How to get rid of bed bug bites permanently by natural ways? Eliminating bed bugs is a complex process due to its tiny size and reproductive nature. But there are many ways to kill bed bugs. Several creams are also available in the market to treat bed bug bites and itchy rashes. But you have to remove bed bugs completely from your home (mattress, furniture, clothes, carpets, etc) to avoid further infections. So, here I listed some of the home remedies to get rid of bed bugs naturally.
You have to know about the basics of bed bugs before you try to eliminate them completely from your home! Bed bugs are small parasitic insects, which bite the sleeping humans and animals to feed on their blood. Generally, bed bugs are active at night. They feed on the blood of their hosts (generally, humans) without being noticed. In this article, I listed several home remedies for bed bugs.
They won’t stay on the human body. They just want a blood to feed themselves. They are attracted to a warm-blooded and CO2 of a host body. There are two common species of bed bugs that feed blood on humans. They are a common bed bug, Cimex lectularius and the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus.
If the bed bugs bite repeatedly, you can feel the itchy bumps within few minutes. How to stop bed bug bites from itching? Try the below creams or lotions to get rid of bed bug itches.
- Apply antiseptic creams or lotions and take an antihistamine. (best way to get rid of bed bugs itching)
- Take some mild steroid cream to apply to your skin to stop itching.
- Cure bed bug bites by applying a skin cream containing hydrocortisone.
- Take antihistamine tablets to get relief from the itch.
- You can use the bed bug mattresses cover to repel the bed bugs from your bed.
But prevention is better than cure. So try the insecticide spraying. This is the cheap and best way to kill bed bugs. Try this market leading Eco-Defense Bed Bug Killer, Natural Organic Formula to completely eradicate the bed bugs from your home.
There are many good bed bug traps are also available in the market.
Bed bugs should be destroyed as quickly as possible because they can infest other areas of your home and cause a major problem.
- Bed bug inspector and trap from Climb up.
-
Sleep Defense System – “Bed Bug Proof” Box Spring Encasement.
-
Sleep Defense System – Waterproof / Bed Bug Proof Mattress Encasement.
-
Plug-in Bed Bug Pest Repeller.
Fast Facts about Bed Bugs
- Bedbugs do not have hind wings. So they do not fly.
- They do not jump.
- They don’t transmit any diseases. But causes allergic reactions.
- Adult bed bugs are light brown to reddish-brown in color (depends on their feeding level).
- They may be in oval or flattened shape.
- They are good crawlers. They can move quickly over walls, floor, apartments, rooms, ceilings, buildings, etc.
- An adult bed bug can grow up to 4–5 mm long and 1.5–3 mm wide. Mostly looks like the size of an apple seed or rice crop seed.
- Newly hatched bed bugs are called nymphs and they are invisible to naked eyes.
- Nymphs molt 5 times to attain the adult stage. Each stage requires a blood meal to grow.
- Like cockroaches, bed bugs can sustain extreme temperatures. Lifespan depends on the variety of species and the amount of blood they feed.
- Usually, eggs are very tiny and pearl white in color. Can’t able to see with a naked eye. It takes minimum 5 days to see the laid eggs with a naked eye.
Bed Bug Life Cycle
The life cycle of a bed bug is illustrated in the photograph below.
Totally, there are 5 important stages during its lifetime. Every stage needs a blood meal to grow and move towards next stage. Bed Bug life cycle is illustrated in an anti-clockwise direction, starting from eggs. Usually, eggs take 40 days to become an adult.
- Eggs (1mm long).
- 1st Instar nymph (1.5 mm long).
- 2nd Instar nymph (2 mm long).
- 3rd Instar nymph (2.5 mm long).
- 4th Instar nymph (3 mm long).
- 5th Instar nymph (4.5 mm long).
- Adult unfed.
Signs of Bed Bugs
How to get rid of bed bugs naturally without identify them? Skin rashes or itchy bumps are the common identification of the presence of bedbugs. If you notice that you have small itchy spots, red rashes or blisters when you wake up, it could be a sign that you have bed bugs.
