Use natural remedies as an additional treatment to pesticides.
If you have a small bed bug infestation, several natural treatments can kill them. However, bed bugs are difficult to get rid of. These remedies are not always the most efficient on massive infestations; therefore, it is sometimes better to use natural remedies in combination with pesticides or professional pest control.
Vacuuming and Cleaning
Vacuuming and cleaning are important to avoiding bed bugs, but you cannot get rid of all bed bugs in this manner. Cleaning and vacuuming regularly will help out, especially in infested areas, to give the bed bugs less places to hide and reduce the amount of eggs lying around. Seal holes and pipes, as well as cracks to help keep the bugs out of the house.
Cleaning up clutter is a good option as well. It is important not to move any items from an infested room to one that is not infested, which may carry the bugs over. You can always place these items in a plastic bag and move them over that way. It is also efficient to scrub and wash any surfaces with a stiff brush where they might hide, like drawers and cabinets, to help dislodge eggs. Using a powerful vacuum to remove bed bugs from cracks and crevices is also helpful.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is a more effective way to kill most bed bugs. These insects are very sensitive to heat in all stages of their development. Extreme heat, which is generally anything over 120 degrees Fahrenheit, will kill them. Cover all the areas that are infected, including mattresses. Often exterminators will steam clean after having used pesticides and other methods.
Though steam cleaning is rather effective, there are still some downsides. When using a steam cleaner on a mattress, it absorbs the moisture and keeps it from coming into contact with the bugs. The temperature of the steamer is not always high enough to kill the bugs; therefore make sure that your steamer goes up to a high temperature. Another downside is that some items are damaged when using the steam cleaning method. Wooden furniture is a good example because it is easily ruined when steam is applied to it.
Diatomaceous Soil
Diatomaceous soil is a nontoxic powder used to dust in cracks and crevices where there is suspected bed bug activity. This type of soil is basically composed of fossilized single-cell algae that are crushed up. The soil has microscopic jagged edges that cut any insects crawling over it, causing them to bleed to death. These jagged edges are too small to hurt you or any pets. Apply then soil where there are bed bugs, such as underneath your bed, and spread inside or underneath your mattress. Vacuum up and reapply daily.
Exposure to Warm and Cold Temperatures
Leave things that are infested outdoors. This is a type of natural treatment that gives people mixed results. It works for some, but is not effective for others. The most common reason why this doesn't work is because warmth or cold cannot be spread over items evenly. Another reason is that it isn't always cold or warm enough outside. Bed bugs require extreme heat or temperatures below zero.
Mattress and Pillow Covers
Mattress and pillow covers are often used to help avoid bed bugs. These types of vinyl or fabric encasements are different from standard mattress covers because they zip around the mattress, which means that no bed bugs get in or out of the mattress. The ones that are already in the mattress will eventually die because they have nothing to survive off of. Because they can live a while without feeding, they may take 6 to 18 months to completely die off inside your mattress. Pillow covers generally have the same functions. Though pillow covers prevent bed bugs in the future, it is also important to wash your pillowcase regularly.
Fabric and vinyl encasements are available. Fabric is more comfortable to sleep on compared to vinyl and won't tear as easily, but it is more expensive and can get stained. Vinyl is easier to wash but can be less comfortable to sleep on and can also have a bit of a plastic-like smell at first.
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