Top 10 best folk remedies to help get rid of bedbugs in your apartment

Even in the 21st century, humanity has not gotten rid of domestic parasites - bed bugs. These tenacious insects can enter the house in many ways and remain undetected for a long time.

Over many centuries of proximity to these parasites, man has invented different ways to get rid of bedbugs using folk remedies. Little bloodsuckers cannot adapt to them and die.

There are many methods to get rid of bedbugs. Which one to use depends on the circumstances.

In some situations, it is more effective to use a toxic chemical. There are times when it is better to use traditional recipes. The main thing is a positive result.

Bed bugs reproduce quickly. Their bites carry the risk of infection. For young children, living in an apartment with bedbugs is especially harmful.

A weak immune system can manifest itself as an allergic reaction to the bites of domestic parasites. Urgent destruction will be the solution to all problems.

Advantages of folk methods

Folk remedies for bedbugs have their advantages:

can be used in an apartment where children, allergy sufferers, pregnant women, elderly people, and pets live;
some methods can be used repeatedly;
do not cause an allergic reaction;
in most cases, they do not require preliminary preparation and subsequent cleaning.

It is very important that some folk recipes can be used as preventive measures against bed bugs. Synthetic chemicals do not have this quality. If there is a kind of breeding ground for bedbugs near the apartment, for example, a hostel, then preventing the appearance of parasites becomes a necessity.

Operating principle

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Folk remedies for killing bedbugs have different methods of action. For some it is contact - household. A domestic parasite must definitely touch the poisonous agent.

Bed bugs are very fond of the smell of kerosene, it is not for nothing that it is used in folk practice, and in the manufacture of chemical poisonous preparations they use flavorings with this smell.

Toxic substances penetrate the chitinous shell of the insect and paralyze it. Some substances need to penetrate the insect's respiratory system to kill the parasite.

Not every toxic agent will have an effect on eggs and larvae. The thick protective shell reliably protects against the penetration of foreign substances. The hatched individual will be infected with poison, which will remain on the shell.

This will be enough for her death. To do this, you need to spray a toxic composition on all habitats of domestic bugs, areas of their intended visit, and nests.

According to the method of influence, all methods are divided into 4 categories:

Natural. This includes plants with an unpleasant aroma that many parasites cannot tolerate. They have a repellent effect. Plants do not pose a danger to people.
Chemical. Drugs with a strong odor and harmful effects. Effective to use.
Mechanical. Collecting pests with a vacuum cleaner, throwing away old furniture with insect nests.
Thermal. Steam treatment, exposure to low or high temperatures.

Freezing out bedbugs

Changing temperatures is perhaps the most labor-intensive and dubious folk remedy for fighting bedbugs. In winter, it is recommended to take all furniture out into the cold, and on summer days expose it to sunlight and dry it well.

Not everyone has the opportunity to remove pieces of furniture from the house, so another option is to pour boiling water over the surfaces or treat them with steam. Such methods of abrupt changes in the environment are unlikely to help get rid of absolutely all insects, and the eggs they lay most likely will not be harmed. In addition, bedbugs have the ability to adapt to dangers and hibernate. Thus, they do not suffer or die from sudden changes in temperature around them. | Read about freezing out bedbugs...

Remedy #1: Vinegar

A popular remedy for night parasites is vinegar. It should be remembered that it does not kill, but only repels insects. Used as a preventive measure.

You can coat the penetration areas of bed bugs with a vinegar solution. The disadvantages of the method are a specific smell, the need for constant repetition, as the smell disappears.

It is better to use vinegar with other means, for example, mothballs. If you mix vinegar, alcohol (90%), naphthalene in equal parts, and spray it on the bedbugs from a spray bottle, the effect will be positive.

Remedy No. 2: treatment with turpentine

Turpentine contains many essential oils that bed bugs do not like. The prepared solution should be sprayed in the habitats of domestic bloodsuckers and lubricated in hard-to-reach areas.