So, how to tell if you have bed bugs? You can easily identify the presence of bed bugs with the help of your senses. The only way to get rid of bed bugs is to find and eradicate them completely within a short time. You most likely know a bedbug infestation by a rash that resembles a mosquito bite. Following are the signs of bed bugs,
- A sweet musty odor: This is due to the chemicals they produce during their traveling to communicate with other bed bugs. But it’s quite harder to observe this smell. A strong observation is needed to identify this sign.
- Tiny and Dark Specks: This is due to the bedbug excrement.
- Empty exoskeletons: Bedbugs molt few times to attain the adult stage. These exoskeletons are pale yellow in color.
- Rusty or reddish stains: You may find rusty or reddish stains on your mattresses. You can see this sign if you accidentally crushed a bedbug.
- Skin rashes or itchy bump: If you feel any unexplained skin rashes or itchy bump, then you can suspect the presence of bedbugs. (But not all people feel this symptom).
- Eggs and eggshells: These are very tiny (about 1mm). So it is difficult to identify with the naked eye.
- Live bed bugs: Using a torch, check all the cracks and crevices of your mattress, Box springs, furniture, etc. to identify any bed bugs.
Bed Bug Bites Vs Mosquito Bites
A bedbug infestation by a rash that resembles a mosquito bite. A mosquito bite stays round and neat looking and usually self-resolve faster. A bedbug bite, unlike a mosquito bite, swells and spreads out. Some people don’t have reactions to bed bug bites at all. The bed bug bites can take minutes, hours or even days to show up.
But bites can come in lines and also burn, unlike a mosquito bite. The flat, red welts usually won’t itch at first, but will with time.
Do Bed Bug Bites Itch?
If you are bitten by bed bugs for the first time, you may not feel the itchy bump. It takes few days for your body to react to the bites. Generally, it takes 14 days to feel the itchy welts.
But if the bed bugs bite repeatedly, you can feel the itchy bumps within few minutes. Try the below creams or lotions to get rid of bed bug itches. Here I listed some of the best anti-itch creams for bed bug bites.
- Apply antiseptic creams or lotions and take an antihistamine to stop the bedbug itching.
- Bed bug treatment on the skin can be effective with mild steroid cream or ointment.
- Get relief from bed bugs by applying the best skin cream containing hydrocortisone.
How to Kill Bed Bugs?
Killing bed bugs completely is a tedious process. It cannot happen in a day. So, here I listed some of the home remedies to get rid of bed bugs.
1. Apply an effective insecticide spraying.
Insecticide spraying is the cheap and best way to kill bed bugs. Try this Eco-Defense Bed Bug Killer, Natural Organic Formula to completely remove the bed bugs from your home. This is one of the best natural ways to get rid of bed bugs.
2. Call a professional pest control company.
This is the next way to completely remove those bugs. But this may seem to be costly but the best way to get rid of bed bugs completely.
3. How do you kill bed bugs in clothes?
Dry cleaning is the best way to kill bed bugs. Hot water (at very high temperature) also will do the magic. Soak your clothes in a very hot water for 30 minutes and just wash it in a hot water. There are some other effective ways to kill bed bugs.
How to Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Permanently?
Finally, how to get rid of bed bugs permanently? Getting rid of bedbugs begins with cleaning up the places where bedbugs live.
Find the Bedbug Infestation
Finding bed bug Infestation is the first step in the process of bedbug removal. Due to its tiny size, bed bugs can easily hide in the household appliances and furniture. Bed bugs are usually found in bedrooms but they can inhabit any room in the home where people and pets sleep. You need to search especially on the mattress and cushions.
I listed complete bed bug checklist previously in this article for your reference. Applying insecticides is also a proven way to treat bed bug bites.
Use a Vacuum Cleaner
If you need any natural way to kill bed bugs in your house, go for vacuuming. I would say that this is one of the best home remedies to get rid of bed bugs.
After you figure out the bed bug infestation, thorough vacuuming of all the suspected places may remove the bed bugs effectively. The vacuum cleaner sucks up the bed bugs effectively and eradicates bed bugs from your bedroom. You need to vacuum all the bed bug infested places to make sure and get rid of any eggs.
