Category Archives: Bed Bug Spray

THE spring weather is finally here, but sadly sunshine brings with it unwanted guests.

Wasps, ants, fruit flies and more will be plaguing homes as temperatures rise.

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But fear not, as Natalie Bungay, from the British Pest Control Association, is here to tell you how to keep spring pests out of your homes.

Natalie says: Prevention is always the best approach, and theres plenty you can do to help protect your home.

She tells Nikki Watkins how to keep bugs at bay, while we share some top tips on self-help.

Natalie says: Queen wasps emerge and start working on new nests in the spring and you dont want your home to become a wasp headquarters.

Open bins will attract them, so make sure the lids of bins are secure. Inspect sheds, outbuildings and attics for wasp nests, as the bigger the nest gets, the more problems youll have.

Never be tempted to treat a nest yourself, even if its only the size of a golf ball, as wasp stings can be dangerous. Always call a professional.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: When it comes to deterring wasps, peppermint oil, 1.40, Asda, is your friend as wasps dont like the minty scent.

Soak an old cloth or cotton wool balls in it and place them where wasps may enter your home. This will stop them from building nests.

Natalie says: Ants are often found inside homes in the warmer months, as they look for sweet foodstuffs to feed their larvae and the queen.

Cleaning behind large appliances in your kitchen and wiping down the inside of all your cupboards will discourage ants from feeding from your scraps.

To get rid of them, youll need to find the entrance to their nest. Look for small piles of earth, or you can follow the ants and see where they take the food to.

Pouring a kettle of boiling water over the nest site will get rid of them but prevention is better.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Chances are you have an ant deterrent sitting in your kitchen cupboard in the form of black pepper.

Ants arent a fan of this at all (or cayenne pepper), so sprinkle some around the problem area or mix some with water and spray them.

It wont kill them but it could stop them from returning.

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Natalie says: Silverfish are carrot-shaped insects not fish and about 12mm long.

Theyre nocturnal and feed on starchy substances like wallpaper paste and carby food debris.

So keep your cupboards clear of any spilt food.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Paper is one of silverfishs go-to foods. Before you go to bed, take an old newspaper, roll it up lengthways, secure it with elastic bands and soak with water until its damp, but not mushy.

Leave a few of these traps around your home in places where youve seen silverfish.

The insects will be attracted to the traps and should take refuge in them overnight.

In the morning, discard the newspapers and repeat the process until you get rid of them.

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Natalie says: These pests are attracted to ripe fruit and veg. To prevent fruit flies being interested in your home, keep dustbin lids closed, clean up sugary spills, clear rotting fruit from your garden trees and dont leave food out.

Putting an insect screen, such as Flyzzz fly screen insects mesh window nets, 6.99, Amazon, on your windows and doors will also prevent flying insects getting into your home.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: If theres a drop of red wine left at the bottom of last nights bottle, pour it into an empty container with a dash of washing-up liquid.

Stir, then cover the container with cling film and poke small holes in it.

The smell will draw the fruit flies to the container. The holes in the cling film will let them in but it will be hard for them to get out again.

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Natalie says: Before putting away winter clothes, make sure everything made of natural fibres is washed, as moth larvae are drawn to sweat and food stains.

If you have clothes that have been affected by moths, pop them into a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer at -18C for at least two weeks to kill eggs.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Place dried rosemary, thyme, cloves, lavender or bay leaves into a small cloth bag (a clean sock will do) and hang in your wardrobe to keep moths away, as they hate the smell.

Alternatively, trichogramma parasitic wasps, available to buy from sites including dragonfli.co.uk (14.99), will kill clothes moth eggs.

These wasps, which are tiny parasites that attack moth eggs, are harmless to humans and remain only for as long as there are moth eggs present.

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Natalie says: Its peak slug season and the slimy pests can end up inside your home, usually in moisture-rich areas such as hallways. If your home is damp, get it treated to stop slugs in their tracks.

And getting rid of any plants or debris close to the affected area will help too.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Slugs love Weetabix, so crumble up cheaper own-brand Weetabix-type cereal, such as Aldis Wheat Bisks, 1.99, and place between where youve seen the slugs coming from outside and the place you want to stop the slug entering, for example the back-door step.

