How to Kill Bed Bugs Naturally
Trying to figure out how to kill bed bugs quickly? without turning your home into a chemical warzone? Natural methods are a solid choice—they’re safe for you, your pets, and the planet. Let’s break down three effective ways: heat, freezing, and eco-friendly powders.
Heat Treatments
Cranking up the heat is a surefire way to send bed bugs packing. According to Medical News Today, these pests can’t handle temperatures of 113°F (45°C) for 90 minutes or 118°F (47.8°C) for just 20 minutes. Toss your infested clothes, sheets, and other washable items into a hot wash, and you’re good to go.
Temperature | Time Needed | Effectiveness |
---|---|---|
113°F (45°C) | 90 minutes | Good |
118°F (47.8°C) | 20 minutes | Excellent |
Freezing Method
If heat’s not your thing, try the cold shoulder. Freezing items for 8–10 hours can kill bed bugs, but there’s a catch—your home freezer might not be cold enough to do the job quickly. Still, it’s worth a shot for smaller items.
Freezing Time | Effectiveness |
---|---|
8–10 hours | High |
Eco-Friendly Powders
For a more hands-on approach, eco-friendly powders like Bed Bug Barrier’s Organic Killer Powder are a game-changer. Made from Diatomaceous Earth Dust, this stuff dehydrates bed bugs, making it impossible for them to build up resistance. Plus, it’s safe for you and your pets.
Product | Ingredient | Effectiveness |
---|---|---|
Bed Bug Killer Powder | Diatomaceous Earth Dust | 100% |
This powder works by drying out bed bugs as they crawl through it, wrecking their protective outer layer. It’s a physical method, so no nasty chemicals, and it guarantees a 100% kill rate for all bed bug strains tested.
For more tips on natural methods and other DIY bed bug treatments, check out our detailed guides.
Keep Bed Bugs at Bay
Stopping bed bugs from spreading is key to handling an infestation. With the right inspection methods and a watchful eye while traveling, you can cut down the chances of these pests hitching a ride.
How to Inspect for Bed Bugs
Regular checks are your best bet to spot and stop bed bugs. These critters love to hide around the bed when they’re not feeding. They often lurk in the seams, tags, and piping of your mattress and box spring, as well as in cracks on the bed frame and headboard. In severe cases, they might even be in electrical outlets or under loose wallpaper.
Here’s where to look:
- Mattress seams and tags
- Box spring edges
- Cracks in the bed frame and headboard
- Electrical outlets
- Under loose wallpaper
Spot | Bed Bug Likelihood |
---|---|
Mattress Seams | High |
Ensemble Base | High |
Bed Frame Cracks | Medium |
Electrical Outlets | Low |
Under Loose Wallpaper | Medium |
Regularly checking these spots can help you catch an infestation early. Look for live bugs, eggs, or shed skins. Also, keep an eye out for bites that are small, red, and slightly swollen, which can show up to two weeks after being bitten. For more on symptoms, check out our article on bed bug symptoms.
Travel Tips to Avoid Bed Bugs
Traveling is a common way bed bugs spread. They can latch onto your luggage, clothes, and other items, so staying alert while on the go is crucial.
Here’s how to stay bed bug-free while traveling:
- Check Your Room: When you arrive, inspect the bed and nearby areas for bed bugs. Look at the mattress seams, headboard, and furniture.
- Elevate Your Luggage: Keep your bags on a luggage rack or in the bathroom, away from the bed and walls.
- Use Protective Covers: Bed bug-proof luggage covers can keep bugs out of your stuff.
- Wash Clothes Right Away: When you get home, wash and dry all your travel clothes on high heat to kill any bugs.
Preventative Measure | Effectiveness |
---|---|
Checking Your Room | High |
Elevating Your Luggage | Medium |
Using Protective Covers | High |
Washing Clothes on High Heat | High |
Following these tips can help you avoid bringing bed bugs home. For more advice, check out our articles on DIY bed bug treatment and how to kill bed bugs quickly.