Freeze It
Bed bugs are vulnerable to the temperature below 32 F. So you have to leave your items in the freezer for few days. Just kill bed bugs in smaller objects by placing them in a freezer.
Although bed bugs can’t withstand freezing temperatures, they can live for up to a year in a cool room without any food sources.
Even though the bedbugs can live in the cool weather, they can’t withstand freezing temperatures. In order to naturally kill the bedbugs, you must place infested items in a freezer. But be sure that you must maintain the temperature of the freezer as below 1°F (-17°C).
Kill Bedbugs at High Temperature
Bed bugs can be killed at high temperature (122 F). Hot steam is a great home remedy to destroy bed bugs and their eggs. Washing and drying your clothes at high temperature is one of the best home treatments for bed bugs.
The hot steam is very helpful in eradicating bed bugs from small crevices and cracks. Also, it can penetrate through the mattress and remove bug infestations inside the mattress. So you can get rid of bed bugs easily. If this treatment will not work for you because of the time it takes to eliminate the bed bugs you can use bed bug heater. You can also try the steam cleaner to kill bedbugs at home.
What is the best type of steamer for bed bug removal?
I highly recommend powerful and heavy duty steamer with a large water tank, to get better results. These are hot enough to eliminate bed bugs on and around all things.
Use a Hot Dryer
After putting infested items of clothing or mattress through a hot wash, you should dry them in a dryer set to a hot setting. This will make doubly sure that the clothes are sterilized from bed bugs.
Remove Infested Materials
Removing the infested materials works well than others. Since it would remove those bugs from your home completely. But you have to invest on those things to buy it again. Throwing away the heavily infested items is the best way to treat bed bug infestation.
FAQs
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Getting rid of bed bugs are possible only if you know their existence. Experts believe that the increase in bed bugs are due to the following reasons.
- More travel from one place to another.
- Lack of knowledge about preventing bed bugs.
- Lack of knowledge about how to handle the bed bug infestations.
- Unavailing pest control practices.
- Increased resistance of bed bugs to pesticides.
How Do You Get Bed Bugs?
They are more common in crowded places. They can move from one place to another by traveling on,
- Apartments
- Bedding
- Boxes
- Buses and trains
- Clothing
- Condominiums
- Cruise ships
- Dormitories
- Furniture
- Hospitals
- Hotels and Motels
- Luggage
- Mattresses
- Refugee Camps
- Shelters
How to Check For Bed Bugs?
Due to its tiny size, bed bugs can easily hide. Usually, they can be found near the places where people sleep. The following are the possible places where they can hide.
- Bed frames
- Behind skirting
- Between cushions
- Box springs
- Carpets
- Cracks and crevices of walls
- Dresser tables
- Electrical outlets
- Floorboards
- Folds of curtains
- Headboards
- In upholstered furniture seams
- Inside books
- Mattresses
- Objects near beds
- Paintings
- Under carpeting near baseboards
- Under light switch plates
- Under loose wallpaper
- Under peeling paint
- Within bed frames
Can You See Bed Bugs?
Yes, you can see bed bugs. An adult bed bug can grow up to 4–5 mm long and 1.5–3 mm wide.
How to Identify Bedbugs?
Mostly looks like the size of an apple seed or rice seed. But newly hatched bed bugs are invisible to naked eyes. Usually, eggs are very tiny and pearl white in color. Can’t able to see with a naked eye. It takes minimum 5 days to see the laid eggs with a naked eye. Check the above image.
How Do Bed Bugs Spread?
Once bed bugs reached your home, they can easily spread around all over the building. They don’t jump or fly. But, they are good crawlers. They can move quickly over walls, floor, apartments, rooms, ceilings, buildings, etc. and spread their colonization.
Do dryer sheets really kill the bed bugs?
No. Dryer sheets don’t kill the bed bugs. But it can repel the bed bugs from you.
Put 5 to 8 dryer sheets between your mattress and box spring. Put some dryer sheets inside your pillowcases. Bed Bugs are repelled by scented dryer sheets. This is one of the natural ways to get rid of bed bugs.
You can use the bed bug mattresses cover to repel the bed bugs from your bed. So that you can sleep without any disturbances.