When treating surfaces with turpentine solution, precautions must be taken. The solution is highly flammable - this must be taken into account. It is toxic; gloves should be worn to protect hands.

If you get turpentine on your skin, wash the affected area under running water and soap. The solution may leave permanent marks on surfaces. To avoid this, before processing you need to carry out tests with a brush and solution.

Recipes with turpentine:

Dilute 10 ml of turpentine, 15 ml of kerosene. 100 ml boiling water 40 g soap;
50 g of laundry soap and the same amount of ammonia, 150 ml of turpentine;
100 ml of turpentine and also kerosene, 25 g of naphthalene.

After treatment with turpentine, the room must be ventilated for at least 24 hours.

Remedy No. 3: ammonia

Another folk remedy for bed bugs is ammonia. It is not used in its pure form; it must be diluted with water. 3 large spoons are mixed with a liter of water. Floors are washed with this solution.

They pour it into the cracks between the baseboards and walls, and wipe down the furniture. After treatment, you need to open the windows and leave the room for a while to ventilate the smell.

For prevention, you can place small containers with ammonia in the habitats of domestic parasites. For example, these will be caps from bottles of medicine. Children and pets should not have access to such areas.

Two little-known folk remedies that can kill bedbugs

The disadvantage of both substances is the inability to achieve an effect after the first treatment. Pros: they have no odor and do not leave marks on the upholstery of furniture, since they are not used in these places

Petrolatum

First, using other means, you need to remove parasites from the bed. Then treat the legs of the bed with Vaseline.

Important!
Vaseline will remain thick and work in low bedroom temperatures.

This method is not suitable for those who like hot rooms. The Vaseline will melt and drain. At a temperature of +18°, Vaseline remains on the bed legs in a semi-solid state. Bed bugs that try to climb onto the bed will get stuck in a Vaseline trap. But we must not forget to periodically check the bed, since bloodsuckers, although they cannot fly, are capable of falling from the ceiling.

Diatomaceous earth (diatomaceous earth)

A substance little known to the general public, previously used in scrubs and toothpastes. The scope of application of kieselguhr is quite wide, but it is usually not used in its pure form. Widely used as an abrasive and loved by gardeners as a slug repellent. You can see what diatomaceous earth looks like in the photo below.

Diatomaceous earth (diatomaceous earth) for bedbugs

With its help, synanthropic parasites are also removed: ticks, fleas, cockroaches, ants. The action of kieselguhr is based on its abrasive and absorbent properties. It cuts the bug's shell and absorbs the lipids of the chitin layer. As a result, the parasite dies from dehydration.

Diatomaceous earth does not erode or decompose. It can be left for any length of time in places that are poorly accessible to humans. Of all the folk remedies, this is the most effective and safest way to get rid of bedbugs. But the disadvantage of diatomaceous earth is its delayed action. The parasites die only after a few days.

Review
At one time, our bedbugs multiplied incredibly. After calling exterminators, the “domestic” population died out, but they came to the conclusion that these vampires were creeping towards us from our neighbors. But you can’t break into someone else’s apartment. Constantly calling specialists - no amount of money will be enough. So we tried everything: both folk remedies and non-folk remedies. All to no avail. Until the neighbor, who has a summer house, shared diatomaceous earth with us. She uses it at the dacha. She said there would be no bedbugs. We sprinkled soil wherever we could. Indeed, the bedbugs are gone. Sometimes we find dead ones, but they don’t have time to crawl to the bedroom.
Kira, Moscow

All mixtures, oils and herbs do not kill bloodsuckers, but only “drive” them from place to place. Radical destruction of bedbugs using folk remedies can be carried out using “intangible” methods.

Ammonia for bedbugs

Ammonia or ammonia is a colorless liquid with a characteristic pungent odor. It is capable of irritating the nerve receptors of not only humans, but also insects. The sensitive receptors of bed bugs are inhibited by the smell of ammonia. The product does not kill parasites, but forces them to leave the apartment. It will not be possible to completely eliminate the colony; eggs will remain in the nest, which will give life to the larvae. The advantages of the method are:

Availability of the drug, it can be bought at a pharmacy at a price of 25-30 rubles.
The composition is not dangerous to humans if not taken orally.
The pungent odor of ammonia goes away quickly when ventilated.

