Category Archives: Bed Bug Home Remedies

Last Updated On October 20, 2017 By surekha

Fleas are tiny black colored bugs which can cause painful bites. It is difficult to control them without the help of professional team. You are more prone to flea bites if you have pets at home than others. These tiny black or brownish insects about 1/12 inches long but can jump easily to any height and are capable of reproducing in no time. They mainly live on cats and dogs in your home and can easily bite you without your knowledge.

Flea bites can be itchy and painful and you may have signs of red spots on the affected skin, rashes, and swelling around the bite. Flea bites can cause distinctive reddish halo in the site. Apart from these problems fleas can easily transmit diseases like plaque and typhus. Often, your legs and ankles are vulnerable places of flea bites apart from wrist, armpits and groin.

If you observe your dogs/cats licking and scratching a lot, it could be due to flea bites. Mild flea bites can be managed with home remedies like Aloe Vera gel, ointments and ice packs but severe forms have to be treated medically if hives are formed in the skin. It is true that fleas are able to store volumes of blood measuring about 15 times of their weight.

When compared with fleas, bed bugs would not have wings and both are tiny oval shaped insects. Color of both bed bugs and fleas are of brownish black or reddish black. Bed bugs feed on humans and animals like that of fleas. The symptoms of flea bites and bed bug bites are similar. Bites of both these insects would produce swelling on the skin with tiny red spot on the affected site. It can also cause hives and blisters in severe cases. Like fleas, areas like arms, legs and face and other exposed parts of body, are highly vulnerable for bites of bed bugs.

Symptoms :

Both fleabites and bed bug bites have similar symptoms of itchy feeling and tiny red blisters on the skin.

Symptoms Of Flea Bites :

Symptoms Of Bed Bugs Bite :

Flea bites can cause itching almost instantly and they appear in clusters. Bed bug bites are often found in rows and not in groups. Both can trigger allergic reaction in your body causing swelling and rashes.

Where Do They Live ?

Read more on Insect Bites

Which Is More Harmful?

Fleas are obviously more harmful than bed bugs, because it transmits disease by injecting bacteria and other micro-organisms during their bite. Bed bugs generally do not carry any parasites and they bite only to suck your blood.

Treatment :

Home Remedies :

Ways To Prevent Flea Bites& Bed Bug Bites :

Firstly you need to check the health condition of your pets. Get it checked with a Vet who can give suitable medication to control fleas in them.

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Flea Bites Vs. Bed Bug Bites : Symptoms, Treatment ...

Bed bugs are a growing concern for homeowners and renters alike. Hard to detect and hard to eliminate, bed bug infestations put residents in a difficult spot. When it comes time to deal with the infestation, chemicals are often the most common option. For those of us who want to take a more natural approach or deal with bed bugs ourselves, this is problematic. Here are a few tips for treating and preventing bed bugs at home.

An Ounce Of Prevention

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, they say, and when it comes to bed bugs they could not be more right. The best way to treat bed bugs is to avoid them entirely.

Bed bugs spread by attaching themselves to luggage, mattresses, used furniture, backpacks, and briefcases. While they can travel on clothing, this method is less likely. It is hard to tell when a bed bug has hitched a ride on your personal items, but there are a few steps you can take to prevent it.

Natural Home Remedies

It is a myth that bed bugs only reside in dirty homes. Bed bugs can infest even the cleanest residence, much to the horror of the inhabitants. Here are five home remedies that can help eliminate these nasty pests:

The easiest way to kill bed bugs at home is to put infested articles in the clothes dryer. Temperatures higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit kill bed bugs after 40 minutes of continuous heating. If your dryer gets this hot, then give it a shot.

EPA Approved Pesticides

Always be careful when applying pesticides yourself. Follow any and all instructions to keep your home and family safe during the pest removal process. It might take a few different products before you find the one that works. Bed bugs are resistant to some sprays, so be patient.

