In this article, we will discuss how do you get bed bugs and also several home remedies to treat bed bug infestation. The tiny nocturnal infuriating insect identified as bed bug belongs to the family of Cimicidae. Bed bugs are villainous for sucking the blood of their victims. Although humans are commonly referred to as the main victims of these pests, but these small monsters also gorge on other warm-blooded hosts for their food. These tiny devils can cause you a lot of sleepless nights when they are present in your home. So, how do you get bed bugs? And what are methods to get rid of them? This, we will discuss later in this topic. But let us know about the signs of bed bug infestation first.
What are the Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation?
The perfect technique to find a bed bug infestation is by asking for a professional help, who are expert in performing a complete inspection of your home. In case you want to examine the environment yourself before hiring anyone, below are some of the signs to watch out for.
- Bed bugs’ bites
- Blood stains
- Bed bugs’ skin
- Bed bugs’ eggs
How do You Get Bed Bugs?
As these irritating bloodsuckers do not nosh on debris, filth, or crumbs, it means unsanitary environs are not the main target for the insect to live in. Bed bugs rely on blood and it is advantageous for them to look for spaces where warm-blooded beings are near. This is the cause, bed bugs are generally spotted in hotels, motels, dormitories, inns, hospitals, shelters, trains, buses, cruise ships and similar places. Such spaces work as a perfect living stations for a bed bug.
People get bed bugs when they carry bed bugs to a home along with them. You perhaps will not even become aware of them until you experience several bedbug bites. A stay at a hotel/motel for the night can be the cause of bed bugs in your house. These bugs can crawl into your luggage, clothing, and other items without anyone finding them. From there, they can enter your residence.
You also can get bed bugs in your home from a second-hand mattress or used furniture purchase. Carrying home even a couple of bugs can speedily turn into an infestation because of the below-mentioned reasons:
- A female bed bug is known to be capable of laying about 200 to 500 eggs during its full lifetime.
- A lifetime of a single bed bug ranges from six to twenty-four months.
- A bedbug has a potential of surviving for twelve months or even longer straight without eating anything.
Home Remedies for Bed Bugs Removal:
1.) Vacuum Cleaning to Get Bed Bugs Out of Carpet
This is one of the most frequent solutions when you have a bug infestation in your house. You might fright at the first scene of a bed bug in your house. If you trap them, young and fresh before they breed and multiply, vacuum cleaning can be an easy key to resolving the matter. However, in a case of serious infestation, vacuuming is not effective in total removal of bed bugs.
Suggestions:
- Bed bugs can screen inside the upholstery where vacuum cleaners will not be effective.
- In this case, you should go for a more powerful vacuum cleaner for cleaning up all the upholstery, mattress, furniture, curtains and other possible hiding spots.
- Vacuuming will eliminate all the filth and dry peels of skin which is found in the mattress and other places.
- Daily vacuum cleaning for a week will leave bed bugs with nothing to feast to nourishing their bodies. This will make the surviving condition difficult which will eventually destroy them.
2.) Lilac to Get Rid of Bed Bugs at Home
Lilac is well-liked for its antimicrobial and antibacterial attributes. Therefore, lilac can be securely used to get rid of bed bugs from the upholstery which cannot be detached from the furniture. In case you have lilac leaves, it can be the best way to eliminate bed bugs. Here is the method to use it.
Directions:
- Simply, pluck a couple of fresh lilac leaves and pound them.
- Compress them so that the aromatic tang of lilac can be released.
- Scatter these leaves on the places such as upholstery, mattresses and another place where you believe bed bug can be present in your house.
- Allow the leaves under the beds and sofa as well as they could be hiding there also.
- Replace the leaves with another set of fresh crushed leaves after they get dry and don’t show much effect.
- Make sure that you don’t use crushed leaves in case you have light-colored upholstery. Crushed leaves can blemish the surface of such items.
- Use lilac leaves for sanitizing your clothes and bed sheets as well.
- You just need to boil some lilac leaves in a bucket filled with some water.
- Drench all your clothes and other possible infected fabric until the water turns cool.
- Then, wash these fabrics with a strong detergent solution in the hot water.
- Alternatively, you can also use lilac water for bathing before you go to sleep. This will help in preventing the bugs from sucking your blood.
3.) Heat Treatment to Prevent Bed Bug Infestation
Fortunately, bedbugs are incapable of standing and surviving in very high and low temperatures. This is exactly the cause that they cannot stay alive when they are uncovered to heat in any form. So red hot ironed fabrics are considered an ideal solution for eradicating bed bugs.
Suggestions:
- For this home remedy, heat the iron to an utmost temperature setting and iron all your fabrics that are infested with these infuriating pests.
- If your upholstery can also endure iron treatment, press your iron on it too.
- In a case of objects which cannot be ironed, you can keep such objects along with all the fabrics out in the open under a hot sun for a couple of days.
- The heat released from the dryer of a washing machine can also help get rid of bed bugs successfully.
- The sturdy rotation and the hot and dry air will eliminate the bugs along with their eggs.
- Until you are finished with the hot treatment, it is recommended that you avoid using such infested furniture and upholstery to dispirit the nourishment for the bed bugs.
4.) Ice Treatment to Get Bed Bug Infestation
Alike hot temperatures, bed bugs are incapable of bearing the cold climate as well. If it is a winter season, you can keep your clothes and other items outside your house. Other than that, you can store your clothes and sheets in the freezer for a couple of hours. Also, wash your clothes with very cold water or them in ice until it melts completely.
Suggestions:
- This treatment needs to be continued for several days to get desired results.
- In order to put a stop to the bugs from getting nourishment, you should avoid using the infested objects like furniture and clothes for a few days.
5.) Store the Clothes in Sealed Bags to Prevent Bed Bug Infestation
After executing one of the above-mentioned techniques for sterilizing the fabrics, it is recommended to avoid using them right away. This is suggested to put off any bugs that could be surviving from the strong treatment. This will eliminate them and reduce their chances of surviving.
Suggestions:
- You can place some lilac leaves inside the bag before closing them.
- This will help in suffocating the escaped bed bugs and choke them to death. It will also help destroy the eggs completely.
6.) Diatomaceous Earth (DE) to Get Bed Bugs out of your House
Diatomaceous earth is believed to be one of the most excellent home remedies to remove bed bug infestation. This DE is prepared from remaining fossils of a marine plant. This powder includes microscopic sharp components that cut through the outer shell of insects, causing their death. If consumed, it suffocates the bugs and other pests to their death.
Suggestions:
- You just need to spread some diatomaceous earth in and around your home and the possible hiding spots.
- Let it sit for a couple of days before cleaning it using a vacuum cleaner.
- Later, clean all the powder using a vacuum cleaner.
- NOTE: You should always use Food Grade DE as other types of DE are unsafe for humans. In addition, wear suitable gloves and mask when using DE.