Slugs love this cereal so much, it will distract them and deter them from entering your home.

You can also try sprinkling crumbled eggshells or nut shells around the plants.

The shells act like shards of glass, which will keep slugs at bay.

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Natalie says: Bed bugs are almost impossible to prevent, but the sooner you act when you spot one, the less severe an outbreak will be.

Regularly check for signs of bed bugs by examining the edges of the mattress and headboard.

If you see evidence, wash everything at 60C at least, tumble dry at a hot setting for at least 30 minutes, dry clean everything or place into a bag and then in the deep freezer for at least three days.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Poundland has a 1 product that could help to eliminate bed bugs in the form of tea tree oil, which not only kills them, but also masks the human smells which attract them.

Dilute twenty drops of the oil with 200ml water and spray on to affected areas.

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NATALIE SAYS: Mice only need a gap of 6mm to gain entry to your home, so if you have an infestation, search for entry points and seal them up with wire wool and quick-setting cement.

Only store food in airtight containers to prevent mice getting at it.

If you do find evidence of a mouse infestation, you can place humane traps at right angles to walls so the lever may be activated from either direction.

Be sure to keep traps away from children and pets, though.

BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: People on internet forums are finding that plug-in air fresheners work well at preventing mice.

Mice hate the smell of cinnamon and peppermint, so scents including these may put them off.

Excerpt from:
Im a pest control expert moths hate my 25p DIY mixture and a 1 Poundland buy keeps bed bugs away... - The Sun

Bed bugs are an ongoing problem across the globe. In fact, if you travel often, youre likely to encounter them at some point. The problem is, these invasive pests tend to hide in mattresses and box springs, where they remain unseen. You often dont even know you have bed bugs until days after youve been bitten, when you see a series of small red bumps that itch.

If you suspect you might have bed bugs, its important to get the infestation under control before it becomes worse. Remove your bedding and search your mattresses for small red or rust-colored stains. This can be a sign that bed bugs have been crushed.

Also search for signs of live bed bugs. Theyre small but easy to spot. As an infestation worsens, youll start to see them in the seams of furniture, under loose wallpaper and wall hangings and in drawer joints. They typically stay close to where people sleep.

Getting rid of bed bugs typically requires treating your surfaces with chemicals. Some choose to hire a professional to take care of it, but you can do it yourself with the right products. Make sure you research any product you buy to keep yourself and your homes occupants, including pets, safe before you start treating.

Its important to note that you might not completely eradicate bed bugs with one treatment. You may find you have to treat again in a few weeks or a couple of months. Dont get rid of any spray you dont use. Store at room temperature in a safe location of your house so youll have it on hand in case you see a reemergence of bed bugs.

With some bed bug treatments, you get a concentrate that you mix with water. This ensures your solution will last a while, giving you plenty of applications. But in most cases, youll need to use your mixed concentrate within hours of making it and dispose of any mixture that remains.

More:
The Best Bed Bug Treatment - Don't Waste Your Money

I am taking time to write this to enlighten folks who are or have never experienced a bed bug infestation. There is no way that I can make this a real short story but I think you might be interested in something that you think could never happen to you.

I always lived in a very clean home in suburbia always in an upscale neighborhood.

I had put some things in storage and after a year I decided it was ridiculous to keep spending $100.00 a month on stuff that I would probably never use again. So, I brought the stuff into my home with the idea of giving most of the things to charity. I left the stuff sit for about a week and began getting rid of most of these belongings.

Well, a few weeks later I noticed two very unfamiliar bugs on my ankle at about 8 am.

After confirming that these were bed bugs, I just flipped out. The first mistake I made was to call an extermination company who touted bed bug control not extermination, but at the time I didnt care. I wanted these things out of my home. I unfortunately signed some papers and after all was said and done I was out $4000.00 and I still had bed bugs.

Naturally I called and cursed them out and it seemed whatever I said fell on deaf ears. Next, I went to Home Depot and bought every product that even intoned that their product killed bed bugs. I sprayed my entire home. By now Im getting educated that there is more to this process than just using pesticides or bombs.

It is extremely important that you vaccum your entire home on a daily basis and do lots of laundry on the hottest cycles available to you.

