme stick and tie it to a cotton cloth. Burn that in the infested room or around the areas in your house where you believe the bed bugs live.
Another thing you can do is to put thyme leaves in net bags. Place these bags in the infested areas.
Every third day you will need to replace the old bags with new ones. To be sure that the bed bugs are killed, you will need to do this for 1 month.
6. Citronella Spray
Citronella or more commonly known as lemongrass is an effective essential oil that can help kill bed bugs and their eggs.
It is believed that this oil can increase the acidic condition within the parasites and that will eliminate them. And the smell also helps to eliminate them.
How to Make
In a small bowl of water put 10 drops of citronella oil. Put the mixture in a spray bottle, and all you need to do is spray and shake. And wait for the essential oil to do its work.
7. Bean Leaves
According to studies, Expert Home Tips i.e. microscopic hairs on their surface. These hairs entangle the bugs which means they stop them. The hairs hook onto the legs of the bugs and trap them.
How to Make
Put kidney bean leaves everywhere around the house. You can even put them under your mattress.
Leave them for a couple of days and then replace them with fresh ones. If you want, you can replace the leaves every day.
This works because when you throw out the leaves, the bug won’t be able to return.
8. Eucalyptus Oil Spray
You can see eucalyptus trees in a lot of places. The essential oil that is in its foliage is used in perfumes, goods, and pharmaceuticals. Also, it is used as a repellent.
It is believed that eucalyptus oil can exhibit ovicidal activity. Also, it can act as a repellent against mites, bacteria, nematodes, fungi, weeds, and insects.
How to Make
Make your own eucalyptus oil spray. You will need to mix 2 ounces of water, 30 drops of this oil, and 1,5 ounces of vodka or witch hazel.
Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake it. Spray the mixture everywhere you believe that there are bed bugs. Remember to spray every 2 hours when you are at home.
9. Sweet Flag
Acorus Calmus i.e. sweet flag is a perennial, a semi-aquatic plant that you can find in America and Eurasia. It has gained importance thanks to its fragrant and rhizome oils. It is used for medicinal and insecticidal properties.
According to recent studies, it also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. And its antimicrobial property is what makes the sweet flag useful when it comes to eliminating bed bugs.
How to Make
Make a spray by boiling in 1 liter of water, 50 grams of turmeric powder, and 100 grams of sweet flag. Boil the mixture for 1 hour.
After one hour, take the mixture and keep it for 1 day in a closed container.
After one day, you can dilute and filter the mixture in 10 times the water.
Finally, put it in a spray bottle and spray where you need to.
10. Orange Essential Oil
This essential oil has d-limonene. The d-limonene is known as an insecticide. It is actually a nerve toxin that can kill insects and bugs within minutes.
How to Make
Make your own solution. In 4 liters of water mix 2 ounces of orange essential oil, 1 cup of compost tea, and 1 ounce of blackstrap molasses.
Mix all things together. Put the mixture in a spray bottle, shake, and spray.
11. Neem Oil
For a long time, neem oil is used for different Natural Living Ideas and medicinal properties. In fact, the seeds, the leaf, and the tree, everything is used for medicine and are very beneficial.
According to studies, 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.
Source Natural Living Ideas | Expert Home Tips | NCBI | Expert Home Tips | Sleep Advisor | Expert home tips
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