Remedy No. 4: kerosene

Kerosene helps remove bedbugs at home because it has a detrimental effect on them. The liquid permeates the chitinous shell of domestic parasites, enters the respiratory system, and prevents the penetration of oxygen. After some time, suffocation sets in.

Kerosene must be used carefully. It is highly flammable. Because of this, it should not be used near electrical appliances or open flames.

There is no need to lubricate mattresses and upholstered furniture with kerosene. It is better to apply it on paper and push it into the baseboards. So that later you can pull it out. Bed bugs will run out to smell the smell, then you can spray them from above.

Remedy No. 5: camphor oil

House parasites cannot tolerate strong odors. Camphor oil can scare them away. For a more lasting effect, it is better to prepare a mixture of equal amounts of this oil and turpentine ointment.

Coat the legs, all elements of furniture, beds, baseboards, areas behind the furniture, under the window sill, and heating radiators with the resulting composition.

It is important to treat the bottom of the mattress. This method will repel bed bugs. The disadvantage is the unpleasant odor, which will need to be removed by careful ventilation.

Remedy #6: Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an effective folk remedy. It is used as an additional preventive method of repelling bed bugs.

First, high-quality treatment against domestic parasites is carried out. But in the future, according to all instructions, it is recommended to regularly carry out such treatments for preventive purposes.

To do this, it will be enough to use tea tree oil. You will need to wash all your clothes and bedding using this product.

Furniture and floors should also be treated with oil. For every 500 ml of water add 18 drops of the product. Spray the solution on all objects in the room, even lamps and carpets. To increase effectiveness, you can diffuse tea tree oil every day.

Remedy #7: Valerian

Valerian tincture can be used in a set of measures. If this product is applied to baseboards, blood-sucking parasites will crawl to the surface. Here you can treat them with other means for which contact with the parasite is important.

The advantage of valerian tincture is its ability to identify the habitats of domestic bugs. Disadvantages - it is a deterrent, pets like it too much.

When there are pets in the room, they are able to lick off the valerian solution much earlier than bedbugs. In this case, there is no point in using this remedy. Valerian tincture does not harm the larvae and eggs of night parasites.

Preventing the appearance of bedbugs in the apartment

The appearance of bedbugs in the house can be avoided if you adhere to the following recommendations:

Don't buy furniture that has been used by other people.
Change bed linen at least twice a month.

Regularly changing bed linen will be a good prevention of the appearance of not only bedbugs, but also other harmful insects
Wash items that have been sitting in the closet for a long time, even if you don't wear them.
Be careful when visiting other people's houses, hotels, hotels and hostels. Bed bugs can travel on clothes and bags.
Do not store unnecessary things in your apartment - favorite habitats for bedbugs.

A balcony littered with unnecessary things can become a haven for bedbugs
If you find bedbugs in upholstered furniture, it is better to get rid of it immediately.
Bedbugs often move from one apartment to another through cracks in walls, floors and ventilation openings. To prevent this from happening, seal all cracks with sealant and install nets on grilles and windows.
After your pets visit the street, inspect them and wash them with shampoo. Animals also carry bedbugs on their fur.

When you return from a walk, inspect your pet's fur for bedbugs.

Following simple rules will help you avoid becoming the owner of such a nuisance in your apartment as bedbugs.

Remedy No. 8: tansy

Folk methods of fighting bedbugs have always used medicinal plants in their practice. Tansy is a popular remedy for many problems. This plant with yellow tiny flowers collected in inflorescences is dried in summer.

When nocturnal insects appear, tansy is laid out in their intended habitat, also under the mattress of a sleeping place, under the back of upholstered furniture.

Tansy has a pleasant bitter aroma that bed bugs cannot stand. The flowers of the plant are bright, but toxic. They should be kept away from small children and pets. It is good to use tansy for preventive purposes.