I did not begin to see any real positive results until after I went online and discovered SayByeBugs. I made my first order of two 24 oz. bottles of non toxic bed bug spray, which appealed to me in itself. I began spraying behind every picture and yes I saw a few behind a few pictures.

Underneath antiques and actually all my furniture. Just think that just a few of them can turn into hundreds in a very short time so I cannot emphasize enough that you have to be diligent. I live in South Florida where we have all types of creepy things but I grew up with them and none ever bothered me like these resilient bed bugs.

There are luxury hotels, cruise ships, and yes storage units and on and on where infestations have occurred. Its usually a hush hush matter with respect to a business as you can well imagine why. Nobody is immune from the possibility of this happening to them.

Gradually with the spray and laundry products they have developed I began to see positive results. It actually took me about a month to finally get a decent nights sleep. These bugs are nocturnal so their sleeping lives are the antithesis of ours.

No human can sustain sleep deprivation for a prolonged period of time but thats what happens because they are constantly on your mind after midnight until the sun rises.

The ones I had must have been from hell because there wasnt a hour of the day I couldnt find one at the onset. Truth be told the CIA uses sleep deprivation as a form of torture. And when it becomes self inflicted you must act.

If it were not for Say Bye Bugs I just dont know what I would have done other than trying to sell my home and move into a brand new one, which just wasnt a realistic remedy.

So, if you have or even travel be exposed get Say Bye Bugs and spray everything. Im talking about baggage and other types of luggage you have used after a trip. Spray your luggage outside before bringing it into your home. I know you probably think that I am a bed bug paranoia freak.

Well, truth be told after what I experienced I am and you would be as well. Do yourself a favor, even if you think it cannot happen to you have a couple spray bottles at the ready.

I cannot thank SayByeBugs enough that they had an inexpensive way do deal with this problem. I am not being compensated for this to long of a letter but I just would hate to see anyone have to go through what I did. At any rate, I hope I was able to shed some light on a growing problem that none of us are exempt from.

Everyone should have at least a bottle of Say Bye Bugs which hopefully you will never have to use.

Do yourself a simple favor and pick up the phone and call SayByeBugs (855 290-8300) or simply email them at [emailprotected], they are very accommodating as they know what you are going through. I just cannot say enough about a product that returned my life to normalcy and Im very thankful for that.

I wish you all the best of luck in life and prosper and most importantly be happy. Thank you for taking the time to read my unfortunate encounter with the damn bed bugs.Robert S.

Official website: http://www.SayByeBugs.com

PS: See how fast SayByeBugs kills bed bugs:

More:
Bed Bug Spray Protects Your Family Without Toxic Chemicals? - SayByeBugs

In this guide, Ill give you tips on how to make homemade bed bug spray.

Bed bugs are one of those pest insects that will ensure that you do not have a good nights sleep. They are fast crawling insects that suck on the blood of humans as well as mammal pets.

There are many ways to rid your home of them. You could go to a pest control store and buy an insecticide spray, or you can just make one at home.

Keep reading!

To make an effective homemade bed bug spray, you need to first understand the bugs, their habits, and their weaknesses.

Bed bugs thrive on the blood of humans and mammal pets. Without an adequate intake of blood, they will be dead. They prefer human blood, but if youve got cats or dogs around, they can suck their blood too.

Bed bugs arent ticks, so do not get them confused with each other. Ticks will latch on to a host, while a bed bug bites and moves on.

Bed Bug bites arent necessarily painful, but they can cause several forms of irritation on the skin. These include redness, blisters, and can cause the victim to itch.

They are most active at night and can be found hiding under pillows, mattresses, cushioned seats, and around your pets sleeping areas.

These annoying pests can make their way into your home without you even knowing it. They can hang on to your clothes, bags, or on your pets as you walk into the house. As you move from one area to the house, the more you spread them around.

You can be sure you have bed bugs in your home if you notice small patterns of blood on your mattress or pillows. Also, they leave blackish smear marks on the walls, mattresses, or on the floor.

When you notice any of these, then you know youve got some unwanted bugs to deal with.

These bugs are allergic to several natural scents and food. These include cinnamon, fresh mint, garlic, strong alcohol, lavender, and a host of others.

Lets show you how to use the above-mentioned substances and make a spray that can kill or repel bed bugs.

