Bed bugs on mattresses are one of the pests that we really need to be aware of. The reason is, these fleas will make anyone who sleeps on the mattress itchy and uncomfortable.
Marie Kondo, home organization expert and creator of the KonMari method, says bed bugs love messy places with scattered items. For that, you have to tidy up the house, so that fleas don't feel at home and nest in your bed.
If you already have bed bugs in your bed, you can try to eradicate them in six safe ways using the following ingredients you can find at home:
1. Diatomaceous earth
Reporting from Reader's Digest, Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is a non-toxic dust that can kill bed bugs. This dust will stick to the outside of their bodies, absorbing natural oils and moisture and fatally drying the insects.
It's not an instant killer. DE takes several days or weeks for insects to dry. Diatomaceous earth works best in areas where insecticidal dust cannot, such as carpets, cracks, crevices, and bed frames.
However, don't spread diatomaceous earth around the house, as this won't work. Spread diatomaceous earth in areas where bed bugs live. Also make sure the diatomaceous earth you spread is safe and food grade. So it is not dangerous for family and pets.
2. Use a heated dryer
For bedding, bags, clothes, and other items that may contain lice or nits, you can put them in the clothes dryer. Use the hottest setting for 30 minutes.
3. Use steam
You can use steam to kill bed bugs. The hot steam used must be very hot and kept long enough on one side of the surface, so that all bed bugs are completely killed.
You can use the steam from a hot steam iron to help you.
4. Suction with a vacuum cleaner
After you apply the hot steam, it is recommended to suck up the remaining dead skin, dead lice, and eggs, with a vacuum cleaner.
Use the small tip of the vacuum cleaner so it can get into the recesses where bed bugs hide.
If the vacuum cleaner does not have a bag, there is a risk of insects crawling from the canister to other parts of the machine before you empty it.
For that, immediately empty the dust storage box, so that bed bugs immediately go and die.
5. Freeze bed bugs to death
Talk about a home remedy for bed bugs that most people never think of: you can freeze the creature to death if you store it in the refrigerator at -17ºC, the EPA says. Entomologists at the University of Minnesota recommend freezing jewelry, toys, shoes, and books to kill insects.
Place the item in a tightly sealed plastic bag and leave it in the freezer for four days. In winter, you may be tempted to use the freezing cold outside, but fluctuations in temperature allow insects to survive.
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6. Essential oils may not work
One of the home remedies for bed bugs that you should skip is essential oils.
Essential oils are not regulated as pesticides, so there is no data on their efficacy or safety and efficacy.
While a recent Purdue study found that carvacrol (from oregano and thyme), thymol (from thyme), citronic acid (from lemongrass), and eugenol (from cloves) can kill bed bugs.