Myths and Facts of DIY Bed Bug Control

How to Check for Bed Bugs

You might be wondering how to check for bed bugs in your home before you begin trying any DIY bed bug treatments. Bed bug bites look a lot like mosquito bites—they usually appear as a raised red welt, and they are extremely itchy. 

Common signs of bed bugs include the following:

• You might smell a musty odor in your sheets.
• Bed bug eggs might be visible in your linens, and will be about the size of a grain of uncooked rice, sticky, and clustered together.
• You’ll see red spots of blood and bed bug excrement on your pillows, sheets, and walls.

Does Alcohol Kill Bed Bugs?

Almost everyone has rubbing alcohol in their first aid kit. However, many people believe this common item can be a quick and inexpensive cure to bed bugs. But is it true that alcohol can kill bed bugs? Not always. 

Researchers at Rutgers University have found that using alcohol to treat bed bugs only eliminated half the infestation. Given that bed bugs reproduce very quickly, with an adult female capable of laying well over 200 eggs over her lifetime, you should be looking for solutions that take care of the entire infestation at once. Not to mention, in order to kill bed bugs by dissolving their outer shells and drying them out, the alcohol must make direct contact with the insect. This can be difficult to manage given how small bed bugs are and their ability to hide in tight and inaccessible crevices. While a strong concentration of alcohol might kill a few bed bugs, it’s not the most effective DIY bed bug treatment. 

Does Bleach Kill Bed Bugs?

Does Salt Kill Bed Bugs?

Salt is cheap and can be purchased in large quantities—unfortunately, salt does not kill bed bugs.

The exoskeleton on these insects prevents salt from drying them out as it might dry out a snail or slug. Treating bed bugs with salt won’t do much for you other than give you a room covered in salt!

Does Baby Powder Kill Bed Bugs?

This DIY bed bug treatment is nothing more than a myth. 

Just as some people believe baking soda can be used to kill bed bugs, others have tried to use baby powder for the same purpose. While baby powder might help lessen the musty smell caused by bed bugs, it won’t do much to kill bed bugs. 

Does Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?

Because of its high acetic acid content, vinegar is another common home remedy for bed bugs. Fortunately, it’s an effective one—that said, it’s not a final solution to eliminate the bed bug infestation.

Vinegar can compromise bed bugs’ nervous systems and destroy their eggs. The odor will also repel bed bugs, making it a decent preventative treatment. However, using vinegar to treat bed bugs will mean having a house that smells like vinegar and will likely not completely eliminate your infestation. You should also be careful to never mix it with bleach, as the combination of these chemicals will create toxic chloric gas. 

Does Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?

A lot of people rely on tea tree oil for skincare needs, but if you’re considering using tea tree oil to kill bed bugs, don’t—diluted tea tree oil will do little to impact your infestation. 

Undiluted tea tree oil is believed to kill bed bugs, but it can be harmful if it contacts your skin. This is one DIY bed bug solution that is better left untried. 

Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Bed Bugs?

Diatomaceous earth is a common pest control treatment for homeowners. But can you use diatomaceous earth to kill bed bugs? Yes! 

This non-toxic, natural treatment is a great DIY solution for bed bugs. However, in order to use it effectively, you will need to pair it with a heat treatment—another eco-friendly treatment for bed bugs. Using diatomaceous earth to treat bed bugs is particularly effective because bed bugs can’t build up a resistance to this treatment like they might to common pesticides. 

Does Boric Acid Kill Bed Bugs?

Article Source : Anti Pesto Bug Killers