Dont Let Bed Bugs Ruin Your Sleep

Taking these preventative measures and applying the appropriate at home bed bug removal remedies helps you take back your sleep. Dont let bed bugs ruin your night. Get started on your pest removal strategy today.

If you really want to get rid of bed bugs today try SayByeBugs! It was developed as a safe and highly effective alternative among a sea of products that rarely deliver on their promises.

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Home Remedies For Bed Bugs - Bed Bug Guide - Experts on ...

Dont let the bed bugs bite is a common phrase that people say before going to bed. Unfortunately, if you have bed bugs, good wishes arent enough to get rid of these little biting critters for good. Bed bug bites can cause itchy red clusters of bumps on your skin which are also called bed bug rashes. This severe itching creates a strong urge to scratch and is very frustrating. You may even lose sleep scratching through the night and worrying about the bugs in your bed.

Getting rid of bed bug bites can be very effective with home remedies. Many home remedies help to treat the itchy bites that these nasty bugs cause and also help to reduce skin irritation, reduce redness and swelling as well as prevent infection. Some natural remedies for treating bed bug bites like apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, and oatmeal reduce itching and swelling around the affected skin area. Other remedies include coconut oil, tea tree oil, or aloe vera to soothe the itchy skin and the inflammation around the bed bug rash.

Before learning about the best home remedies for treating bed bug bites, lets look at the signs and symptoms of bed bug bites.

Bed bugs are tiny parasitic insects that range in size from 1mm to 7mm. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these little pests feed on the blood of humans and animals.1 The bite from a bed bug can cause a bed bug rash which is an allergic reaction that makes the surrounding area inflamed, red, and itchy. Sometimes bed bug bites are confused with flea bites. Flea bites on humans occur at any time you are around the house, bed bugs are mostly active when its dark, so you will be bitten while you are asleep.

Dr. Varnada Karriem-Norwood on WebMD says that the red, itchy bites usually occur on the arms or shoulders, but they can also be on the face and be a reason for itchy hands. The red bumps on the skin tend to be in straight rows, although they can be in clusters. Although bed bugs dont carry disease, scratching the skin irritation can lead to secondary skin infections.2

Bed bug rash or bite marks may appear several hours or even several days after the bite has occurred. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that it may even take up to 2 weeks for bed bug rash and bite marks to become itchy, inflamed spots, depending upon the persons allergic reaction to the bites.

Usually bed bug rash or bites last several days and then slowly fade, but in some cases they can last longer if the bitten person is more sensitive to the bites. Some people may not have any reaction at all, while others who are more sensitive can develop bite marks or rashes that cause severe itching.

You can spot bed bug signs by carefully examining your bed linen. Some of the telltale signs of bed bugs are exoskeletons left behind after molting, tiny blood spots on your mattress or bed sheets, and a sweet musty odor.1

Doctors from the Mayo Clinic recommend checking in the cracks and crevices of beds, headboards, bed frames, and in the seams of mattresses.3 Generally, bed bugs live within 8 feet of sleeping areas.

To eliminate bed bug infestation, please read my article about the top 10 home remedies to get rid of bed bugs naturally.

To get rid of bed bug bites, its important to reduce the itching and inflammation. This will prevent you from scratching the itchy bumps and rashes that the bed bug bites cause.

The simplest way to stop bed bug bites itching fast is to apply a cold compress to soothe the red bed bug rash. The effect of cold helps to calm the nerve endings and take the itch out of the bite.

Many doctors recommend a cold compress to reduce pain and redness of a bed bug bite. Dr. Charles Patrick Davis on eMedicineHealth says to first of all wash the affected skin area. Then place a cold pack or ice wrapped in a towel on the affected skin area.4 Leave on for around 10 minutes. Use the cold compress as needed to relieve the itchy skin and reduce redness causes by bed bug bites.

Raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a great natural remedy to make bed bug bite go away because its acidic properties relieve itching and redness. ACV contains acetic acid which is a natural anti-inflammatory and also acts as an antiseptic. Applying apple cider vinegar to bug bites can also help to prevent any secondary skin infection.