How to Kill Bed Bugs with a DIY Treatment
Step 1: Secure the Mattress
Start by covering your sleeping mattress with a bed bug mattress cover, ensuring it’s zipped up and the tab is closed. This traps bed bugs inside, eventually killing them through starvation. It also helps spot bed bugs because the covers remove hiding spots on the mattress.
Step 2: Treat the Bed Frame or Ensemble Base
– Ensemble Beds:
Stand the base on its end, remove all the wheels and cover it with a bed bug mattress cover, and zip it up completely. Screw the wheels back into the base, piercing the cover with the bed leg screws.
– Bed Frames with Slats:
Use a Bed Bug Steamer to steam the entire bed frame, paying special attention to cracks and crevices. Remove the slats and steam on both the top and bottom surfaces of the slats.
Before replacing bed slats, apply Bed Bug Killer powder to the bed frame and slats using a Bed Bug Killer Duster. Ensure the powder covers every inch, including the undersides.
Step 3: Set Up Barriers or Tape
To protect yourself from bed bugs in the room, use Bed Bug Barriers:
- Screw-in Barriers: Attach these to the legs of the ensemble beds. Apply powder inside and outside the barriers and on the wheels.
- Floor Barriers: Place bed legs in the Floor Barrier, dusting powder inside the tray and barrier.
- Bed Bug Barrier Tape: For square bed legs or those larger than 65mm, use the tape at the bottom of the legs, dusting powder around the leg and floor.
Final Tips:
– Keep your bed at least 30cm away from walls, bedside tables, and other furniture to prevent bed bugs from climbing on your bed.
– Isolate the bed so the only access points are the bed legs. This setup will kill bed bugs in the room within a few weeks to a month, regardless of their hiding places.
Following these steps will ensure bed bugs are effectively eliminated from your bed and room, allowing you to sleep peacefully, knowing you’re protected.
Are You Looking for an Organic DIY Treatment?
DIY Treatment Video For An Ensemble Bed
DIY Treatment Video For A Bed Frame
Frequesntly Asked Questions:
- Can I get rid of bed bugs myself?
Yes, you can get rid of bed bugs yourself with the right approach and products. Using a combination of eco-friendly bed bug treatment solutions can help you eliminate bed bugs effectively. - What kills bed bugs 100 per cent?
Diatomaceous Earth is known to kill bed bugs 100 per cent by dehydrating them. Steam instantly kills bed bugs 100 per cent. - How can I kill bed bugs in my house?
Use Bed Bug Barrier products: Apply the eco-friendly Diatomaceous Earth, to kill bed bugs and provide long-term protection. Use mattress and base covers, along with floor bed bug barrier traps, to prevent re-infestation.
Silvia Byrne says
I use all these tips but I never thought about steaming. Does the steamer kill both the eggs and the adult bed bugs as well? Do you think just one steaming will be enough or do I have to steam the mattress every day to remove all bugs? I was thinking about doing this daily for about a week and then encase the mattress.
Zoe Claire says
After having a minor scare last month and thinking my house was full of bed bugs, I bought your Bed Bug Steamer and killed the few ones that emerged from my mattress. Now I have all my mattresses fully encased and protected and I have used your Bed Bug Killer powder around my bed and barrier tape around my bed legs for preventing bed bugs from crawling on the furniture or on the walls.
Tony Abrahams says
Brilliant Zoe. You have everything in place to protect yourself from the little bed bug nasties!
Alicia says
There’s no such thing as a magic solution that will help you keep bed bugs at bay. You will need a step by step system to prevent bed bugs and also fight against them in case of an outburst. Keeping your house clean and vacuuming as often as possible, especially if you have pets, is a must.
Tony Abrahams says
Hi Alicia. Unfortunately cleaning will not keep bed bug away. You need a proactive solution in place to help protect yourself. Bed Bug Killer is proactive, poison free and very long lasting.