How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Naturally?

When buying a mattress, there is a lot of emphasis on how long it will last. You want something that you can use for years on end without having to make a trip to the store. Getting a mattress is an investment like any other, and you should thus get something that gives you value for its money.

Now, with mattresses, the issue of how long they will last is quite complicated. Thus, it is best to look at it in terms of how long you can derive comfort and support from it. In this way, you can estimate when it will be necessary to get another one and whether the subsequent purchase will give you your money’s worth.

Estimating a mattress’s life span is not only about money spent on the initial purchase. But instead, it also concerns your comfort levels. As the mattress comes to the end of its lifespan, you will notice that it will be quite uncomfortable and you will thus not get much rest at night. Additionally, this discomfort could earn you many trips to the doctor. And all this would lead to added medical bills, which you can avoid by taking the longevity of the mattress into account.

Back pains can result from a lot of things, including injuries from sports. However, did you know that mattresses can also be a cause of the same? A recent study shows that worn-out mattresses are to blame for some of the aches that people bear. If you have trouble falling asleep or wake up tired, consider changing your mattress and see whether there will be a change in your sleep patterns.

Now that you have seen the importance of having a sound mattress, let us get into the different types available in the market and how long they will serve your needs:

Clean up the room

Having bedbugs may not look like a blessing, but it is to some extent. At most times, you find that you have postponed cleaning some parts of the house. And you keep saying that you will but never get to do so. Over time, clutter accumulates, and it seems too big a task to handle. Well, with these bugs threatening your peace and that of your loved ones, you will have no option in this case.

Start by sorting through what you need and what you need to throw away. Use plastic bags for this as they will help you get rid of the clutter much faster. Where you want to move some things out of the room, place the items in a plastic bin. Ensure the bin has a fitting lid. Everything you keep should be in a plastic bag or container for containment.

Clean the bedding and clothing

Bugs especially love warm areas, and you will thus find them in your bedding and clothing. Start by washing your clothes and bedding at high temperatures. The higher, the better as this will kill the bugs. After you clean them, ensure that you dry them at high temperatures and place them in plastic bags or bins. Containing them will ensure that they do not get re-infested once you finish cleaning the house. Some of the clothes may not be fit for laundering. If this is the case, you can take them to the dry cleaner. Alternatively, you could place them in the dryer for fifteen or so minutes at high temperatures. In this way, you will get rid of the bugs.

In some cases, you may find that the infestation is severe, more so if you waited before you acted on the bugs. Where this is the case, you will need to keep up with this cleaning procedure at least once each week. Carry this out for at least six months, even after the bed bugs are gone. It will ensure that they cannot come back as the conditions will not be conducive.

Bugs also love living in soft toys as they provide them with conditions similar to those in bedding and clothes. Thus, gather all your kids’ toys and throw them in the washing machine at high temperatures. Most of these toys are prone to damage as they have fur. As such, have them inside a pillowcase where they can stay protected. Dry them and place them in a bin or bag to contain them.

Once you finish cleaning the bedding and clothes and have sealed everything in a bin or bag, proceed to clean the laundry room. You can do this with a sanitizing cleaner or other practical solution.

Separation

You now need to take everything that you have cleaned and place it in a plastic bag or bin. You can also use other containers, as long as you can seal them tightly. Ensure that the containers remain closed when you are not handling the items inside. Otherwise, they will get re-infested, and you will have to start from scratch. Each time you finish working on a batch of clothes, seal them and move the bin away from the infested room.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming will take place every other day as this will help in getting rid of the bugs. Work on everything from the rugs to the upholstered items to box springs. Additionally, vacuum the hard surfaces, including that you work on places with nooks and crannies. Doing this over several weeks will improve the hygiene of your home and will enable you to get rid of the bugs over time.

Once you finish cleaning, remove the bag from the vacuum cleaner and place it inside a plastic bag. Ensure that you tie the bag tightly, and you throw it away, as far as possible from your home. Leaving the bag near your house exposes you to another infestation, and you will be back at ground zero. Caution is of the essence when dealing with these bugs.