Scientists have found that topical applications that have a low pH level (acidic) help to relieve pruritus (skin itching).5 Apple cider vinegar has the effect of balancing the skins pH level which is higher when inflamed.

The journal PLoS One also found that acetic acid protects the skin from bacterial infections and speeds up the healing process.6

To use apple cider vinegar to relieve the irritation caused by bed bug bites, please do the following:

Washing your face with apple cider vinegar is another reason to use ACV to quickly cure bed bug bites around your nose and cheeks.

Another great and easy home remedy to alleviate the discomfort caused by bed bug bites is to apply lemon juice. Because of its citric acid content, lemon juice has medicinal properties that work similar to apple cider vinegar in relieving itchy skin.

To get fast relief from bed bug bites, dip a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply to the itchy bed bug rash. Repeat the process 2 or 3 times a day to stop the bites itching.

Use the natural astringent properties of witch hazel to dry out bed bug rashes quickly and reduce the urge to scratch. Witch hazel contains tannins which not only help get rid of itching caused by bed bug bites but also have antibacterial properties that prevent infections. Witch hazel is also one of the best home remedies to get rid of flea bites.

Doctors on WebMD say that witch hazel is applied directly to the skin to reduce itching, pain, and swelling caused by insect bites as well as mite bites.7 Studies into the anti-inflammatory effects of witch hazel found that the astringent properties help to reduce skin inflammation and improve its appearance.8

To soothe an itchy bed bug bite, you can apply witch hazel directly to the affected skin area. This is what you should do:

Baking soda is a natural antibacterial agent that can help dry out inflamed skin rashes and help to cure bed bug bites. Baking soda is also anti-inflammatory and will reduce the itchy sensation from the bed bug rash on your skin.

Doctors recommend using baking soda to soothe the redness, itching, and stinging that are caused by a mild reaction to an insect bite such as bed bug bite.9 A study into the antibacterial activities of baking soda found that it is also effective against a number of strains of bacteria.10

Make a home remedy for getting rid of bed bug bites by combining some water with baking soda. Here is how to make your anti-itch paste:

The baking soda treatment will help to protect the bed bug rash on your skin from becoming infected with germs. When combined with other ingredients, baking soda can help you get gorgeous, healthy-looking skin.

Pure aloe vera gel will help to get rid of the itch from an insect or bed bug bite. Aloe vera is rich in soothing properties that reduce inflammation and nourish your skin. To relieve skin itching, you can use aloe vera in its pure form straight from the plant leaf or you can buy pure aloe vera gel.

Aloe vera is known for its healing effect on the skin. In a study published in the journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology on the anti-inflammatory properties of aloe vera, it was found to be more effective at reducing skin irritation than 1% hydrocortisone gel.11 Hydrocortisone creams are often prescribed for insect bites.

It is very easy to use pure aloe vera gel to heal bed bug bites. All you have to do is apply the aloe vera gel liberally to the affected skin area a few times a day. The soothing effect of aloe vera on the skin will quickly get rid of itching and help to protect your skin.

Oatmeal is a natural remedy for skin inflammation and will soothe bed bug bites and other insect bites. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cleansing effect of oatmeal quickly reduces irritation, itching, redness, and swelling associated with painful bites.

A study published in the Journal of Drugs and Dermatology found that applying a topical treatment of colloidal oatmeal (ground oatmeal) helped reduce itching, skin rashes, burns, and eczema.12 In fact, colloidal oatmeal is registered at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide temporary relief of itching and irritation caused by insect bites.13

To get rid of bed bug bites with oatmeal, here is an effective home remedy:

You can also add some honey to the oatmeal anti-itch remedy to help boost its antibacterial potential.

Oatmeal is so effective at getting rid of any kind of skin irritation, you can use it in a warm bath as a home remedy to stop itching all over your body.

