Someone is trying to use essential oils to get rid of bed bugs.

Home Remedies Do Not Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can be quite a pain in the neck. When you have an infestation in your house, you do everything in your power to get rid of bed bugs, and even that might take a while.

Currently, there are several means to get bed bugs out of your home. However, as with almost everything else, many of us tend to hop on Google to find homemade remedies first. The appeal of these remedies is understandable—these are items you can find at home or in your local convenience store, and their affordability means you get to save money.

However, the truth is that many of these at-home bed bug remedies don’t actually get rid of bed bugs. Often, they merely provide temporary solutions, and you will have to deal with the bed bugs again.

Let’s take a quick look at some of these homemade solutions and examine why they don’t work.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is probably the most famous recommendation to people looking to get rid of bed bugs. The method is simple—you sprinkle the soda around the areas where you find bed bugs. After a few days, you vacuum it and start the process again.

The idea is that baking soda can absorb surface fluids on a bed bug’s shell and cause them to dehydrate.

In truth, there is no scientific evidence that ties baking soda to the killing of bed bugs. In fact, baking soda breaks down when it comes in contact with water. So, it can’t do anything, even if it absorbs the fluids on the bug’s shell.

Talcum Powder

Generally, sources will tell you to apply talcum powder in one of the following ways. You could sprinkle it around the hotspots for bed bugs, so it causes the bugs to dehydrate. You could also place the powder in a bowl and hope that the bugs will fall into it.

Unfortunately, none of these methods work. Like baking soda, there is no evidence to support any of these claims. There is no evidence to support dehydration, so the first method is a bust. Also, while the second application might work temporarily, it won’t entirely eradicate the problem.

Rubbing Alcohol

Some sources also recommend that you put some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and apply it to bed bug hotspots. The truth is that this depends on the alcohol percentage. If the alcohol percentage is 90 percent or higher, you could be able to kill the bugs. However, such an alcohol percentage is also a considerable fire hazard. Additionally, if you miss even one or two bugs, they can re-infest your home and you’re back to square one. 

Tea Tree Oil

Some say you can dilute tea tree oil in a spray bottle and apply it to bed bug hotspots. However, the method only works when you apply it to a bed bug directly, meaning it’s easy to miss a few bugs. Even at that, it won’t solve the problem entirely. 

Essential Oils

Several sources claim essential oils will eradicate your bed bug problem. There is no evidence to show that this is true.

Essential oils will be great for your home’s smell, but they don’t work against bed bugs. You also need to be cautious with essential oils if you have pets, as some can be toxic to animals. 

The Heat Treatment Solution

With so much false information floating around, it’s worth noting some methods that could actually get rid of bed bugs. Currently, heat treatments are the right way to go.

Professional heat treatment is currently the best solution for a bed bug infestation. You can call on a professional to apply heat to bed bug hotspots. Heat has been known to kill bed bugs for years, and you can use that to your advantage.

Generally, lethal temperatures for bed bugs are between 117–122°F. A professional heating service will have no issues generating such high temperatures and getting you the required results.

Need a Professional?

If you think you have bed bugs or are interested in a home heat sanitation treatment, contact Bed Bug Barbeque, LLC in Lakewood, Ohio! We use heat treatment to eradicate bed bugs and we offer entire home sanitation heat treatments as well as bed bug heater rentals. This safe, effective treatment is completed in less than 12 hours, and Bed Bug Barbeque, LLC offers a 60-day warranty for you to verify for yourself that your bed bugs are fully eradicated. Contact Bed Bug Barbeque, LLC today for a FREE quote at (216) 221-1227 or through our website, and check out our other bed bug informational resources on identification, prevention, and eradication.

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