Bed bugs can be very troublesome and disturb your sleep. They bite you and cause itching on the skin. By morning the spots were there was itching become swollen and rashes are formed around them. If there are two or three bites in a sequence, then you can make sure that they are caused by bed bugs.
What are Bed Bugs?
They are flat, small and rusty colored insects and its length is about one-fourth of an inch. They live in mattresses as well as in small gaps and crevices in the walls and floors. They are nocturnal animals. At night they feed on blood. A female bed bug can lay as many as 200 to 400 eggs in her lifetime. They do not transmit and infectious diseases, but they are very annoying and it is very difficult to get rid of them.
Simple and Natural Ways to Get Rid of Bed Bugs:
Applying heat:
It has been proved that bed bugs die when they are subjected to a temperature of 45 to 48 degree Celsius. So, heating is an excellent way to get rid of bed bugs. Small household items like beddings, toys, linens, clothes and shoes can be thrown in household clothes dryer and the temperature set high. The heat thus produced will kill the bed bugs. They are required to expose to high temperature for 30 to 40 minutes to kill all the bed bugs.
Clean and disinfect:
One of the effective ways to remove bed bugs is to get rid of the clutter in your hose. This will help in reducing the hiding places of bed bugs. Do not let any unwanted items remain in your house. Dispose them properly.
You can also disinfect all surfaces with hot soapy water. This helps in removing dead bed bugs, eggs, nymphs, blood stains and bug feces. Wash all items that can be washed in very hot water and dry them at high temperatures. After washing and drying, keep them in sealed bags. You can also use alcohol to disinfect the surfaces.
Diatomaceous earth:
Diatomaceous earth is a rock powder made of soft sedimentary rocks. It is great for getting rid of bed bugs naturally. When they crawl on this powder, some of the powder stick o the exoskeleton of these insects and thus block their respiratory openings. As a result, they get dehydrated and soon die.
All you have to do is to spread a layer of this earth on all surfaces of the room that is infested with the bed bugs. Leave it for one or two days. Repeat it if needed.
Disposal of infested furnishings:
When the infestation is in excess and difficult to deal with, then the best way is to dispose the infested furnishings. Put them in sealed plastic bags and throw them away. Make sure that there are no openings in the bag, from where the bugs can get out.
Essential oils:
For this you need:
- Few drops of essential oil
- A bottle of water
- A spray bottle
What you have to do:
Take water in the spray bottle and add essential oil to it. Shake well and spray on the mattresses, shelves, bed frames and all other places where you think bed bugs may be present. Many essential oils are there for getting rid of bed bugs. You can mix two or three essential oils to get better results. Some of the effective essential oils for removing bed bugs are cedar oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil, orange oil and eucalyptus oil.
Bed bugs have respiratory openings on their body and essential oils help in blocking these openings. As a result the bed bugs get suffocated and die. Cedar oil and orange oil kill bed bugs when they get into contact with them.
Kidney bean leaves:
What you need:
- Kidney bean leaves
What you have to do:
- Take the leaves of kidney beans and spread them on the floor of the room that is infested with kidney beans. Leave then for a day.
- The bed bugs get trapped on the leaves.
Kidney leaves have microscopic trichomes or hooked hairs on their surface. Bed bugs get trapped in these hooked trichomes when they crawl on these leaves. You can kill these trapped bed bugs and dispose them easily.
Rubbing alcohol:
For this you need:
- 90% rubbing alcohol
- A spray bottle
What you have to do:
Take the alcohol in the spray bottle and spray it on places where there is bed bug infection. You must spray it every day till you get rid of all bed bugs.
Undiluted alcohol has the power to dissolve the cells of the bugs and it also makes the bugs desiccate. They dry up and curl, and eventually die.
Scented dryer sheets:
Putting scented dryer sheets between the mattresses and bed linens, inside the pillow cases and on box spring is another easy way to get rid of bed bugs. The fragrance of these sheets will keep away the bed bugs from your bed. You can put it anywhere to repel bed bugs.
Sealing cracks and crevices:
Favorite places of bed bugs are small nooks and cracks that are seen in baseboards, shelves, bed frames and walls. Sealing these cracks and crevices with plaster or caulk can help you get rid of bed bugs. Make sure that no bed bugs are left anywhere else in the house.
Vacuuming:
When there are not many bed bugs in your house, then vacuuming is an easy way to get rid of bed bugs. Vacuum all corners of the room, top and bottom of the carpet, mattresses, edges of the bed frames, and all crevices and cracks. You have to dispose the vacuum bag carefully so as to prevent the bed bugs from escaping and spreading to other rooms of the house. Check the vacuum brush and filters to for any bugs and clean the well. Vacuum daily till you get rid of bed bugs.