Honey, especially Manuka honey, contains powerful medicinal properties that can soothe an itch and heal bacterial skin infections. A dab of raw honey on the bed bug bite may be all you need to soothe the irritation. Honey should also be applied to insect bites to help prevent secondary skin infections developing.

The Mayo Clinic reports that there is some evidence that honey can be used as a topical itch treatment and it can help form a protective barrier on the skin.14 Studies have shown that honey can help reduce scalp itching and prevent infections.15

All you have to do to relieve itching from a bed bug bite and speed up the healing process is apply a little honey to the itchy spot. You can repeat as necessary throughout the day whenever you feel the urge to scratch the bed bug rash.

Another natural remedy to cure bed bug bites and soothe the discomfort they cause is to put some slices of cucumber on the itch. Cucumber is especially soothing on the bed bug rash if you take it straight out the refrigerator before applying it.

The website, The Worlds Healthiest Foods says that cucumbers have anti-inflammatory activities and help to inhibit inflammatory enzymes like COX-2. Cucumbers are also rich in vitamin C, E, and A all of which are essential for keeping skin healthy.16

Place slices of cooled cucumber directly on the bed bug rash to ease pain, reduce inflammation, and quickly stop the itch. Use as necessary every time the insect bite starts itching.

Relieving the discomfort of bed bug bites is one great way to use your old tea bags. There are various types of tea that you can use to soothe a painful itchy bite.

Black tea contains tannins which act as an astringent on the skin to reduce itching. The Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry says that the tannins are released when the black tea is put in hot water. The journal reports that tannins can be used to heal the skin and form a protective layer over tissue.17

Chamomile tea has a soothing effect on the skin as well as the mind. Studies into the anti-inflammatory and protective properties of chamomile show that its a great herb to relieve itching and inflammation and speed up the healing process of skin infections. Chamomile tea has been shown to be more effective than 1% hydrocortisone creams and is safe for long-term use.18

To use black tea bags or chamomile tea bags, you should place one teabag in a cup of hot water. Leave to infuse for a few minutes. Place the tea bag in the refrigerator to cool is down. Use as a cold compress on the itchy bed bug bite to get rid of the irritation and to get a quick itch relief.

You can also use the essential oil of chamomile to relieve itching. The University of Maryland recommends putting 5 to 10 drops of chamomile oil in a warm bath to soothe bed bug bites.19

There are many other essential oils for skincare that are excellent home remedies to reduce swelling and redness and prevent itching caused by bed bug bites.

Apart from tea tree oil and lavender oil, which can be applied directly as a spot treatment, essential oils should always be diluted before using on the skin. Coconut oil is a great carrier oil to use to reduce itching and prevent skin infections.

Coconut oil has many beneficial medicinal properties. The journal Pharmaceutical Biology reported that coconut oil reduces inflammation and eases pain.20 Read more about the 10 secret ways to use coconut oil on your skin.

When using essential oils with coconut oil on your skin, you should add 2-3 drops of essential oil in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

The journal Clinical Microbiology Reviews reported on studies showing that tea tree oil shows anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. It can be added to coconut oil to help heal bed bug bites speedily and kill off any germs that may cause infection.21

If you have just one or two itchy bed bug bites, you can put a drop of tea tree oil directly on the spot to get instant itch relief. If however you have a sensitive skin or need to apply it on a larger skin area, mix a few drops of tea tree oil in a tablespoon of coconut oil and apply to the bed bug bites to reduce skin irritation and inflammation.

Using tea tree oil is also good for treating spider bites and cockroaches bites.

A study from 2015 found that lavender essential oil contains antioxidant, pain relieving, and anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender oil was just as effective as dexamethasone, a pharmaceutical drug that is sometimes prescribed to relieve allergic reactions and reduce swelling.22

Another study found that lavender oil helped to reduce allergic skin reactions when used topically.23

Like tea tree oil, you can dab a drop of lavender oil directly onto a small itchy bed bug bite. For larger bed bug rash area, you should mix lavender oil with coconut oil to make a topical anti-itch cream.