It is also not tolerated by other parasites - flies, cockroaches, fleas. Dried flowers can be sewn into gauze bags and placed next to the bed. As a preventive measure, keep things in your belongings during a trip.

Is it possible to get rid of bedbugs forever using folk remedies?

It is also important to take into account that using folk remedies at home can only have a maximum effect on bed bugs if you can spray the substance onto the parasite. Application to the surface of furniture or walls will only work if the bloodsuckers move along their usual paths, but the unpleasant smell of the drugs will quickly force them to look for other loopholes and paths

Application to the surface of furniture or walls will only work if the bloodsuckers move along their usual paths, but the unpleasant smell of the drugs will quickly force them to look for other loopholes and paths.

You should not be skeptical about folk methods of fighting bed bugs, because most methods have been tested for many years and were widely used at a time when pest control services were only the cherished dream of residents of a house occupied by bedbugs.

Now it is much easier to deal with an unwanted neighborhood, especially if finances allow, because a visit from specialists is quite expensive.

You can save a lot and carry out the treatment just as well by resorting to folk remedies, but you need to remember that it will take quite a lot of time and effort.

Prevention is also required to protect against re-invasion. Only then will it be possible to clean the apartment for a long time and forget about bedbugs.

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Remedy No. 9: Pyrethrum

When there were no chemical preparations for domestic parasites, housewives themselves prepared folk remedies for bedbugs at home. So they dried chamomile flowers, then ground them into powder.

He coped well with cockroaches, bedbugs, flies, fleas. Today you no longer need to prepare this unique remedy for so long; just buy Pyrethrum powder.

The active substances in the powder, upon contact with a parasitic insect, block the transmission of impulses along neurons between cells. Paralysis and death of the parasite occurs. Pyrethrum successfully fights ticks and helminths.

Benefits of Pyrethrum:

nice smell;
active ingredients do not cause addiction to bed bugs;
environmentally friendly product;
successfully fights parasitic insects, but is safe for humans and pets;
disintegrates in the light, residues that are not completely removed will not pose a danger to children and pets;
ease of use;
acts on other domestic parasites - bird eaters, fleas, mosquitoes, cockroaches, garden pests.

Peretrum decomposes quickly, so it should be re-treated. It only helps with a small number of domestic parasites. The powder is scattered in places where insects accumulate.

To penetrate hard-to-reach places, you need to take a rubber bulb, pour powder into it, and spray it with its help. 23 g of the drug must be used per square meter.

Peretrum can be diluted with water in a small volume. Treat furniture, window sills, door and window openings with the solution. The powder is not an allergen. But if you have an allergic reaction to plant pollen, it is better to carry out the treatment while wearing a protective mask.

Buying Peretrum is difficult. Not every pharmacy sells bedbug repellent. There is this remedy for human health. It is not suitable for controlling parasites. You need to look in specialized stores and on Internet sites.

TOP 5 Folk remedies for bedbugs

No. 1. Essential oils

With the help of essential oils, you can effectively fight bedbugs in a person’s home. As a rule, their use is more recommended as a prophylactic agent, in combination with chemicals. To prevent bedbugs from appearing in the house again, it is necessary to add a few drops of essential oils of basil, clove or tea tree, as well as other plants, to the water each time you wet clean the room.

No. 2. Turpentine and kerosene

A mixture of turpentine and kerosene has long been used in the fight against parasites. With the help of this remedy it is possible to get rid of such a neighborhood once and for all. To prepare the active mixture, you need to take 5 parts of kerosene and mix with 10 parts of turpentine and 3 parts of denatured alcohol. Plus, you need to add 1 part of naphthalene to the mixture. After wet cleaning, all surfaces are wiped with this composition.

No. 3. Boric acid

Boric acid is different in that it is harmless to humans, but has a detrimental effect on many insects, including bedbugs. For greater effectiveness, you need to find a cluster of parasites, after which you sprinkle the area with boric acid. The substance has a detrimental effect on parasites in case of contact.

