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25 Home Remedies for Bed Bugs

When you get home after a long day, you want to be able to sit back, relax, maybe enjoy a nice dinner, then crawl in bed and sleep like a baby. That’s a little difficult to do when your bed becomes infested. Bed bugs are a horrible problem to have. They’re little monsters that multiply by the thousands. They’re so small they’re almost invisible to the human eye, so it’s difficult to spot them before a bed bug infestation is in full swing. So, what do you do? How do you prevent these creepy crawlers? How do you get rid of them after you’ve found them?

First, you have to figure out if you do have bed bugs. If you’re waking up with small, itchy bites in neat little lines, then you probably have bed bugs. They like to bite humans on their little strolls across your bed, leaving bites that often go in straight, three-dot lines. If you look at your bed, you’ll probably notice tiny red or black stains. These are also indications of the bugs’ presence. And finally, if you happen to see the bugs, then you definitely have a problem.  Luckily, bed bug infestations can be solved with home remedies. These are your 25 best options.

Disclaimer: The information in this content is for general informational purposes only, not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle.

Tree Oil

Tree Oil

Tree oil is great for a number of things, but among its many uses is killing bed bugs. It has antiparasitic qualities. Simply spray the affected area with a diluted mixture and watch as your problem fades away!

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Peppermint Leaves

Peppermint Leaves

If you’ve ever been around peppermint leaves, you know they’re strong. Smelling peppermint tea can make our eyes water, but crushing up these leaves and scattering them in bug-infested areas can be deadly for the little creepy-crawlers. Just make sure to vacuum up the leaves after they’ve lost their potency!

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Deep Clean Your House

Deep Clean Your House

Before you use products, deep clean your house. Make sure your house is squeaky clean — and that means everything. No little messes in the corner you’ll get to later. You have to make sure bugs have absolutely nothing to draw them in and take away anywhere they could possibly hide.

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Vacuuming

Vacuuming

One of the best ways to prevent or get rid of bed bugs is to vacuum. Vacuum everything you possibly can at least once a week to get the best results. Vacuum the carpet of course, but be sure to vacuum your couches, mattress and even your curtains!

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Spray Rubbing Alcohol

Spray Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is strong stuff. Spraying the little bugs with it can often kill them on impact.

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Hot Water

Hot Water

Take your sheets, blankets, curtains, and anything else that may be infested and can be washed and then wash it with hot, hot water. The bugs won’t be able to handle the what, and you may be able to fix your problem before it gets too bad.

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Black Walnut Tea

Black Walnut Tea

If you’re a fan of drinking tea, take some of your bags of Black Walnut and keep them after you steep. Wait till they dry, then hide the bags throughout the room. This tea will kill the bed bugs that are there and repel any newcomers!

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Dryer

Dryer

After washing the infected items with hot water, dry them on high heat. This will heat up and dry out the bugs, killing anything that possibly survived the first round of heat.

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Steam Cleaning

Steam Cleaning

If you have tried extensive vacuuming and are still having trouble with bed bugs, try steam cleaning. This is even more effective than vacuuming. It will clean the deepest nooks and crannies of all of your soft surfaces, provide a better cleaning than vacuuming would, and the bugs won’t be able to survive the heat!

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Essential Oil from Oranges

Essential Oil from Oranges

Oranges are great, and this essential orange smells great. It kills bed bugs, though, so it’s an especially amazing oil. It naturally contains a chemical that functions as a natural insecticide. The bugs die almost immediately.

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Freeze ‘Em Out

Freeze ‘Em Out

If the bugs have infested something small, like a couch pillow, stick it in the freezer for a few days. The freezing temperatures will kill the bugs.

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Avoid Bug Bombs

Avoid Bug Bombs

Bug bombs don’t kill bed bugs — they just make the little creeps move! You’ll want to avoid using pesticide foggers for this critter. Make sure you try one of these other methods to ensure that you get rid of your bed bug problem — now and forever.

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Baking Soda

Baking Soda

What isn't baking soda good for? This inexpensive household item can be used for personal hygiene and cleaning your house! It can also help you with your bed bug problems. Spreading a little bit of baking soda around the infested area will suck up the moisture, drying out the area and killing the bed bugs.

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Lemongrass

Lemongrass

Bed bugs hate lemongrass. They hate the smell, but they definitely hate how it increases the acidity inside them, ultimately killing them. Now that I think about it, I don’t know of many creatures that would like to become so acidic that they die.

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Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is a chemical-free powder that kills a number of pests, including bed bugs. It can take up to 10 days to reach its full effects, but it will kill the vast majority of bed bugs. To use, wash your sheets with hot water, vacuum, and then sprinkle it where needed. It’s important to put on a mask when you use it. It’s safe to eat (Not on purpose, of course!), but it’s dangerous to inhale.

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Lavender Oil

Lavender Oil

Lavender Oil is great. It smells amazing, has a number of hygienic qualities, and is toxic to insects (but not to humans or animals). Buy a bottle, get rid of your pests, and then figure out what else you can do with this versatile oil!

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Cover Your Mattress

Cover Your Mattress

Buy a bug cover for your mattress. The bugs won’t be able to get in or out of it.  The bugs inside the mattress will die of starvation, and the rest will have no reason to go near your mattress in the first place.

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Clove Oil

Clove Oil

Clove oil is too acidic for the tiny bugs. They’ll die from the increased pH, so don’t hesitate to buy a bottle next time you see it.

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Scented Dryer Sheets

Scented Dryer Sheets

Laying a few scented dryer sheets on top of your mattress and underneath your bottom sheet will not only deter most bugs, but it will also help your sheets smell amazing!

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Double-Sided Tape

Double-Sided Tape

Bed Bugs need to get on your bed somehow, and the best way for them to do that is to crawl up your blankets or the legs of your bed. Make sure your blankets don’t touch the ground and put some double-sided tape around the area that the legs of your bed connect to your mattress springs. Then, just be patient and watch the bugs get caught.

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Hair Dryers

Hair Dryers

This method takes a bit more time but using a hair dryer on the infected area for 20 or more minutes will kill bed bugs. They can’t handle the heat or the dryness. This method works best for smaller, infected areas. If the area is small enough, simply turn the hair dryer on, lay it down, and walk away for about an hour.

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Stiff Brushing

Stiff Brushing

If you have a stiff cleaning brush and the bugs are infecting a specific area, like a seam, scrub the area with warm water. This will crush the bugs and their eggs.

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Thyme

Thyme

Give it time — I mean thyme! Thyme has antimicrobial properties that will kill these tiny bugs! Stick the thyme in little tea bags and place them in any area the bed bugs could hide, replacing every three days. The bugs will leave you alone after that!

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Kidney Bean Leaves

Kidney Bean Leaves

Kidney Bean Leaves are covered in tiny hairs. For us, that’s no big deal, but for bed bugs, it’s like Velcro. They’ll get stuck as they walk over it. Spread these leaves over the infected area, replacing often and throwing the old leaves far away.

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Vinegar

Vinegar

Vinegar is strong. All you have to do is open the body and the smell will about knock you over. But what’s strong for us is an instant killer for bed bugs. Soak the infected area with a vinegar spray, let it sit, then wash the area with hot water to get the vinegar out.

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