Does salt kill bed bugs?
No. Salt doesn’t kill bed bugs and doesn’t repel the bed bugs. Bed bugs are not easy to treat with home remedies.
Does baking soda kill bed bugs?
There is no scientific evidence to prove that baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can kill bed bugs. So I won’t recommend baking soda to kill bed bugs.
Can talcum powder kill bed bugs and their eggs?
Talcum powder has some potential to kill some of the bed bugs. It can suffocate the bed bugs. But it is not effective at getting rid of them completely or permanently. It is only effective in killing baby bugs. So better you try other methods if you want a permanent remedy.
Do essential oils kill or repel the bed bugs?
Essential oils have the potential to kill and repel the bed bugs. The essential oils such as peppermint oil, lavender oil, cinnamon oil, thyme oil, tea tree oil, lemongrass oil, clove oil, and eucalyptus oil can eliminate the bed bugs.
Do moth balls kill bed bugs?
No, Moth balls do not kill or repel the bed bugs.
Does bleach kill bed bugs and their eggs?
Yes, bleach has some potential to kill bed bugs. But it does not completely eliminate the bed bugs from your home.
Does alcohol kill bed bugs?
When alcohol comes into contact with the bedbugs, it can dehydrate the bedbugs and kill them. But alcohol does not eliminate the bed bugs completely or permanently.
Do vinegar and Ammonia Kill bedbugs?
As like alcohol, both the Vinegar and Ammonia can kill bedbugs when comes into contact with it. Spraying it directly on bedbugs will kill them. But this won’t help you in a permanent long-lasting solution.
Does boric acid kill bed bugs?
How to Kill Bedbugs by using boric acid? Boric acid may kill some bed bugs by damaging their exoskeleton, but it doesn’t seem to work well. Sprinkling boric acid on the bed bug infected areas can kill few of it, but can not remove it completely.
What attracts bed bugs?
Bed bugs are attracted to a warm-blooded and CO2 of a host body. Some sources saying that bed bugs are attracted to carbon monoxide.
How to Treat Bed Bug Bites?
To perform a proper bed bug treatment yourself you need to prepare the room by removing clutter. Bed bugs are more annoying than they are dangerous or deadly. Treating bed bug bites are possible at home with the creams and lotions.
- Take some mild steroid cream to apply to your skin.
- Apply a skin cream containing hydrocortisone to stop bed bug itching.
- Take antihistamine tablets to get relief from the itch.
- Consult a certified dermatologist for further treatments.
If you find bed bugs in your home and think that getting rid of bed bugs yourself is hard, then call pest control company to have your home treated.
Bed Bug Traps
Bed bugs are not like fruit flies to catch easily with traps. Getting rid of the blood-sucking pests completely is not easy. Some sources saying that bed bugs are attracted to carbon monoxide and creating traps with it are useful. But homemade bed bug traps are not effective. However many best bed bug traps are available in the market.
- Bed bug inspector and trap from Climb up.
-
Sleep Defense System – “Bed Bug Proof” Box Spring Encasement
-
Sleep Defense System – Waterproof / Bed Bug Proof Mattress Encasement
-
Plug-in Bed Bug Pest Repeller
How to Prevent Bed Bugs?
- Cover up your body with clothes in order to get rid of bed bugs.
- You can also use the bed nets to prevent the bed bugs inside your sleeping area.
- Don’t buy the second-hand mattresses and furniture.
- Use a rigid brush to scrub mattress to remove bed bugs and their tiny eggs.
- Glue down your peeled wallpapers.
- Wash your clothes, mattresses, etc and dry it under the sun.
- Check for bed bugs while entering on hotels, dorms or any other public places.
In a nutshell,
Getting rid of bed bugs is a complex process due to its tiny size and reproductive nature. But there are many ways to kill bed bugs. Here I listed complete details on how to get rid of bed bug bites permanently. Try the above-mentioned creams and lotions to treat bed bug bites and itchy rashes. But you have to remove bed bugs completely from your home to avoid further infections.
If you are not able to eliminate the bed bugs completely, then call the nearest pest control company for further assistance.
