Updated at: 28-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

These creatures wait until you’re asleep to emerge from hiding and launch a brutal assault. They continue to bite even after you’ve tried to get rid of them. Still, you can count on polite treatment from them. The painkiller in the hollow tubes they use to pierce your skin and drain your blood will keep you from noticing anything untoward until morning.

We’re talking about bedbugs, and these guys don’t discriminate. More than two dozen tried-and-true home cures are at your disposal to help you finally rid yourself of those pesky bed bugs for good.

Bedbugs are the pests in question, and they don’t pick and choose who they infest. With our over two dozen tried-and-true bed bug home treatments, you can finally put an end to those pesky insects once and for all.

  1. To put it simply, it’s inexpensive (maybe even free).
  2. You won’t need to wait for an exterminator’s appointment to get started.
  3. You can avoid exposure to the harmful chemicals used by exterminators.

The vast majority of our strategies call for no more than what you already have lying about the house, and the few that do need going out to buy should not cost you more than a few dollars.

12 Natural Bed Bug Treatments and Home Remedies

You can still catch bed bugs no matter how clean your home is. This is due to the fact that bed bugs are extremely mobile, and once inside your home, they will remain there indefinitely due to their diet of human and animal perspiration, blood, and carbon dioxide.

6 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

There is no way to completely get rid of them without employing one of the powerful natural home cures listed below. When I bought an old mattress in college and discovered I had a bed bug infestation, I tried every single one of these solutions and more. I am sharing with you the methods that worked and the ones that didn’t work with you.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs, which are very little insects, live only on the blood of mammals. Nighttime is when you’re most likely to encounter them, as they are most active then, and they have a penchant for hiding in tight, cushioned spaces. The term “bed bug” comes from the fact that these insects frequently infest mattresses.

They’re about the size of a grain of rice, making it difficult to see them with the human eye, but if they start nibbling on you and your loved ones, you’ll know it. While not dangerous, their bites can be irritating.

Where Do They Come From?

In reality, bed bugs do not arise out of nowhere but are brought in from the outdoors. The great outdoors can also refer to places like hotels, friend’s homes, and secondhand clothing and furnishings.

If you and your neighbor share a wall, the infestation could come from them detonating a bug bomb. These animals’ intelligence exceeds what’s good for them. When the poisonous gases are discharged, the occupants of the house next door look for a place to hide.

These males have extremely elongated statures. That makes it possible for them to hide in narrow spaces.

Signs of Infestation

Bites on Your Skin

Bites are the most obvious symptom. Bed bug bites, in contrast to flea bites, typically occur in clusters. Since these carnivorous creatures prefer to move up your arm or leg while sucking blood, they will be lined up in a straight line.

Red/Rusty Stains

Those spots, which look reddish and rusty, are actually blood. The blood might be from the creatures biting you, or it could be from their bodies being squished after a meal.

Black Dots

Bed bugs are no exception to the rule that all living things eventually defecate. Spots and stains of a dark color can be attributed to a mix of feces and the skin the infants shed as they mature. Isn’t that a mouthwatering thought?

Egg Shells

Keep an eye out for microscopic flecks of ivory material on your bed, on your furniture, or on the carpet; they are difficult to see due to their small size and light hue.

Living Bugs

Occasionally, you might even run into one of these individuals. They are extremely little in size, but can be infrequently spotted by diligent observers. They will be larger, redder, and more visible after a meal.

How to get rid of bed bugs fast - using the best products and home remedies | Real Homes

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Vacuum

Use a powerful hose attachment on your vacuum to pick up those infants. If you’re trying to get rid of an infestation, you should probably vacuum every few days. Use the vacuum cleaner on the bed, the pillows, and any other soft furnishings you have.

Start high and work your way down, paying close attention to the flooring, walls, and ceiling for any potential gaps. If you suspect an infestation, check your laptop and other electrical devices.

When you’re done vacuuming, discard of the vacuum bag outside, as far away from your home as possible.

Steam Cleaning

When you’re done using the vacuum, take the bag outdoors and dump it as far away from your house as possible.

Washing All Clothes and Bedding

It is important to verify that the care labels indicate that the items can be washed in hot water and dried in a dryer. Next, clean everything that could have come into contact with these pests. The dryer’s heat and the water’s high temperature will work together to exterminate the colony.

To Find Out More About How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets, Click Here!

Silica Gel

Small packets used to prevent moisture loss in food packaging and shoe boxes may also be effective insecticides. To use, simply crush the beads into a powder and disperse it around the points of origin. Direct exposure and inhalation of silica is dangerous, therefore you may want to avoid this procedure if you have children or pets. Instead, use baking soda, which accomplishes the same thing more cheaply.

Rubbing Alcohol

Use a spray bottle to apply it. Upon contact, the alcohol will eliminate the pest problem.

Scented Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets can be used to deter insects and even urge them to look for new living quarters because of their strong odor. This is a good temporary fix, but eventually they’ll find somewhere more inviting in your home.

Hair Dryer

If you need to get to sleep quickly and don’t have days to spare until these other remedies work, try blasting the problematic areas with a hair dryer. Since the bugs will be killed by the heat, you can sleep well without worrying about becoming someone’s food.

Stiff Brush

The mattress seams can be cleaned by running a hard brush along them. Any bed bugs or eggs that are stubbornly adhering to surfaces after being vacuumed will be loosened in this way.

Double-sided Tape

Tie this around the base of the bedposts all the way to the floor. That way, any insects that try to join you in bed will be unable to make the ascent and will instead be trapped at ground level. Don’t sabotage yourself by doing something as silly as dragging blankets across the floor. Do not be shocked if the most adventurous bugs hitch a ride on your bedding, pillows, and clothes if you fail to keep them off the floor.