No. 4. Tansy and wormwood

Plants with strong, long-lasting scents can help get rid of bedbugs in the same way as essential oils. To do this, you can take small bouquets of fresh or dried herbs and place them in problem areas. If you prepare a decoction from plants, at the rate of 100 grams of raw materials per 1 liter of water, then the decoction is added to the water, after which the floors are washed and other surfaces are treated. As a rule, insects do not tolerate bright aromas.

No. 5. Vinegar

Vinegar is diluted in water, after which this composition can be sprayed with a spray bottle on all problem areas in the home. The product does not work for long, so treatments must be repeated. If you mix vinegar, alcohol and naphthalene in equal parts by weight, then bedbugs can not only be repelled, but also destroyed. To do this, just spray the solution in places where parasites accumulate.

It is absolutely undesirable for not only bedbugs to appear in a person’s home, but also other equally dangerous pests. To prevent this from happening, it is better to use preventive measures in the form of essential oils, plants and other folk remedies. If parasites appear in the house, you need to know what means are best to use in order to get rid of the insects and not harm the residents. Often the use of chemicals is impossible for a number of reasons, so you can use proven folk remedies.

They just didn’t know what to do with the Bedbugs! We decided to start with Folk Remedies...

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Remedy No. 10: boric acid

This acid is an odorless white powder. It is not poisonous to warm-blooded animals, but poses a threat to insects. Often used to kill cockroaches and ants. The advantages of boric acid are low price and availability.

Bedbugs do not eat boric acid, so you will have to provide direct contact with boric acid to kill them. There are different ways to do this. You can sprinkle discovered bedbug nests with boric acid, sprinkle all baseboards and folds of upholstered furniture. You should only use dry powder.

This application has many disadvantages. We have to hope that the bugs will pass through the boric acid and die from such contact. Such an accident will not contribute to reducing the number of these creatures.

"Disadvantages" of using boric acid:

long period of destruction;
low efficiency;
does not affect eggs and larvae;
inaccuracy of the method of influence;
powder constantly scattered in all places that cannot be removed.

Boric acid can be used as a means of controlling bedbugs if no other drugs are available. For a small population, the powder can cope.

The most effective means

Dry heat

The most active control against pests is temperature. Use what is called "Dry Heat". This is heated air. Its temperature should be 48 0C or higher. The air can be heated to this temperature using various devices for heating rooms. To get rid of bedbugs you need to treat the room with this heat for 6 to 8 hours.

Steam

Use of steam. The most common type in the fight against bedbugs using folk remedies. Steam everything you can. Bed linen and clothing, toys, sofas and pillows. If the room is heavily contaminated, treat furniture, carpets, and outerwear. You can also add washing things at high temperatures, pouring boiling water over the most extensive habitats of bedbugs. The effect is instant. This will significantly reduce the insect population. But you should be careful, because careless fighting can lead to damage to your property and neighbors.

Cold

Cold or freezing method. If possible, take your things, bedding and furniture outside and leave them for 5-8 hours. If this is not possible, open the windows and let the cold into the apartment. If you want to get rid of bedbugs using this method, then you will have to leave your home for a while. Another important point remains that the optimal temperature for the death of bedbugs is 20 0C and below. If such temperatures are rare in your region, avoid this method.

Household liquids

Everyone on the household has vinegar, turpentine, camphor alcohol, kerosene, denatured alcohol (technical alcohol - a mixture of ethyl alcohol, kerosene and methanol). All these remedies are very effective in getting rid of bedbugs. There are many options and recipes against these parasites. Here are some:

Mix 5g of camphor oil with 100ml of turpentine and 100ml of ethyl alcohol;
Mix 20g of naphthalene with 100ml of kerosene and add 100ml of turpentine;
Mix 5g of naphthalene with 150ml of denatured alcohol (this product is very practical when treating upholstered furniture, as it washes off well).

Also, turpentine, vinegar, denatured alcohol can be used in their pure form against parasites. Pour into all cracks and corners.

