Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:47 pm
Bed bugs like to do two things: lurk in nooks and crannies, especially in the dark of night, and feed on our blood. In this respect, they are not unlike vampires, although a clove of garlic and holy water will not help you here! What options are available to you?
We have listed some natural solutions to get rid of them. It’s perfect for those who come back from their vacation with a few bedbugs as a souvenir of the hotel where they stayed!
Contents
1) Diatomaceous earth
DDT-based insecticides that used to work well against bedbugs have not been on the market since the 1970s because of their harmfulness. Fortunately, there is diatomaceous earth, a natural insecticide that is effective and not harmful even to your pets. You can place cups filled with this powder at the foot of your bed and remove them from the wall to prevent access (bedbugs do not jump or fly, they crawl!).
It is also possible to sprinkle it around the bed, in the nooks and crannies infested (baseboards, plugs …) or around the bed. They should not approach any more under penalty of dying! If the bed is already infested, wash the sheets at more than 60° and apply soil on the bedding. After 12 to 48 hours, brush and vacuum.
2) Essential oils
As Docteur Nuisibles reminds us, in addition to traces of feces, molting skins or dead individuals, seeing your body studded with itchy bites in the uncovered areas at night is an indicator of infestation. To titillate their sense of smell so that they stay away while relieving these bites, we advise you to dilute 10 drops of lemongrass EO, 10 of lavender, 5 of tea tree and 2 of peppermint in 25 ml of oil (neem or grapeseed oil for example). Apply to exposed areas.
You can also spray bedding or diffuse lavender, tea tree or lemon eucalyptus essential oils in the room. When vacuuming the bedding or the room (a crucial step in the fight against bedbugs), remember to put a few drops of clove EO in the vacuum bag and add a few drops of tea tree in the laundry compartment before machine washing the sheets. Finally, for woodwork, it is recommended to coat them with geranium or lavender EO.
3) Extreme temperatures
These little bugs don’t like cold or heat. It is possible to treat objects or fabrics by freezing them for 48 hours to kill bugs and eggs. In winter, you can even take advantage of an intense freezing episode to put what you need to treat outside.
As for heat, any temperature above 60°C is your friend. So you can easily turn to your washing machine and the dryer to complete the job. The iron can also be used, especially on mattresses and box springs. Finally, the steam cleaner is the most efficient of all the equipment to treat more or less all surfaces. A mixture of water and white vinegar can be poured into the device for even more power against infestation.
4) And in the kitchen, what bedbug repellents can be found?
Turmeric is an excellent health ally, but also the enemy of bedbugs thanks to its curcumin, a powerful anti-microbial that acts on the environment of these insects and therefore allows an easier elimination. In fact, this spice allows to asphyxiate them! Cloves, on the other hand, are a real bug repellent!