Baking Soda

While you may be aware that baking soda may be used to remove excess moisture from perishables in the fridge, you may not be aware that it can also be used to rid your bed of pesky bed bugs. The powder should be sprinkled into any holes or crevices you may come across. Every few days, you should give it a good vacuuming and reapply the product.

Diatomaceous Earth

It’s a miraculous product that kills fleas and other insects. The sedimentary rock found in nature is ground into a powder for use in this product. Distribute it broadly on the floor and into any gaps you find to maximize its effectiveness. This fine powder contains microscopic shards that kill insects, although it may take up to 10 days to have any effect.

Despite how appealing it may be, we advise against placing it on your bed. The reason for this is that even minute fragments can cause significant damage if they enter the lungs.

Bed Bug Herbal Remedies

Tea Tree

In addition to its pleasant aroma, tea tree oil’s antibacterial characteristics make it a useful household cleaner. A broad spectrum antimicrobial that is effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

The oil eventually makes its way through the insect’s digestive system, smothering it. But it works best when it is not watered down. An undiluted form is harmful to human health. Spraying diluted tea tree oil around the house might help, or at least make the place smell better. About 20 drops of oil should be added to a spray bottle of water to create the diluted recipe.

Lavander

Bed bugs become nauseated and may even die from being exposed to lavender. However, the vast majority of humans find this aroma to be pleasing. This solution’s efficacy can be increased by a factor of three if you use lavender soap to clean the damaged goods, sprinkle the area with essential oil dilutions, then apply the leaves directly to the problem.

Peppermint Leaves

Similar effects can be achieved with peppermint leaves instead of lavender oil and leaves. Use the same methods, and keep replacing the old leaves with new ones and vacuuming them up on a regular basis until the pests are gone.

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Black Walnut Tea

This tea has natural properties that deter insects. Taking discarded tea bags and placing them in bug-infested regions is a simple way to implement this tactic. Spread them out, filling every nook and crevice in the house.

Sweet Flag

This tall shrub is a good insect repellant and is typically found in moist areas. The herbal alternative can be purchased in a pre-measured package and sprayed as a solution.

Bean Leaves

Bean leaves can be used to capture insects, such as bed bugs, in a manner similar to that of flypaper. Microscopic hairs on the leaves entangle and impale the limbs of these creatures, as found by scientists in 1943. Leaves like this should be spread out on the floor of any room where unwelcome guests have made themselves at home.

Indian Lilac

Indian lilac leaves work similarly to other herbal treatments made from plants. The crushed leaves can then be dispersed. The leaves can also be boiled, strained, and then added to a warm bath. As a result, you won’t have to worry about being eaten alive by bed bugs.

Infestations of clothing and storage areas can be dealt with using this method. You can keep these pests at bay by spraying the solution in storage areas, on furniture, and elsewhere in the house.

Thyme

You may be familiar with the practice of burning sage to exorcise a house, but what about using thyme to keep the pests away? Burning a bundle of thyme near the affected region will drive the pests away, but it will take time (ha ha) and you’ll have to keep doing it every few days till they’re gone.

It is imperative to consistently observe fire safety precautions. You can even get rid of them by setting fire to your house, however this is obviously not a good idea.

Mint Leaves

As a preventative step, mint leaves can be useful. Crushed leaves placed at doorways and other potential sites of entrance will deter them. They can be used on the bed or in the closet without any worries.

Beauveria Bassiana

Beauveria Bassiana is a parasitic fungus that feeds on insects, but don’t be worried by the description. It mercilessly assaults bedbugs, rendering them sterile, motionless, and unable to feed.

Lemongrass

While other natural remedies may merely drive insects away, lemongrass can actually kill them. The insect life cycle begins and ends with the acid levels. They also find the fragrance unpleasant, thus it effectively acts as a deterrent.

Clove

Cloves perform similarly to lemongrass. You can substitute cloves and clove oil for the smell of lemongrass if you want. Clove oil can also be applied to bedding in the hope of repelling bedbugs.

Pyrethrum

Chrysanthemums are the source of this substance. Chrysanthemums, or mums, are colorful flowers that come in many different shades. Because of its effect on the neurological system, it can potentially be used as a lethal natural pesticide.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is effective against bed bugs when combined with other natural ingredients such as ginger and oregano. How to prepare this all-natural remedy:

  • Cayenne pepper, ground ginger, and oregano oil, each 1 teaspoon.
  • Pour the strained mixture into a water-filled spray bottle, and use as desired.
  • Use as much spray as you like.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do their bites look like?

Red, itchy welts develop at the bites. Multiple bites in a single location frequently form a straight line or reveal a linear pattern. The bites of these insects tend to be elevated, in contrast to the usually flat bites caused by fleas.

Do homemade repellents work?

In a word, yes, however some are more effective than others. Home remedies and treatments for bed bugs can range from those that kill the insects on contact to those that simply drive them away or make them uncomfortable in your home.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Fast & Permanently: The Ultimate Guide (2022)

How can I get rid of their eggs?

The eggs can be reliably destroyed by applying heat, which has proven to be the most effective method we’ve tried so far. This requires a rigorous cycle of washing and drying in very high temperatures. Steam or blast the things with a hairdryer if they can’t handle it.

Conclusion

Did you know that by the 1940s, bedbugs had been practically eliminated? However, beginning in 1995, they rapidly spread throughout residential and commercial buildings. A combination of increasing travel, pesticide resistance, and people forgetting how unpleasant these animals are, according to researchers, may explain their resurgence with such ferocity.

You can get rid of those pesky bugs for good with any one of several tried-and-true methods.