There are many combinations you can try using natural foods and substances. Below are some recipes you can try.

Its hard to imagine that any living being on Earth would hate the smell of fresh mint. Humans love it, but bed bugs dont. Good news for us, bad news for them.

The scent of fresh mint not only irritates the bugs but also affects their central nervous system.

To make a simple fresh mint spray, you will need a decent amount of mint (depending on the level of infestation), some water, and a spray bottle.

You some water into a pot and add the fresh mint into it. Boil the water (with the mint inside) until it starts to steam.

Upon doing this, you will find that the mint is completely dissolved in the booking water and your entire kitchen and other parts of your home will start smelling like mint.

The minty smell from the vapor alone will start to irritate the bugs, but thats not where it stops! Allow the water to cool off then pour it into a spray bottle.

Take the bottle with you as you visit the areas where the bed bugs are very active and spray directly on them, and around the areas where they crawl through.

Spray under your bed and by the sides. Also, spray around the couch and sofas, dont forget to spray around your pets sleeping area too.

The mint scent is something the bugs cannot bear, they will leave any area where they can perceive it and will die if they remain exposed to it, as it severely attacks their nervous system.

The mint spray for killing and repelling bed bugs is one of the easiest you can make at home. The mint smell is also known to help relieve stress in humans, so youll be getting rid of bed bugs and relieving yourself of stress at the same time.

Cinnamon powder is another ingredient you can use to make a homemade bed bug spray.

Similar to fresh mint, bed bugs also hate the smell of cinnamon. Using this knowledge, you can whip up a super cinnamon spray to keep the bugs away!

Heres what to do.

Go to a store near you and buy some cinnamon powder, thats if you dont have any in your kitchen already. Its not too expensive either, so you can buy as much as you will need.

Just as you can do with fresh mint, you only need some water and a spray bottle to attack the bugs.

The powder is a substance that dissolves easily, so you will have no problem blending it nicely into water.

Pour an adequate amount of powder into a container of water and stir continuously until the powder is well blended in. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake the bottle thoroughly to achieve a better mix.

Head on to the areas where the bugs hang out and spray the cinnamon powder solution all over.

The water will eventually evaporate, but the cinnamon powder will be left lodged in the areas where you have sprayed.

You can apply the powder directly to the infested areas, but using it in form of a spray will help it reach very tight areas where the bed bugs are hidden, thanks to the water mist that carries it along.

You could hardly find any insect that can stand the scent of garlic or the burning effects of cayenne pepper. On their own, they can kill or repel bed bugs, but together, they work faster and more effectively.

All you will need is to grind some cloves of garlic and get some cayenne pepper powder. The quantity you will use depends on the number of bed bugs you are fighting. 3 to 4 cloves of garlic and 3 tablespoons of cayenne pepper will do.

Pour some water into a pot and add the ground garlic and cayenne pepper powder to it.

Light up your burner and let the water boil with the garlic and pepper all together. Keep stirring as the solution boils to achieve the best blend.

As it boils, the smell of the garlic will start to manifest around your kitchen and other parts of your home and this will begin to irritate and weaken the bugs.

Let it boil for about 15 minutes then turn off the burner. Allow the solution to cool off just a little bit, the solution should get cold before you apply, as the heat will also help to kill the bugs.

Using a pair of kitchen mitts, pour the garlic/cayenne pepper solution into a plastic spray bottle. Visit the affected areas and spray the solution as required. The heat combined with the sulfur from the garlic and the burning seen of the cayenne pepper will drive the bed bugs away.

The smell of alcohol is one that bed bugs cannot stand. To make matters worse for them, you can combine it with one or two cloves of ground garlic.

All you have to do is pour some alcohol into a container and add some ground garlic to it. Stir it properly so the ground garlic is well spread.

When youre sure its all blended in, pour it into a spray bottle and apply it in the infested areas.

You could also combine alcohol with cinnamon powder if you wish. Prepare the same way and spray it in affected areas.

Unlike some of the materials mentioned above, bed bugs do not hate vinegar because of its smell, rather it is for deadlier reasons.

This acetic acid does a great job of disrupting the nervous system of the bed bugs and killing them eventually.

You can make a homemade spray using just vinegar, or you can combine it with lavender.

