It is a myth that a clean home cannot get bedbug infestation. A sparkling home can also get bed bugs. The primary reason behind this is bedbug evasion occurs mostly due to traveling.
As they reach your house the blood, moisture from sweat, carbon dioxide which emits in the air due to exhalation and other purposes provoke them to stay there permanently.
Maintaining basic hygiene such as cleaning the bed sheets frequently can reduce their strength. However, using the natural remedies mentioned here can keep them at bay. The homemade remedies mentioned here are very much effective whereas there are some which prove to be less effective in the long run. Still, give it a shot to experience the result.
Natural Remedies to Exterminate Bed Bugs
The following remedies will help you to get rid of bedbugs from your home naturally:
- Use a Vacuum Cleaner
The first and the foremost step prior to any other step are vacuuming your house thoroughly. Remove the mess of your house once or twice every week. This cleaning procedure will also help you to clean bed bugs and their eggs. You should also clean the following belonging of your home with the help of a vacuum cleaner:
- Curtains
- Furniture especially the upholstered ones
- Shelves
- Carpets
- Mattresses
Bed Bugs can hide themselves in places which are beyond your imagination. Those are their favourite hideouts. Therefore, use hose while vacuuming to pull them out from the most obscure crevices and cracks.
- Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is natural sand that is extremely uncomfortable to bedbugs. They are very much sensitive to this substance. These bugs have weak exoskeletons. Thus, as they walk over or into this sand, they shred into pieces.
Sprinkle the sand on the infestation zone for a maximum period of 24-48 hours. Though it is a slow and gradual process, it is effective!! Once the stipulated time is over, thoroughly vacuum the area to eliminate the sand and the bedbugs (dead).
Diatomaceous earth with a food-grade mark is not that powerful as it does not contain arsenic. Always go for D.E. which is sold specifically for checking the population of bedbugs. It is safe to touch and has no harmful effects on breathing. In spite of the above friendly features of the product, you should still keep it out of reach of children and pets as intake of it is poisonous!!
- Using Extreme Temperatures
In order to destroy the eggs, wash all the clothing, stuffed toys, bedding, soft items, etc. set your washing machine’s temperature with the hottest temperature. Now you must be thinking what to do with the non-washable items. Freeze them!! Wrap them in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for a maximum of 24 hours. In case of huge items such as furniture or mattresses you can use a steam cleaner.
- Use Borax
Borax is another natural cleaning agent which can suffocate bed bugs and kill them. You can use it to clean household items. All you need to do is to sprinkle the required amount of it over the mattress. Leave it for a day and you will see the difference. They will face hard times when deluging in the borax.
- Tea Tree Oil
The name says it all. It is one of the healthiest alternatives to all the chemicals used for pests extermination. It has anti-fungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Moreover, inhaling tea tree oil is not harmful as it is completely natural. Though it is not a strong bed bug repellent, it can conceal the cover of sweat. Bedbugs are attracted to sweat and thus the strong aroma of tea tree oil can deter them away temporarily but not on a permanent basis.
- Baking Soda
Baking soda can serve as an all-purpose household solution. From cleaning household items to bleaching clothes it can serve all purposes. Similarly, it can be used to keep bed bugs at bay. If you sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the infected area, it will dry the area out. This will make the area inhospitable for them. It may not eradicate them permanently, whereas it may scare them away for a day or few.
