Can you spray for bed bugs as a prevention?

Author: Larue Botsford  |  Last update: Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Permethrin is an effective tool for helping control bed bugs. By implementing this approach, permethrin discourages bed bugs from infesting the bed and reducing the likelihood of an infestation. The scent of peppermint and chrysanthemums also repels bed bugs.

What can I spray on my bed to prevent bed bugs?

Check these out!
  • Rubbing Alcohol. Bed bugs are hard to deal with, but you can repel them by using rubbing alcohol. ...
  • Tea Tree Oil. If you don't want to use rubbing alcohol for your bed bug problems, you can try tea tree oil as another solution. ...
  • Lavender Oil. ...
  • Blood Orange Oil. ...
  • Diatomaceous Earth. ...
  • Powdered Pepper. ...
  • Lemon. ...
  • Cinnamon.

Is there a preventative treatment for bed bugs?

Avoid spraying pesticides on mattresses, box springs and sofas. Use steam, heat or bed bug-proof covers instead. Everyone should learn how to identify bed bugs and inspect for them. Cleaning and disinfecting will help to reduce bed bugs and their spread, but may not get rid of them totally.

What can I put on my body to prevent bed bug bites?

Essential oils. While essential oils like tea tree, lavender, and peppermint are popularly recommended for DIY bed bug treatments due to their strong scents and supposed insect-repellent properties, there is not much scientific evidence to support their effectiveness in eradicating bed bug infestations.

How do you prevent bed bugs from bringing you?

Check the bedding, furniture and luggage storage. Keep your suitcases off the bed and check them for bed bugs before you leave. For apartments, seal cracks and crevices around plumbing and wiring, this will help prevent bed bugs traveling from other apartments.

Where to Spray for Bed Bugs: Bed Bug Control

What scent keeps bed bugs away?

Bed bugs are sensitive to strong smells and certain scents can help keep them away. Essential oils like lavender, tea tree and peppermint are popular choices. These oils not only smell good but also act as natural repellents.

How do you keep bed bugs off you while sleeping?

Encase mattresses and box springs in protective plastic covers. Vacuum frequently, especially in areas near where you sleep. Cut down on clutter in your home, which will eliminate some hiding places for bed bugs. If you live in an apartment or other shared housing, try to close off your unit.

Can you put anything on your skin to repel bed bugs?

Currently there are no insect repellents registered for use against bed bugs that can be applied to human skin. The Pesticide Specialist also explained that using outdoor products indoors is not only against the law, it may cause the bed bugs to spread out from one or two hiding places to several.

Will Vicks vapor rub repel bed bugs?

While some people believe that the strong smell of VapoRub might repel bed bugs, there is no reliable data to support this claim.

What can I wear at night to prevent bed bug bites?

Lower your risk of getting bedbug bites by wearing long-sleeved pajamas with pants while sleeping. But be mindful that bedbugs can find their way to your skin under loose clothing. So wear pajamas that are more fitted around your ankles and wrists to give you the best protection.

How do you stop a bed bug infestation before it starts?

17 Easy Tips To Prevent Bed Bugs
  1. #1 – Cover Power Outlets. ...
  2. #2 – Store Your Clothing in Vacuum-Sealed Bags. ...
  3. #3 – Get Professional Bed Bug Treatment. ...
  4. #4 – Identify Early Signs of Bed Bugs. ...
  5. #5 – Vacuum Your Floor. ...
  6. #6 – Check Your Pets for Bed Bugs. ...
  7. #7 – Cut Back On Clutter. ...
  8. #8 – Cover Your Mattress.

Do bed bugs come back after spraying?

If your professional has used a chemical, or only treated one room, it is possible to see more bed bugs after the treatment. Many bed bugs will flee the room being treated and find a place to hide. Some surviving bed bugs are from eggs that were in another room that you were unaware of.

What is the number one killer of bed bugs?

Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids: Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are the most common compounds used to control bed bugs and other indoor pests. Pyrethrins are botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemical insecticides that act like pyrethrins.

Do bed bugs stay on your skin after a shower?

Showering using soap and water is sufficient to remove bed bugs from your person. Wash your work clothes and dry them completely in a clothes dryer.

How do I keep my bed bugs free?

Purchase protective covers that seal mattresses and box springs. With covers that seal, the bed bugs will get trapped inside and die. Vacuum after each use. Seal the bag as tightly as possible and immediately throw it out in an outdoor trash container.

What can I spray to prevent bed bugs?

Permethrin is an effective tool for helping control bed bugs. By implementing this approach, permethrin discourages bed bugs from infesting the bed and reducing the likelihood of an infestation.

What can you eat to keep bed bugs off you?

5 Foods That Repel Bugs
  • Onions. The sulfur component in onions keeps bugs at a distance by producing an odor that bugs hate. ...
  • Grapefruit. Okay, we know that onions are probably not your first choice to rub all over your body, so you're in luck! ...
  • Cucumbers. ...
  • Apple Cider Vinegar. ...
  • Garlic.

Is there a scent that keeps bed bugs away?

A citronella-scented candle is recommended to keep bed bugs at bay, as they hate the smell of it burning, but you can also use citronella essential oil more directly on your bed - plus you shouldn't leave a candle burning while you're asleep.

What do bed bugs hate the most?

Tea tree oil, renowned for its antibacterial properties, is like a natural bug repellent that bed bugs can't stand. Peppermint oil, with its invigorating minty freshness, overwhelms their acute senses. And eucalyptus oil, known for its refreshing aroma, is a formidable deterrent against these tiny intruders.

Is there anything I can use to keep bed bugs from biting me?

DEET treated fabric is repellent to bed bugs (Wang et al. 2013). Commercial insect repellents containing DEET for repelling ticks and biting insects are also helpful for preventing bed bugs when applied to outer surface of clothing (Figure 8).

Can I spray peppermint oil on my bed?

Does peppermint oil repel bed bugs? Peppermint oil can repel and may also kill bed bugs if the oil is sprayed directly on the bugs. In other words, peppermint oil is a natural bed bug contact insecticide, but as time goes by items previously sprayed with peppermint oil do not impact the bed bugs.

What can I wear to repel bed bugs?

Clothing to wear at work

Choose pants without cuffs and shoes that are smooth with no trim that bed bugs can hide under. Hang your coat or jacket on a wire hanger and hang it from a shower curtain rod. Make sure it doesn't touch anything else.

Will sleeping with lights on stop bed bugs?

In 2009, EPA and CDC collaborated on a joint statement to highlight the public health impacts of bed bugs . Myth: Bed bugs won't come out if the room is brightly lit. Reality: While bed bugs prefer darkness, keeping the light on at night won't deter these pests from biting you.

How to stop getting bitten at night in bed?

Here are 5 recommendations on how to avoid bed bug bites while sleeping:
  1. Wash bed linen and bedding at high temperatures.
  2. Vacuum the mattress and bed frame.
  3. Avoid storing items under the bed.
  4. Wash and dry clothes after returning from travel.
  5. Contact a bed bug removal service near you.

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