The University of Maryland reports that calendula oil is an effective treatment for itchy skin inflammation.24 You can use a few drops of calendula oil mixed with coconut oil. Or you can buy a calendula cream to relieve itchiness from bed bug bites.

Usually, home remedies quickly and effectively heal bed bug bites and all your symptoms should be gone within a week.

However, doctors from the Mayo Clinic25 advise that you should see a doctor if you have a severe allergic reaction to the bed bugs or if the rashes caused by the bites start to blister.

Read my other related articles: 1. The Top 10 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Naturally 2. Mite Bites: Warning Signs and Natural Treatments 3. Itching All Over the Body Causes and Natural Treatments 4. What Do Flea Bites on Humans Look Like? 5. How to Effectively Kill Bed Bugs Using Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Excerpt from:
How to Get Rid of Bed Bug Bites: The Most Effective Home ...

IT had been a sleepless, living nightmare.

For mStar editor Zainal Azhar Mohamed, it was a year-long battle with bed bugs that ended with him surrendering and moving his family out of the rented home.

He believes the ordeal began after his travels in Vietnam last year.

I think there were bed bugs at the hotel. I got itchy bites while I was there, he recalls.

He went to three doctors. They told him that it could be mosquito bites or an allergic reaction. They gave him medication that stopped the itchiness. Yet, he kept getting bitten.

It was only around May last year when my part-time Indonesian maid noticed that there was a musty smell a tell-tale sign of the presence of bed bugs, he says.

Zainal Azhar checked his bed and noticed black marks on his mattress, a sign of bed bug fecal matter.

He recalls feeling helpless after having tried everything and failed.

All the sprays and pesticides were ineffective. I mixed Clorox with hot water and sprayed it all over my house, I used natural remedies such as soursop leaves and soursop fruits, but it all did not work.

I would also mop, clean and vacuum every day. I tried everything, he says.

His children suffered, too. My babies kept crying at night from the bites.

Even I could not sleep. And when I did fall asleep, I would have nightmares about them, he says.

Zainal Azhar says the infestation was so severe that he could see the bed bugs in the crevices of the wall sockets in the room. He called a pest control company, which quoted him RM1,200 for one room but could not guarantee that they will be exterminated.

I was told that they can guarantee results for mosquito, ant and rat infestations but not for bed bugs, he says.

After months of sleepless nights, Zainal Azhar made the decision to move out.

I threw away all the beds and bought new ones. I sent all my clothes and carpets to the laundromat to get washed in hot water, he says.

Zainal Azhars younger brother Zainal Abidin is another victim.

When I moved into my rented room, I realised that I started getting really itchy bites, Zainal Abidin says.

It dawned on Zainal Abidin that he might have the same infestation as his brother.

Sure enough, when I had a closer look, I found bed bugs on the mattress and in the grout between the tiled floor.

Zainal Abidin and his housemates swung to action. They filled the grout with concrete, got rid of all the mattresses, and washed all the carpets and curtains.

Thankfully, it seems to have worked.

Star Media Group digital content manager Lim Cheng Hoe says his agony began when he started sleeping on a futon on the floor to help ease his backache.

He started getting itchy welts and spotted bugs that looked like watermelon seeds.

I would go to bed about midnight and two hours later, wake up itchy, he says. Then it was search and destroy. I had to pick them off one by one otherwise I wouldnt get any sleep.

It got to a point where he dreaded going to bed.

Over-the-counter pest killers wont get rid of bed bugs. I Googled home remedies; but they tell you that salt, baking soda and whatnot doesnt work, he says.

He even tried using a steam iron to kill the bugs, plotting a scalding death for them. But the nozzle wasnt really suitable for the job. Using bed bug sprays was another exercise in futility.

They still feasted on me, night after night, he says.

He ended up sterilising the bed by emptying a few bottles of bed bug sprays on the bed frame and mattress.

Luckily, for the past three months, Lim says he has been off the menu for the bed bugs.