To make a vinegar Spray, all you will need to do is go to a shop and buy some white vinegar and a spray bottle. Thats if you dont already have one.

Pour the vinegar into the spray bottle and add some lavender to it. Shake it thoroughly and spray into cracks and crevices, as well as every other hiding place the bed bugs may have lodged.

READ: Will Sevin Dust Work For Bed Bugs?

Besides the fact that is easy to make, it is also a quick remedy to an urgent bed bug issue. Lastly, the materials needed are non-toxic to humans and pets.

I trust this article on how to make homemade bed bug spray has been helpful.

Follow the tips above and try different combinations. Maybe youll discover a new recipe.

Good luck!

Follow this link:
5 Homemade Bed Bug Sprays - Recipe & Options - VerminKill

The Rutgers Study on Biopesticides for Bed Bugs

The definitive Rutgers study compared biopesticides, synthetic insecticides, and detergents including Bed Bug Patrol, EcoRaider, Essentria, Green Rest Easy, Eradicator, Bed Bug 911, Bed Bug Bully, Rest Assured, Bed Bug Fix, Stop Bugging Me, EcoEXEMPT IC2, Demand CS, and Temprid SC. The last two are synthetic insecticides typically used in professional bed bug treatment.

The study involved two experiments. In the first, detergents and biopesticides were tested. Bed bug nymphs were placed on filter paper and treated directly with a pesticide spray then transferred to a clean plastic petri dish. Mortality was recorded at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days after exposure.

The most effective biopesticides from this test were included with additional biopesticides and the two synthetic insecticides in a second experiment involving the same procedure.

The study clearly showed that EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol were the best natural pesticides producing high mortality rates after 10 days in both experiments. The other biopesticides caused 60% mortality or less after 10 days. Some even had no effect when directly applied to bed bugs.

Among the synthetic pesticides used in professional bed bug treatment, Temprid SC was found to be much more effective than Demand CS. Bed bugs have developed moderate tolerance to Demand CS.

While these results are very promising, its important to remember one thing:

These experiments involved applying the bed bug sprays directly to the bed bugs body. Thats hardly representative of real-world conditions.

Lets go into more detail about how Bed Bug Patrol and EcoRaider work where other sprays fail and why you shouldnt rely on sprays alone to get rid of bed bugs in your house

EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol both deliver great results in a lab setting. They can both be great at controlling and reducing a bed bug population in your home but alone, they wont be enough.

Thats because bed bugs in your house hide in crevices, creases, and tiny cracks. The effectiveness of these products will certainly be much lower when the bugs arent exposed directly to the product. When dry on a surface, they have a reduced effect.

When bed bugs were exposed to the day-old residue of Bed Bug Patrol and EcoRaider, 93% were dead after 10 days. This is encouraging but the residue was only 24 hours old. Because plant oils are volatile, they will probably break down within a matter of days or up to two weeks.

In a real-world environment, theres no guarantee the bed bugs would even be exposed to the residue. It seems bed bugs will avoid surfaces treated with biopesticides but not necessarily surfaces with the residue of synthetic pesticides.

Ideally, you want products that:

To reach this goal, you should combine the best bed bug spray like EcoRaider with other proven solutions for conquering bed bugs.

To get the best effect with any bed bug killer, you need to use it correctly. With bed bug sprays, your goal should be spraying where you will likely make direct contact with bed bug nymphs and eggs that arent easily seen with the naked eye. You will also want to spray cracks, crevices, and tiny hiding areas. You may not hit the bugs directly but you will leavearesidue that they will need to crawl through when theyre ready to feed.

Start by spraying hard-to-reach areas and crevices like under and around baseboards and trim, inside drawers, and around lightswitch covers. Move on to spraying around your headboard, the feet of your bed, and the seams of your mattress and box spring. You should also treat your luggage with the spray.

Make sure you pay the most attention to the area around your bed. In most bed bug infestations, around 70% of the bugs are on the mattress, bed frame, and box spring.

The mattress and box spring you can treat with box spring and mattress encasements and the bedding can be washed. That leaves the bed frame and headboard which should be treated liberally with a EcoRaider or Bed Bug Patrol.

