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).
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.
Bed bugs are hard to deal with, but you can repel them by using rubbing alcohol. They hate the smell of alcohol and using it is an effective solution to your problem. The rubbing alcohol can dry out bed bugs bodies, which can eventually lead to their death.
If you have to go into a home with a known bedbug infestation, applying a commercial repellent containing DEET to your clothes and shoes can be effective. But be careful, DEET sprays shouldn't be applied to furniture and certain fabrics because it could be damaging.
Bed bugs are averse to slick surfaces like glass, plastic, and polished metals and stone.
Pyrethroids are synthetic chemical insecticides that act like pyrethrins. Both compounds are lethal to bed bugs and can flush bed bugs out of their hiding places and kill them.
Bed bugs are not known to spread pathogens through their bites. Bed bug bites can be itchy and stressful. Do not squish a bed bug as it will release the blood and any pathogens it may be carrying.
If bed bugs have one weakness, it's that they're intolerant of extremely high or low temperatures. Washing clothes and bedding at the highest possible setting followed by drying for at least 30 minutes at high heat should do the trick. You can also freeze clothing or other objects you suspect of being infested.
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.
While some people believe that the strong smell of VapoRub might repel bed bugs, there is no reliable data to support this claim.
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.
Some individuals attempt to use dryer sheets as a DIY bed bug treatment, believing that the scent might discourage bed bugs. However, little scientific evidence supports their effectiveness in repelling or eliminating bed bugs. Relying solely on this method is unlikely to fully address an active bed bug problem.
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.
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.
Tea Tree Oil: The Antimicrobial Insect Repellant
Tea tree oil is not only known for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties but also for its role as an insect deterrent. Its potent smell is especially effective against many bugs, including flies and mosquitoes.
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.
Vacuum the mattress and bed frame
Regular vacuuming of mattresses and bed frames is highly recommended, especially to reduce the number of adult bed bugs that often bite you at night.
Answer: “Hitchhiking” from an infested location or item to a previously non-infested location or item are the main causes of 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.
To lure bed bugs out of their hiding spots, you can use a steamer or a hairdryer to heat areas such as mattresses. Neither of these is hot enough to kill the bed bugs, but it can trick them into thinking a human host is near. You can also keep an eye out at night to locate their nests when they are most active.
Recent tests show that many bed bugs are still resistant to DDT, years after DDT was banned. This may be because of cross-resistance between DDT and other pesticides.
Although it sounds like a grim choice, it is best to continue sleeping in the infested area using the population reduction methods described above, until the bed bugs are eliminated.
Bed bugs do not like to climb or stay on smooth plastic materials. Placing small items in plastic containers or in sealed heavy-duty plastic bags will prevent bed bugs from infesting the items. In an infested home, placing clutter in plastic containers will make bed bug elimination efforts easier.
"If you think you're ever going to get rid of them the answer is no," says Booth. "Unfortunately, bed bugs are with us until we disappear from this planet."