For copywriter Chan Ren Cheian, some of the bites became infected.

Some of it became so swollen and full of pus. It was so bad that it was throbbing with pain. The doctor had to prick it to dig all the pus out, said Chan.

At the peak of the infestation in 2015, Chan says he had around 30 bites all over his body.

The itch really drives you crazy.

Chan says that the thought of getting bitten by the bed bugs made him paranoid.

I could not sleep for months. I would wake up in the middle of the night to inspect my body for new bites, he says.

Chan sprayed his room with insect spray and threw his mattress away. The problem went away for a few months but it recently came back; luckily, it was not as bad as before.

Another victim, L. Sasha, says she came to know of the problem after sleeping on an old bed in a rented room.

I had trouble sleeping. I felt things moving on my bed but I didnt feel any bites, she says.

When she inspected her bed, she says she saw about 20 bed bugs at one corner, It was so gross!

She disposed of the mattress but the problem did not end there despite her vacumming every day and buying bed bug pesticide.

Sasha says she could not stop thinking about it and became obsessed with checking her room for the pesky bugs.

Whenever I felt something move on my bed, I would get up to check. I would wake up and check my bed every two hours, I would not sleep, she says.

I even vacuumed my room in the middle of the night. It was just horrible.

Sasha said that she would also observe the floor. Whenever I see a black speck, I would panic. Sometimes, it would just be a speck of dirt, she says, adding that this took a toll on her mentally.

I found that even though I did not get any bites, they were still feeding from me. Because when I kill them, there would be blood. It was creepy, she said.

After months of suffering, Sasha finally decided to move out. She washed all her clothes in hot water and hung them in the sun.

I do not want the bed bugs to follow me to my new place.

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Bed bugs a painful, sleepless nightmare - The Star Online

Bed bugs can create a total mess in your house. Once they enter your home, they can completely ruin your health. What make things worse is a bed bug bite. These bed bug bites can be extremely itchy and dangerous to your health. The first step to treat a bed bug bite is by recognizing if it is one. There are several ways to treat a bed bug bite. How to tell if its a bed bug bite? Have a look at the image above. Photo courtesy of: Phil Pellitteri, University of Wisconsin

Once you confirm that it is a bed bug bite, you can then instantly move on to treating the bite.

Soap water wash is usually the first step to treat bed bug bite. This will work well to reduce itchiness and pain to some extent. If the bug bite is not too severe, a soap water wash will be more than enough to cure a bed bug bite.

Natural astringents will help to a great extent in treating bed bug bites. Take a cotton ball and saturate it with some lemon juice, witch hazel etc. and dab it on your rash. This will instantly decrease the itchiness and will reduce the pain that you feel.

White vinegar can also help you in treating bed bug bites. Once you dab some white vinegar using cotton ball on the rash, it will sting a little. But you can be sure that the size of the bite will reduce considerably in a short span of time.

Take a small amount of baking soda and add water to it. Add just enough water to make it a thick paste and make sure it is not runny. Then apply this thick paste on your bite rash and leave it to dry for more than an hour after which you can wash it off. This will surely give some relief to the itchiness and pain youre feeling.

Aloe Vera is a natural healer. It contains various antibiotic properties that are used to cure many skin allergies. For bed bug bites too, Aloe Vera plant gel can do wonders. If you dont have access to aloe Vera gel, just apply the plant itself on your bug bite. This will definitely help you in treating your bed bug bite.

Peppermint oil is a traditional way of curing a bed bug bite. Add some peppermint oil to a water bath and then bathe your bed bug bite in the solution. This will instantly relieve you from the itchiness of the bite.

After you have washed the bite area, apply any antiseptic to reduce pain and itchiness. You can also apply lotions like a calamine lotion that can help treat your bed bug bite in an easy way.

So if you face a bed bug bite, dont worry about it. These remediesare sure to come in handy and will definitely treat your bed bug bite in the best possible way.

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Sleep well with these 7 Home Remedies for Bed Bugs Bite ...