Even the best bed bug spray isnt enough to kill all of the bed bugs. Follow up using a bed bug spray with this effective treatment plan to finally banish bed bugs from your house.

Use a Mattress Encasement

A mattress encasement works by sealing bed bugs that are already in your mattress to keep them from escaping, reproducing, or biting. Eggs, nymphs, and bed bugs in your mattress will be trapped and eventually die as long as you use the right product.

The SafeRest bed bug mattress encasement is a good example of what you should be using. Its zipper has very fine teeth and theres a flap at the ends of the zipper. Bed bugs are small and flat enough to crawl through regular zippers with no trouble!

After installing your new mattress encasement, leave it on for at least 12 months. You may be surprised to learn adult bed bugs can live a year or even longer in ideal conditions without food. Bed bugs survive best without food in chilly conditions. The warmer the temperature, the faster they will die. With a constant temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, adult bed bugs will be dead within 40-90 days. By leaving the mattress encasement on for a year, you can be sure theyre all dead when you do take it off.

Spread Silica Gel

Forget diatomaceous earth (DE), the supposed ideal bed bug powder. While it does kill bed bugs, it isnt very effective because bed bugs are very resistant to desiccation or dehydration.

Silica gel is made from sand and works like diatomaceous earth but with greater speed and efficacy. Silica gel first causes tiny cuts in the cuticle or exoskeleton of the bed bug. It then literally pulls moisture out of the insects body. Thats why you find silica gel packets in electronics and clothes: its a powerful drying agent that works much better against bed bugs than diatomaceous earth.

Its also non-toxic and safe to use around your bed and clothing although you want to be careful that you dont inhale the dust.

When using silica gel, make sure you choose a product with 100% amorphous silica gel like CimeXa insecticide dust or Harris Bed Bug Killer Silica Powder.

According to trials conducted at the University of Kentucky, silica gel kills all bed bugs within 24-48 hours of direct exposure to a barely visible amount.

That makes silica gel faster-acting and more effective than even EcoRaider.

It even performs very well in real-world settings, killing 98.1% of bed bugs in infested apartments when used alone.

To use silica gel, apply it dry as a powder with a combination of powder dusters (included with the product) and brushes like old cosmetic brushes and paint brushes. Apply the powder to cracks, voids, and hard-to-reach areas including around baseboards, light switch covers, and the headboard. Use the silica gel to create a barrier across flooring transitions, doorways leading to your bedroom, and across the doorway of your closet.

Clean Clothes and Bedding

Heres some bad news. Bed bugs, eggs, and nymphs arent just hiding in and around your bed; theyre probably hanging out in your clothes and other linens, too. Bed bugs probably think your closet and dresser are great places to hide and reproduce but the good news is its very easy to kill bed bugs on clothes and bedding.

A quick run through the washer and dryer on the hottest possible heat settings will be enough to kill adult bed bugs, nymphs, and heat-resistant eggs.

Carefully remove everything from your bedroom that you can wash and dry including bedding, spare blankets, clothing, and curtains. To avoid spreading the problem to other areas of your home, seal these items in disposable trash bags to transport to the laundry room. Once there, unseal the items one bag at a time and dump directly into the full washing machine. Dont forget to throw away the now contaminated bags.

Once your belongings are dry, place them in new plastic trash bags and seal them up. Keep all items sealed until the bedroom is fully treated.

Add Interceptors to the Feet of Your Bed

Interceptors are an affordable way to check for the presence of bed bugs in your bed and help catch them as they try to get in bed with you. Interceptors are placed under the legs of your bed frame. When bed bugs try to crawl in the bed, they have to crawl over the interceptors. The design traps them with high, slippery walls and a moat.

ClimbUp interceptors definitely cant stop bed bug infestation but they create yet another defense to keep the bed bugs at bay. Unlike other brands, they have a two-wall system so you can see if the trapped bed bugs were crawling into your bed or out of it.

Vacuum Thoroughly

Dont overlook the importance of simple vacuuming, especially if you have carpet. Imagine all of the hidden bugs, immature nymphs, and eggs that can be lurking in your comfy bedroom carpeting. A vacuum definitely wont suck up all of the bugs hidden in your carpet but it can get a good amount to reduce the size of the infestation.

