Bed Bugs? See what industry insiders do to get rid of them naturally

Yes, you already know that your best bet with a pest infestation is to get a bed bug pest control in Sydney. However, from time to time people wish to go DIY and need tips on how to get rid of a particular rodent or insect in their home. Our experience shows that most people tend to ask about such tips mainly for fighting bed bugs. Surely, no pest is welcome in your property, but one of the most unwanted guests in your home is indeed the bed bug. These small insects are responsible for the red marks you see on your body when you wake up. They prey on the sleeping humans and bite the flesh from where they indulge in their favorite bloody meal. Although mostly harmless to humans these creatures are arrogantly leaving more and more itchy marks on your body. If you don’t know how the bugs came into your house, we strongly suggest you check the most common reasons for a pest infestation. But for now, here are some insider tips on how to turn this bed bug harassment into a thing of the past.Washing machine vs bed bugs: Wash the "pain away"

Yes, to get rid of bed bugs you don’t have to employ complex strategies. Follow this simple process: separate your clothes as you normally do and put them in plastic bags to avoid infestation from one pile to another. Do the same with the bed linen. After you are done start a washing cycle and choose the hottest possible temperature depending on the fabrics of the clothes in the plastic bag. Once again, try to put the contents of one bag for each cycle since you don’t want to mix clean clothes with ones infested with the eggs of the bed bugs.

After finishing, take out the contents of the washing machine and place them in the dryer. Opt for the hottest setting possible and once again: don’t mix the bag and take into account the fabrics of the clothes for the temperature they can withstand. Yes, this may not seem a difficult process but many times some heat and water were enough for people to get rid of the bedbugs and their eggs. Remember to put the dried clothes into new clean bags to protect them from re-infestation.

Make bed bugs scream for mercy with steam cleaning

While the washing machine does its work you can take one step further your bed bug extermination. A quality steam cleaner can be an effective way to get rid of bed bugs, nymphs, and their eggs. Make sure to set the machine on 60-180°F (71-82°C) if you really want to kill the bed bugs. Also, don’t use a carpet cleaner since such devices are unable to reach the needed temperature for bed bug extermination.

Make sure you go with appropriate speed over the surfaces. Hovering too slow may cause damages from the steam, going too fast will leave some bed bugs and their eggs alive. Some areas where you should pay more attention are - the mattress and bed frame, curtains, and carpet floors. After you are done let the room dry for a while and repeat the process.

Effective DIY insecticides against bed bugs

There are many ideas scattered over the internet that claim to get rid of bed bugs. However, pest control specialists unanimously agree on the power of rubbing alcohol against bed bugs. Put the rubbing alcohol into a spritz bottle and spray the high-risk areas which we highlighted in the previous paragraph. Bed bugs die instantly when being exposed to ethanol (rubbing alcohol).

Lavender and tea tree oils are very effective as a repellent since bed bugs try to avoid these liquids. You can spray your bed frame or other problem areas to assure that at least for some weeks, the nasty creatures won’t step close to your sleeping site.

Another DIY method for killing bed bugs is … baking soda. It is a messy job but has an effect nonetheless. Spray some baking soda on carpets and similar areas. This powder kills bed bugs by sucking up the moisture from the bed bugs. The same process can be repeated with Diatomaceous earth.

Is all this necessary?

Although not hard, these DIY methods may take some time. Often people question the need for such activities since bed bugs are harmless to humans. But don’t get fooled, the Environmental Protection Agency states that some people can get an allergic reaction from bed bug bites and in some rare occasions even a full-body reaction (anaphylaxis). On top of this, there is hardly a more embarrassing thing than having guests to discover that your home is infected or even worse, your guests infesting their house after a party in your home. So don’t take bed bugs lightly and do what you can to get rid of them.

Natalie Barrett is a service supervisor and pest control expert at Nifty Pest Control in Sydney.