Natural Ways To Kill Bed Bugs
A bed bug infestation can double in just two weeks. If you’ve discovered you have bed bugs, it’s imperative you get rid of them as soon as possible. Our team highly recommends calling an exterminator if you have bed bugs in your home. In the meantime, there are some natural and safe ways you can try to kill bed bugs before your exterminator comes.
One natural solution won’t get rid of bed bugs for good. You need to do all these treatments in order for any to be effective.
Also Read: 10 Pest Control Myths To Stay Away From
Natural Ways To Kill Bed Bugs That Actually Work
You may have heard that using essential oils, mothballs, and Lysol kills bed bugs. Unfortunately, many of these methods don’t actually kill bed bugs. We understand that wanting more natural solutions is important when handling an infestation in a sensitive area like a bed. However, you shouldn’t have to waste time and money when getting rid of your bed bugs.
Baking Soda and Vaccumming For Bed Bugs
Baking soda doesn’t kill bed bugs, but you can use it to help get rid of them naturally.
Similarly to diatomaceous earth, many people believe that the coarse texture of baking soda will help eliminate bed bugs. This is false. However, you can use it to help clean up eggs, shells, and bed bug poop on your carpets and mattresses.
Spread a thin layer of baking soda around affected rooms. Do the same with your mattress, making sure to cover layers, seams, and folds.
Thoroughly vacuum your carpets and rugs, paying attention to the five feet around your bed. With your vacuum’s hand nozzle, vacuum your mattress. Be sure to get all the folds and seams on both your box spring and mattress.
If you can, take apart your bed frame and headboard. Vacuum these areas as best as you can. You can use a disinfectant like Lysol to eliminate germs, however, this will not kill your bed bugs.
Safely dispose of the leftover contents in your vacuum. Do not leave the leftover dirt inside your home.
Also Read: How To Detect Bed Bug Poop
Steam and Heat Treatments For Bed Bugs
Bug bugs and bed bug eggs die when temperatures exceed 122°F (50°C). When a licensed exterminator heat treats your home, they raise the temperatures between 135°F (57°C) and 145°F (63°C) for six to eight hours. This is the fastest way to get rid of bed bugs.
While waiting for your appointment with an exterminator, you can also do your own heat treatment. You can’t safely raise the temperature to where it needs to be, but you can use your washing machine and a steam cleaner.
Start by removing all your pillows, sheets, linens, and any other fabric touching the bed. Wash everything in hot water and dry on the highest setting in your dryer. Be sure to clean your machines after doing this.
If you can find a steamer, use it to clean your mattress, carpet, curtains, and other places you may find bed bugs hiding. With the steamer wand a triangle-shaped nozzle, slowly steam clean surfaces bed bugs commonly hide. When using your steamer, try not to be too forceful. This can cause the bed bugs to scatter while treating. After treating, wait a few minutes and go through the whole process again.
Cold Treatments For Bed Bugs
Bed bugs and bed bug eggs die below 0°F. If you have a few items that can’t be washed in hot water, like a precious stuffy, quarantine the item in the freezer. Place items that can’t be heat treated in a bag. Place the bag in a freezer set below 0°F (-18°C) for three to four days.
This should help kill the bed bugs naturally. However, be sure to comb through the unwashed item as much as possible to get rid of any excess materials.
Bed Bug Interceptors and Mattress Protectors
Once you’ve cleaned your home with these natural solutions, you need to make sure beds aren’t coming in or out of the beds. Use a mattress protector with a tight zipper so bed bugs can’t come in or out of the infested mattress.
To monitor and track the bed bugs, use bed bug interceptors on your bed. Bed bugs can easily crawl into these interceptors but have a very hard time getting out. This is how you can keep track of the bed bugs still in your home.
Neither of these things instantly kill bed bugs, but they can help you assess how your infestation is progressing. If you’re lucky, after a few days of not eating, your bed bugs may cease reproducing and start to die off.
Also Read: Amazon’s Most Popular Bed Bug Killing Products
Diatomaceous Earth For Bed Bugs
We recommend diatomaceous earth for most pests. This is a safe and effective way to eliminate pests naturally. Apply your diatomaceous earth in entryways and in mattress seams. The diatomaceous earth will grind away at the bed bug’s exoskeleton until it dehydrates.
With diatomaceous earth, a little goes a long way. If you apply too much diatomaceous earth, the bed bugs will just simply avoid the trail. Apply a thin layer with either a brush or a turkey baster.
This product won’t harm any of your fabrics. Although there are products such as neem oil that help naturally kill pests, something like neem oil may ruin your furniture and clothing with its smell.
Also Read: How To Use Diatomaceous Earth | Home & Garden Pest Control
Chemical Treatments For Bed Bugs
Although these natural methods are all proven to kill bed bugs, they will not fully eliminate your bed bugs. Since bed bug infestations can easily multiply and quickly get out of hand, we still highly recommend having an exterminator inspect your home. Before and after having someone inspect for bed bugs, you can use these natural solutions to get rid of bed bugs in your home.
Most pest control companies follow up two weeks after the initial treatment. You’ll likely need multiple treatments before you get rid of bed bugs for good. In the meantime, these natural solutions will help keep the bud bugs under control and keep your family safe.
Most chemical treatments that successfully kill bed bugs are from the Pyrethroids family. If you do choose to purchase an aerosol spray, look for one with bifenthrin or permethrin.