Steam Cleaning

A steam cleaner will be of handy at this point. When getting one, be sure to get one that can reach at least two hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, you should get one that uses dry steam. Else, you will end up with vapor all over your items, and this will lead to the development of mold and mildew. The high heat works great in getting rid of bugs.

Getting Rid of Infested Pieces

It is hard to let go of items as they represent a part of our lives. However, you will have to get rid of some things. Inspect items in your house carefully and figure out if they are worth saving. Where they have a severe infestation, you are better off getting rid of them and buying others. It is a complicated process, but it is the only way to keep the bugs at bay. Start by getting rid of the covers of upholstered furniture and work your way through the house to see what needs to go. Then take all these infested pieces and place them in a plastic bag. You must label the bag as ‘Infested with Bed Bugs’ or other applicable signs.

Getting rid of infested stuff follows protocols which some people choose to bypass. But for the sake of everyone around you, be sure to get in touch with your city. In this way, they can direct you as to how you can get rid of the pieces. Also, they will enable you to get rid of the items as soon as possible. And it will protect other people from going through the pieces and suffering the same fate as you.

Getting Rid of Infested Pieces

Now that the house is clean, it is time to use some natural remedies:

• Herbs

Most insects cannot stand the scent of strong herbs, and this holds for bed bugs. Thus, get some eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, or mint and spread them around the house. They can be dried or fresh as these herbs are pretty useful in either state, owing to their strong scents.

You can place the herbs in the manner in which you see fit. An example would be to tie them up in bundles and hang them in places where bugs are likely to be. From the closets to the wardrobes to the cabinets, seek them out and use these scents on them. You can also use sprinkled herbs on surfaces in your house.

The smells are enough to get the bugs to leave.

• Essential Oils

You can go a step further and use extracts from herbs in the form of essential oils. The best choices, in this case, would be rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, and mint. They are strong, and their effects last for hours on end. Where you have pets in the house, you should be wary of using tea tree oil around them as it can be toxic. Thus, check whether your choice of oil is suitable for use around pregnant women, children, and pets.

You can use the oils in several ways. One way is to rub some oil on the bed frame. It will get rid of any bugs in your bedding or furniture around the bed. You can also use the oils during washing cycles such that their scent stays on bedding and clothes. Also, you could spray the oils onto surfaces in the house. You can make a mixture by adding a few drops of the oil to half a cup of water. Spray this solution on linens, bedding, rugs, and carpets, as well as other areas where bugs are likely to be.

•  Diatomaceous Earth

When buying diatomaceous earth, ensure that you get the pesticide grade type. Getting the pool or food-grade type will leave you with fine grains, which can cause harm to you and your loved ones. Pesticide grade earth features diatoms in the form of a powder. It kills bed bugs, as well as keeps them out from your home, and it is thus an effective way of eliminating them. As much as it is safe for use around you and your pets, you should ensure that you do not ingest or breathe it in. Thus, take caution when using it in the house and place it on surfaces where you are least likely to come into contact with it. It could be around your room or in doorways or another place which you deem suitable.

• How to get rid of bed bugs with dryer sheets

Bed bugs do not like the scent of dryer sheets as it is powerful. Thus, using them in your room is a sure way to keep them out. You can place ten of these sheets between the box spring and the mattress and add ten more underneath the bedsheets. Additionally, you could add two sheets in your pillowcase, and have more in your closet and drawers.

You could add on to the scent of the sheets by using an essential oil whose smell bugs cannot stand. A good example would be lavender.

• Non-Permeable Pillow and Mattress Covers

Consider getting covers which do not allow any entry. An excellent example, in this case, would be the non-permeable covers. They lack seams, and thus, bugs cannot get in and hide. Additionally, washing them is not an uphill task. Therefore, using them is a great way to avoid re-infestation.

• Bug Interceptors

Interceptors are a sure way to keep bugs from crawling onto your bed and disturbing your sleep. They should be under all the feet of the bed frame. Suppose you are unable to get some, you can use plastic containers and fill them with soapy water. That way, any bug that dares to climb the bed will fall and drown.

FAQs

All the best of luck in your quest for a bug-free home!