Epsom salts dissolve more easily in water than table salt, so you might think this makes them more effective at dehydrating bed bugs. However, Epsom salts won't penetrate the bed bugs' exoskeletons, so they won't dehydrate them.
Does salt kill bed bugs? Spoiler: No it doesn't.
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.
To truly get rid of bed bugs, it's important to hire a professional exterminator who can use specialized treatments and techniques to completely eradicate the infestation. Relying on table salt may only provide temporary relief if any relief at all. Key Takeaway: Salt is not a proven method for eliminating bed bugs.
To treat bedbug bites: Wash the bites with soap and water. This will help prevent a skin infection and help reduce itchiness. If the bites itch, apply a corticosteroid cream to the bites.
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).
No scientific evidence suggests that VapoRub (Vicks VapoRub) can keep bed bugs away. While some people believe that the strong smell of VapoRub might repel bed bugs, there is no reliable data to support this claim.
Sleep in long-sleeved clothing
These sneaky creatures will feast on exposed areas of your skin, but they can't bite through fabric. 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.
Bed bugs are easy to kill using heat. Their thermal death point is reported to be 114-115° F. Putting infested clothing in a hot dryer is an excellent way of killing bed bugs and their eggs. Heat can also be used to kill bed bugs and their eggs in furniture and carpeting.
Just like mosquitos hate the smell of citronella, bed bugs do too. 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.
Courtesy of its insecticidal properties, tea tree oil is an effective natural remedy to kill bed bugs instantly.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil helps in repelling bed bugs successfully as the smell encourages the pest to leave the area. Once they smell it, they will instantly run away. The essential oil not only makes an annoying odor for them, but it can also affect their exoskeleton.
Here are a few ideas for using Epsom salt as pesticide: Epsom Salt Solution Insect Control– A mixture of 1 cup (240 ml.) Epsom salt and 5 gallons (19 L.) of water may act as a deterrent to beetles and other garden pests.
So, here's the big question: does vinegar kill bed bugs? The short answer is yes, but with a bit of a catch. Vinegar is acidic, and when it comes into direct contact with a bed bug, it can disrupt its exoskeleton and eventually kill it.
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.
Diatomaceous earth is a great chemical-free option for getting rid of a number of pests, including bed bugs. This natural powder contains properties that can dehydrate bed bugs, absorbing their fat and oil, and killing them dead as a doornail. Spray or sprinkle in infected areas and allow it to sit for at least a week.
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.
Bed bugs are averse to slick surfaces like glass, plastic, and polished metals and stone. They can, however, grasp and cling onto textiles and porous materials like wood.
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.
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.
Using Vaseline For Bed Bugs
While this could stop the bed bugs from traveling up the bed, it won't kill them. Bed bugs will find another way to a food source. They have been known to climb up walls and drop from the ceiling, and they can also jump, so they can probably jump right past the vaseline.