Bed bugs will not immediately leave your home. Do not wash or remove these liquids after a short time. You need to wait and then these helpers will help you get rid of insects. Scientists have proven that bedbugs do not like concentrated odors and aromas. On the contrary, diluted ones attract them.

Herbs

They are the safest and least labor-intensive means to get rid of pests. Truly, these are folk remedies that have been used for centuries. Wormwood, chamomile, black cohosh. Tansy and calamus were also used in the old days. They were ground and used a concentrated aroma to fight against bedbugs.

Traditional methods recommend using freshly picked herbs, but in the absence of such, you can buy them at the pharmacy. Place herbs everywhere - on the floor (especially in secluded corners), under the mattress, in the closet (if necessary, put sprigs on your underwear and clothes). Be careful when viewing clothes and upholstered furniture. It is necessary to detect places where pests accumulate. Bedbugs are very secretive and if you miss even one place of accumulation, the effect of such a fight will be minimal.

Wild rosemary is very effective (popularly called “bug grass”). The range of uses of this plant in the fight against bedbugs is very wide. Ledum is used not only in its “pure form”. It is used to make various means of combating bedbugs and the consequences after them. The decoction is used as a lotion to relieve itching after bedbug bites. The powder is used in well-ventilated areas, suspended in gauze bags.

Another good remedy for bedbug bites is wild rosemary ointment. Oil extract is also used for the same purpose. In the old days, to get rid of bedbugs, they fumigated the house with dried shoots of the plant. But in an apartment building this method is not practical.

Disadvantages of using folk remedies

There is no single recipe for how to remove bedbugs from an apartment on your own. Everyone uses the method that suits their situation. Any remedy has strengths and weaknesses. The disadvantages of folk remedies include their weak impact.

Often they will not kill the pest, but will only scare it away. But even with the use of chemical toxic substances, after a certain time, parasites can again appear in the apartment.

Another disadvantage is the strong pungent odor, but it is one of the ways to influence pests. This can be avoided, since you can constantly ventilate the room.

Rarely does any folk method destroy larvae and eggs. Their protective shell is susceptible only to strong chemicals. Eggs left behind will continue the existence of a colony of house bugs.

Plants in the fight against bedbugs

It has long been noted that bedbugs are afraid of the smells of certain plants, so they are often used to repel bloodsuckers. For example, an evergreen plant, wild rosemary, has a specific and unpleasant odor for bloodsuckers. Its leaves and stems contain essential oil with the presence of cymol and ledol. It is thanks to this oil that wild rosemary has its characteristic aroma.

People have long known that wild rosemary is an effective remedy in the fight against bedbugs. A special decoction can be prepared from it, which can subsequently be used to treat areas where insects live. But do not forget that this remedy has a drawback: the plant is poisonous and toxic. Therefore, when working with it, it is very important to observe all precautions.

Another proven herbal remedy used to get rid of bedbugs is tansy. Its leaves and stems contain a large amount of essential oil, which consists of pinene, glycosides, camphor and other substances, due to which the plant has a specific aroma.

In ancient times, bunches of dried tansy were placed next to the bed or under the mattress - the smell of this plant is an effective repeller of bedbugs. In addition, to get rid of parasites, you can spray rooms infested with bloodsuckers with tansy infusion.

Combining folk and chemical means of struggle

A good way to destroy blood-sucking parasites is a combination of traditional methods and modern chemical means of control. When domestic pests appear in the house, you should not wait for the population to multiply to unusual sizes.

To forget about bedbugs, you must first treat them with a modern chemical preparation. It must precisely destroy all adults and larvae with eggs. According to the instructions, such processing must be carried out more than once.

Next, you need to use folk wisdom to begin preventing the reappearance of pests. If they appeared once, it is possible that they will wake up the next time they appear. For example, use essential oils in the house, arrange dried herbs.

Since it is not easy to get rid of them, you need to combine all known methods. Bedbugs develop a habit of using only one product, so using one product for a long time is ineffective.