Many people try to solve bed bug infestations using DIY methods. Some of these methods include placing scented dryer sheets in closets, drawers and underneath sofa cushions.
Other strategies involve steaming, vacuuming and sealing cracks around furniture and electrical outlets. Some people even use rubbing alcohol to kill bed bugs but this is a risky method and it will not completely eliminate the pests.
1. Diatomaceous Earth
One of the most common methods of battling bed bugs naturally is by using diatomaceous earth (DE). DE is a fine powder made from fossilized remains of single-celled algae called diatoms, which are mined from sediments in oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. This natural substance is safe for humans and pets, but contains sharp microscopic edges that cut the outer layer of an insect’s exoskeleton, causing them to lose water through their skin and die of dehydration.
Often sold in bulk at home improvement stores, this food-grade, nontoxic powder is also effective against fleas, ticks, ants, and cockroaches. To use it against bed bugs, sprinkle a thin layer of the powder around the areas where you suspect they are hiding. This can be the creases in mattresses, under bed frames and along baseboards, behind electrical face plates, on windowsills, and near light switches. A paintbrush or small, dry brush is useful for getting the DE into cracks and crevices where the bugs might be hiding.
Baking soda is another natural bed bug solution that sucks out the bugs’ moisture, effectively killing them and their eggs. Spread a thin layer of the powder in the areas where you think bed bugs are staying and let it sit for about a week. Then vacuum up the baking soda and dead bugs with your hose attachment to suck them out of your house. Repeat this process every day until you don’t see anymore signs of bed bugs in your home.
Essential oils such as cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, clove oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and thyme oil can repel bed bugs and keep them away from your home. Simply spray a mixture of equal parts of these essential oils on window sills, doorways, and other places in your house where you suspect bed bugs may be hiding.
You can also try burning sage or thyme in your home to help keep bed bugs away from your space. Just be sure to follow fire safety standards, especially if you choose to burn these herbs. It’s also a good idea to keep your home clean and free of clutter so that the pests don’t have places to hide.
2. Black Walnut Tea
Bed bugs are very invasive pests that are difficult to eradicate completely with a do-it-yourself treatment. This is because these insects have adapted to survive harsh chemical treatments and can hide in places that people don’t see, such as the cracks and crevices of a home or office. However, there are a few non-chemical solutions that will significantly reduce the number of bed bugs in a home and prevent them from returning.
Black walnut hulls contain juglone, a natural pesticidal compound that kills and repels bed bugs. Boil crushed hulls in water and let the mixture cool before applying to infested areas to kill and repel bugs. This solution can be applied to mattresses, bed frames, and other surfaces where the bugs are hiding.
You can also use caulking to close off cracks and other daytime hiding spots in your home where the insects can enter. This is especially important for doors, windows, and baseboards. Caulking will help block the bed bugs from entering your home from outside and from escaping from your house when they are ready to reproduce.
Another natural way to deter these pesky critters is by using heat. These insects are extremely sensitive to extreme temperatures, so you can easily kill them by placing your linens and clothing in the dryer for thirty minutes at a high temperature. Similarly, you can heat-treat clothing and small items like overnight bags or handbags by placing them in a plastic bag and then leaving them outside in the sun for three hours.
Finally, many household products can deter these pests, such as baking soda and tea tree oil. Baking soda sucks up moisture from the body of the bugs, which makes them dry out and die. Spread this fine powder around your bed bug problem areas, including all of their hiding places. Be sure to vacuum and reapply every few days.
Clove oil is another common pest control solution, as it has strong insecticidal properties. Mix a teaspoon of this essential oil with water in a spray bottle and mist over your bed bug hiding spots to send them running. You can also try making your own homemade spray by mixing rubbing alcohol with a few drops of tea tree oil or lavender. You can also put sachets of thyme, eucalyptus, and mint near infested areas to repel the bugs.
3. Heat
There are a few different ways to use heat to kill bed bugs, but they all require some patience. A heat treatment involves bringing the room up to the pests’ lethal temperature in stages, which can take days. You can try to do this on your own using a portable heater and some fans, or hire a professional to do it for you.
One common home remedy for fighting bed bugs involves smearing petroleum jelly across headboards and bed frames, where the pests can get stuck while trying to crawl up to the mattress. However, this method is ineffective against those already inside the mattress, and it can also damage your furniture if the oil spills. Instead, you should use a 91 percent solution of isopropyl alcohol, which works just as well to repel the pests and kill them without damaging your furniture.
Another effective DIY treatment for killing bed bugs is baking soda. It sucks up the moisture that the pests need to survive, making it difficult for them to move through the air. Sprinkle the powder generously on your mattress and other infested areas, then wait for a few days before vacuuming it up.
Other popular home remedies for bed bug control include neem oil and tea tree oil. Neem oil disrupts the hormonal balance of these pests and acts as a repellent, while tea tree oil has antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties that can kill them. Diluted neem oil can also be used in spray form to treat infested areas and kill the pests.
The less clutter you have in your home, the fewer places there are for the bed bugs to hide. Make sure to reduce the number of items stored in your closets and on shelves, and store any items you can’t bring into the heat treatment, such as candles, aerosol cans, flammable liquids, and electronics, in a cool, dry place.
While heat and freezing treatments are often used for bed bug control, they can be difficult to apply evenly throughout the entire infested space. Moreover, these methods can be very expensive and potentially damage your belongings. That’s why it is best to try the above-mentioned natural methods to fight these persistent pests before calling in a professional.
4. Vacuuming
If you are a homeowner or rent an apartment, you can try some DIY bed bug solutions to control these pests. One method is to use caulking cracks around frames, floors, and moldings in rooms that may be infested. Also, you can remove or eliminate animal habitats such as bird nests and bat roosts to stop the bugs from breeding. You can also make a spray with a combination of cayenne pepper, oregano essential oil, and grated ginger to repel the pests. To make this spray, mix a teaspoon each of cayenne pepper, oregano oil, and grated ginger with a cup of water and let it boil for seven minutes. Strain the mixture and put it into a spray bottle for application.
You can also vacuum a room to disrupt the bugs and their eggs. Start with the mattress, bedding, and furniture and move to other areas of the room, including carpets and any cracks in walls or floorboards. Remember to discard the vacuum bag outside as far away from your home as possible to prevent re-infestation.
Another natural way to combat the bed bugs is by using Cimexa dust. This product is made from naturally occurring sedimentary rock that has been crumbled into a fine powder and contains tiny shards that kill insects. You can use this powder on your bed frame, furniture crevasses, and around electrical outlets. It works similarly to diatomaceous earth but does not leave a sticky residue.
A good DIY recipe for combating bedbugs is rubbing alcohol, another natural solution to fight the bugs. It can be used in a spray bottle and liberally applied to hiding places. It sucks the moisture out of the bugs and makes it hard for them to breathe, killing them on contact. However, it is important to note that rubbing alcohol is highly flammable and should never be used in a fireplace or near candles.
Other DIY bed bug solutions include the use of mothballs to keep the bugs away. This method should be used in conjunction with other methods to ensure that you completely rid your home of the pests. You can also tie sticks of thyme and burn them to ward off the bugs. If you follow these simple steps, it should be easy for you to rid your home of the pesky pests.
