We thought they were gone, yet bed bugs are coming back in force.
These almost invisible little beasts are a real scourge.
Here's what you need to know about them:
- Adult bedbugs measure about 5 mm, are wingless, oval in shape. They are rusty brown in color and look like a tick.
- They have been around for thousands of years all over the world.
- They bite and can consume up to 6 times their weight in blood (human or animal).
- Their bite marks can easily be mistaken for mosquito bites.
- They only come out at night and hide during the day.
- They live in "dirty" places, but also in a clean and well-maintained house.
- You can have it at home and not even realize it.
- Bedbugs travel perfectly well. When you stay in a hotel, rent accommodation for the holidays or buy second-hand furniture:beware! Fortunately, there are solutions to get rid of them.
- Bed bugs bite, but do not spread disease. They generally do not pose a threat to human health.
- A few simple preventive measures can significantly reduce the invasion of bedbugs in your home.
If you're wondering how to get rid of bedbugs once they've taken hold in your home, let's be honest:it's not easy.
These insects thrive in all conditions. They reproduce quickly and can live without food for up to 400 days.
Chemical insecticides exist, but they are only effective after 2 or 3 passages.
Luckily, if you don't want your bedroom to look like Hiroshima, there are natural ways to get rid of it.
Here are 9 effective tips to get rid of bed bugs without using chemicals:
Prevention and early detection are your best allies to avoid a bed bug infestation, so don't wait!
To start, you will need a flashlight and a mirror.
Remember that these insects are very small and their eggs are invisible to the human eye.
Most bedbugs hide in mattresses and box springs. So start your search there.
Carefully inspect the seams and nooks of the mattress on every bed in your home.
Don't forget to lift the mattresses to check if there are any hiding underneath.
Also track down bedbug droppings. They look like dried blood spots.
Check all the cracks and nooks in your bed frame.
Even better, take the bed frame apart for a thorough inspection. Also inspect the 2 sides of the headboard.
And if you find traces of bed bugs, here are 8 effective tips to get rid of them.
If you have found bedbugs in your home, then war is declared!
It's not easy to kill bed bugs that are hidden in mattresses.
Why ? Because they are so small that they are difficult to catch.
So to kill them, the easiest way is to drag a blue card into the hard-to-reach corners.
You can also use a piece of cardboard to reach the slots in the mattress or your vacuum cleaner to vacuum them.
All methods are good to get rid of it.
To get rid of bed bugs, the best thing is to put everything you can in the washing machine.
Pick up anything on and near your bed that can be washed.
Including soft toys, pillows, blankets, duvets and sheets.
Put it all in the washing machine and wash on hot if possible.
Why ? Because high temperatures kill bed bugs as well as all eggs.
And if you have a dryer, choose a high temperature too.
Unfortunately, some items cannot be machine washed.
The solution ? Put them in the freezer!
This is because extremely low temperatures will also kill bed bugs and their eggs.
The vacuum cleaner is also a very effective weapon to overcome bedbugs.
To do this, vacuum the top and bottom of the mattress, the bed frame, the carpet, the 2 sides of the headboard and in all the crevices you find.
Repeat the operation every day using the most powerful vacuum cleaner possible.
When you're done, seal the vacuum bag tightly and immediately dispose of it in the trash outside your home.
Bed bugs hate tea tree, cedar and orange essential oils.
So why not use them to get rid of them?
To do this, mix these essential oils with water in a spray bottle.
Then spray the areas you treat daily, including the mattress and box spring.
Diatomaceous earth is super effective at controlling insects and bed bugs are no exception.
Even professional pest control experts use it to get rid of them.
To use diatomaceous earth, nothing could be simpler!
Simply sprinkle it on the mattress, bed frames and carpets.
During this operation, wear a dust mask to avoid inhaling it.
Leave the diatomaceous earth on all day and vacuum before going to sleep.
To discover: Diatomaceous Earth Is a Magical Product:Discover Its 10 Uses.
Whether you have a perfectly tidy house or not, bed bugs don't really make a difference...
They settle in all the houses!
But the advantage of having a tidy house and bedroom is that it drastically limits the potential hiding places for these critters.
And it's much easier to see if you have bedbugs in a clutter-free bedroom...
Bed bugs or not, don't skip this step!
Getting rid of a bed bug infestation costs time and money (not to mention the stress!).
So to avoid this, prevention is better than cure. Here are 3 things to do in prevention:
- Buy anti-parasite mattress covers for the mattresses and box springs in your home. These covers also prevent dust mites and are a profitable investment to increase the life of your mattress.
- Seal all cracks in headboards and bed frames with putty. This eliminates potential hiding places for bedbugs.
- Install bedbug traps under the feet of each bed. This solution is economical, simple and one of the most effective ways to detect them before they cause problems! Inspect traps regularly and return to step 1 often!
