How do you know that you are being attacked by bed bugs? Though bed bugs are tiny and feed on you during the night when you are asleep, they leave behind a lot of tell-tale-signs on the mattress or the area around them. When you get bitten by a bed bug, you will notice reddish spots on your skin. You can also check for black dots, which can either be bug excrement or blood from a dead bug. They leave behind unsightly rusty stains on the bed coverings, and you can also check for live bugs. If none of these seems to work and you still wake up with bites on your skin, you can contact a Bed Bug Exterminator San Jose to help you examine your house for bed bug infestation.
You may choose to get rid of the bed bugs using simple but effective home remedies. However, before you embark on the mission to remove bed bugs from your house, you need to ensure that you thoroughly clean your rooms. Vacuum clean the carpets and couches, mattresses and remove clutter from your house. Clean the surface and inspect the crevices and cracks and seal them immediately.
Some simple but effective home remedies that can help you deal with bed bug menace include; vinegar, baking soda, diatomaceous earth, rubbing alcohol, and essential oils.
Vinegar
Vinegar kills bed bugs by destroying their nervous system because it is a strong acetic acid. All you need to do is take some white vinegar, apply it to bed bug-infested surfaces, and then spray liberally and directly on the bed bugs. It is important to note that though vinegar will kill the bed bugs, it does not kill the eggs and, therefore, is not sufficient to eradicate a bed bug infestation wholly. Its effects are considered short term and limited.
Baking soda
Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is not just useful in your kitchen but is also one of the best-known home remedies for bedbugs. It is believed that baking soda kills bed bugs by absorbing the surface fluids on the waxy layer of the bug’s shell, causing them to dehydrate. It is also thought that baking soda cuts into the bed bug’s shell, causing internal bleeding. Just sprinkle some baking soda on your mattress and the affected areas, let it sit for an hour and a half before you vacuum it.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth has been used for millennia as pesticides. It is considered to be the most effective home remedy for treating bed bug infestations. It is readily available, is natural, non-toxic, and it is relatively cheaper than other known pesticides. It is cited as an effective, reduced-risk solution for bed bug management. Diatomaceous earth abrades the waxy outer coating of bed bugs, which causes moisture to be removed from the bugs leading to their imminent death. Though diatomaceous earth takes some time before it starts to work, it eliminates up to 90% of the bedbugs and prevents them from moving freely in your house.
Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is known as isopropyl alcohol, is said to kill bed bugs by dissolving their cells. Direct contact with rubbing alcohol causes the skin of the bed bug to dry, which leads to its death. Though it is effective in killing bed bugs with their eggs, it can be hard to apply in cracks and crevices where bed bugs crawl and hide. Rubbing alcohol does not stain your fabric or furniture, but you need to test it in a small area before starting the treatment.
Essential Oils
Essential oils such as; clove oil, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, thyme, and peppermint are great ways to deter bed bugs from sucking your blood. Regular spraying over bed bug-infested areas can kill them and prevent them from spreading. Peppermint has a strong scent and high menthol content that effectively repels bed bugs. All you need to do is mix your choice essential oil with some bit of distilled water and spray it on the bed bug-infested area. The lovely scent in essential oils also leaves your bed smelling nice.
Conclusion
Home remedies remain effective only when you continue to maintain a clean house and remove clutter. It can be harder to eliminate bed bugs if you often travel because you may bring new bugs home. Ensure that your travel luggage is thoroughly examined, cleaned, and treated to remove the possible presence of bed bugs. To maintain a bedbug-free house, you can enlist a professional bed bug exterminator to examine your house annually.
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