Go over your mattress carefully with a vacuum attachment, paying attention to the seams, stitching, and tag area. A stiff brush is helpful for loosening any eggs or nymphs on the surface. Go over your headboard and box springs, too, then cover the floor around and under the bed, the baseboards, the nightstand, and other nooks and crannies in the room.

Be sure to seal and throw away the vacuum bag as soon as youre done!

Kill Bed Bugs With Heat

A bed bugs greatest weakness is heat. You cant just crank up your thermostat, though: it takes a consistent temperature of 125 degrees F for a minimum of 20 minutes to kill adults, nymphs, and eggs.

Applying heat treatments to kill bed bugs can be harder than it sounds. Even if the air temperature is high enough, it may not get hot enough inside a mattress or other hiding place. Still, heat can effectively drive bed bugs out of their hiding spots.

Heat is becoming the preferred method of professionally treating bed bugs thanks to their growing resistance to pesticides. You can skip the expensive heat chambers, though. You can use heat to kill bed bugs with your clothes dryer, a steam cleaner, and even black plastic bags and a hot, sunny day.

Running items through the dryer for 30 minutes on the highest setting will even kill heat-resistant eggs.

You can also use a steam cleaner to apply sufficient heat directly to items like your mattress, baseboards, and furniture. Make sure your steamer gets hot enough and apply the heat very steadily. As long as you go slowly, you can even see adult bed bugs crawl out of hiding.

For items that dont fit in the dryer, seal them in a black, plastic garbage bag and leave in direct sunlight on a hot day. The contents of the bag can reach 40 to 70 degrees above the outdoor air temperature after several hours. To be effective, it needs to be at least 80 to 90 degrees outside. To play it safe, leave the items in the sun for the entire day.

What About Essential Oils for Bed Bugs?

On the subject of bed bug sprays that really work, lets spend a moment discussing essential oils.

Essential oils are frequently on lists of DIY bed bug treatments but most are useless at doing anything more than making your home smell good. Tea tree oil, for example, is often touted as a bed bug killer but it only has limited results and only with direct contact. Most essential oils offer the same results or worse doing nothing to bed bugs on contact except giving them an expensive perfume.

A study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology compared the results of 18 essential oils, three silicone oils, and paraffin oil against bed bugs.

The most effective essential oil was blood orange oil but it still wasnt as effective as the paraffin oil and silicone oils. One silicone oil in particular which mixes well with water killed 92% of bed bugs after one day after direct exposure.

There are definitely more effective products you can buy at a low cost, including EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol. Still, you could potentially use the results of this study to create your own DIY bed bug spray.

I wouldnt recommend it, though.

To begin with, paraffin oil is flammable and you definitely dont want to spray it around your house. A good water-soluble silicone oil can also be hard to find and may be fairly expensive.

Skip the essential oils and use something like EcoRaider for well-tested results and a lower cost with the same environmentally-friendly properties.

Dont Use Rubbing Alcohol As a Bed Bug Spray!

Well end with an important caution about rubbing alcohol and why you should avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately, people continue to use rubbing alcohol as a DIY bed bug spray around their home sometimes with deadly results.

Despite the dangers, you may still see rubbing alcohol recommended to repel or kill bed bugs.

Its true that a 91% isopropyl alcohol solution may help kill some bed bugs by acting as a drying agent and even partially dissolving an insects cells. As with most other drying agents like diatomaceous earth, the results simply arent that great.

A 2013 Rutgers University study found that rubbing alcohol killed only up to 50% of bed bugs that were directly sprayed with the solution after four days.

There are definitely better options out there.

In addition to its low efficacy, this treatment requires dousing your mattress, furniture, and belongings with a highly flammable liquid.

Several house fires across the United States have been started by rubbing alcohol in an attempt to kill bed bugs. In Cincinnati, a teenager trying to kill a bed bug with alcohol in 2017 started a massive apartment fire that damaged six units. A man in Mount Carmel, Ohio in 2011 accidentally set his apartment on fire after trying to kill bed bugs with alcohol while smoking. These arent isolated incidents, either.

Instead of risking your life and home to exterminate bed bugs, use safe and proven methods like EcoRaider, silica gel, mattress encasements, and the other techniques explained above.

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Best Bed Bug Sprays in 2020 (Only 3 Actually Work)