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Bed bugs are small reddish colored insects without wings, which feed solely on the blood of animals and human beings. Warm-blooded animals are the ideal host for bed bugs to feed on. They move swiftly and under favorable conditions, they can multiply rapidly for more than three generations in a year.
They do not spread diseases, but are quite irritating. They hide in mattresses, bed frames, headboards, carpets, etc and bite people at night. It is painless, but causes itchy welts on skin. It can be eradicated using DDT and DEET. A few herbs are effective in keeping them at bay and are safe compared to using chemicals, as they do not cause pollution and are risk free.
Lavender is one of the best natural repellents for bed bugs. It is safe and has a pleasant and soothing smell. However, bed bugs cannot tolerate the smell. You can place lavender satchels around your home or bedroom and in-between mattresses and sheets or you can use dried lavender leaves.
Lavender oil can also be sprayed at home. Dilute the oil by mixing it with distilled water, spray directly on mattresses and bed sheets and carpets, and air-dry them.
Mint has a refreshing and calming odor. The herb has a strong and a nice smell. However, bed bugs cannot withstand the aroma. Pulegine present in mint is responsible for the insect repellent property. Take some leaves and add water.
Boil it well for 15 minutes. Strain the solution and use this as spray on beds and sheets. You can also place dried mint leaves as sachets and secure it with rubber bands. It can also be used in travelling luggage to prevent insects being brought in home.
Garlic has a strong odor, which would keep away bed bugs. However, the smell is offensive to human beings as well. The compounds present in garlic such as allicin releases inimical substances to bed bugs.
The strong smell of garlic overwhelms the insects, which helps in getting rid of them. Take garlic cloves, crush them well, and boil it with some water. Strain the solution and use it as a bed bug spray around the house and bedroom to keep insects at bay.
Thyme can be used as a bed bug repellent. It does not kill the insects, but will make the environment undesirable, so that bed bugs will move away to some other place. Carvacrol and alph-terpinene present in thyme are found to significantly repel insects to a greater extent than commercial DEET.
Concentrated thyme oil can be too irritating, so use diluted spray. Dilute thyme essential oil using water and then spray it in the corners, cupboards, carpets and on mattresses and sheets to keep the bugs at bay. You can also place dried thyme leaves as sachets under sheets and mattresses to keep away the bed bugs.
Eucalyptus oil has invigorating aroma that helps normal breathing and soothes as well as relaxes the muscles. It contains eucalyptol as well as alpha-pinene, which has the properties to repel bed bugs and other insects. It can be sprayed directly on beds, sheets, and all corners of the rooms as insect repellent. Eucalyptus blue has been used as a traditional insect repellant.
It is a kind of ground pepper, which is hot and spicy. It will deter bed bugs when sprinkled in the area where they are seen. Make sure that you place a baseboard or waste cloth when you sprinkle this on bed sheets or mattresses because cayenne can stain them. Just spread them on the crevasses of bed frames while using it on beds.
Essential oils spray can be used to prevent bed bugs and stop its multiplication. Take 10 drops of eucalyptus oil along with ten drops of Palo santo, five drops of cedar wood oil, blend them well and add distilled water to the blended oils. Spray this solution around the house and mattresses to kill bed bugs.
Fill tea tree oil (about 10 – 20 drops) in a spray bottle. A bottle of 8 oz. is just apt for this. Spray this essential oil bed bugs mixture on the sheets, also along the sides, and even on the floor adjacent the bed. Make sure, not to spray the solution on the wooden surface, as the essential oil can affect its finish.
This bed bugs solution can be used on curtains, linens, fabrics and so forth. You can try out various concentration of the tea tree oil. Inhaling a mixture, which is too strong, can lead to irritation.
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