Bedbugs are believed to be a frequent visitor to dirty apartments and cheap motels, but this is not the case. They easily appear in clean, well-kept houses, and there are many reasons for this.
It is not easy to deal with bedbugs, since it is very difficult to find a decent remedy for their removal, especially for a person who first encountered such a problem. This article will discuss the most popular and effective means against these pests.
Features of the use of folk methods
Folk remedies for home bed bugs are divided into repelling and destroying according to the spectrum of effects. As a result of the centuries-old struggle with parasites, the characteristics of reproduction, behavior have been well studied and their weak points have been identified:
- In a hungry state, individuals have a very flat body, as a result of which it is very difficult to crush them.
- In the daytime, bugs hide in secluded places, they go hunting only at night.
- Insects have 3 stages of development: egg, larva, adult. The eggs are protected by a very dense shell, through which chemicals do not penetrate. Ovipositions can only be destroyed by means of ovicidal action, which are highly toxic and have a pungent odor, by temperature or mechanical, crushing each egg with your fingers.
Bedbugs - Bedbugs have a well-developed sense of smell and are sensitive to odors.
- Insects are resistant to temperature fluctuations, they can only be destroyed with the help of very low and high temperature conditions. Bedbugs die at temperatures below 20 ° C and above 60 ° C.
Get Total
Get Total contains chlorpyrifos as an active ingredient - a fairly toxic substance that, in simple diluted form, cannot be used in domestic conditions. Therefore, this component is included in Get Total in a microencapsulated form - so it is much safer for humans, but just as effective against bedbugs. As a result, Get Total is considered one of the safest, but at the same time, effective preparations for fighting insects in the house.
Interestingly, due to the microencapsulation of Get Total, it practically does not have the odor characteristic of organophosphorus compounds.
Removing bedbugs by mechanical action
The cheapest folk remedy, the effectiveness of which is in doubt. The essence of the process comes down to the literal destruction of bloodsuckers. To do this, you need to turn on the vacuum cleaner at maximum power, find the place of accumulation of parasites and eliminate them. It is recommended to burn the contents of the dust container, and wash the bag itself in boiling water.
The “slippery” technique is even simpler. Armed with a slipper, wait for the night and destroy insects crawling out of shelters. The complexity of the process lies in the fact that bed bugs move very quickly, and small larvae are difficult to see. The procedure is performed with the lights on, since the light of electric lamps is not a deterrent for parasites. Valerian is used to bait insects; its smell attracts bloodsuckers. In this way, you can slightly reduce the size of the bug population, but, alas, it will not be possible to get rid of completely.
On a note!
There is also a popular way of destroying parasites for the lazy. It is necessary to attach double-sided tape around the perimeter of the bed, cabinets, along the baseboards and collect insects as they stick.
Scotch against bedbugs
Where bugs hide - habitats
Bed bugs prefer to hide near a food source, i.e. people.
The preferred habitat for bedbugs is the bedroom, especially the bed and its surroundings:
- Headboard
- Bed frame
- Mattresses, especially in the seams
- Bedside tables and baseboards near the bed
- Sockets and pictures near the bed
The further you get away from the bed, the less likely you are to see insects.
However, they can still be found in other rooms or in the following locations:
- Skirting boards
- Door and window frames
- Wall hangings and curtains
- Tables, chairs and sofas
- Telephone and electrical connection
Bed bugs prefer to spend the day in dark places to find people in their beds at night.
Vinegar against bedbugs
Folk remedies for bed bugs based on vinegar can scare off annoying parasites for a while. Most often, this method is used for preventive purposes in order to protect your apartment from the penetration of parasites from neighbors. With table vinegar or essence, it is necessary to process all baseboards, thresholds, door, window openings, ventilation grilles. To enhance the deterrent effect, vinegar is mixed with wormwood decoction.
To destroy parasites, a mixture of the following components is prepared:
- vinegar;
- alcohol;
- naphthalene.
All ingredients are taken in equal proportions and mixed. The resulting product is used to treat all surfaces in the room, furniture, floors. The agent gives the greatest effect when it comes into direct contact with an insect and can be used as an alternative to aerosols. The advantages of using vinegar boil down to the fact that with regular use, adults and larvae leave the apartment. But it does not have any effect on the eggs of bedbugs and the smell of vinegar disappears very quickly, so the infected room will have to be treated very often with this folk remedy.
Interesting fact. The degree of contamination of the apartment can be judged by the pain of the bites. If the bug bite causes instant pain, then the larva bites and the parasites live in the apartment for a long time, reproduce successfully and lay eggs.
Bedbug vinegar
We treat bedbug bites, remove bite marks
There are relatively few treatment options for minor bites.
First-line self-help includes cleaning the wound with soap and water.
For itchy bites, the following symptoms may relieve:
- over-the-counter hydrocortisone
- anti-itch creams
- antihistamines
Most wounds heal on their own within a week, sometimes two.
If severe swelling, inflammation or itching occurs or persists, the person should see a doctor.
A violent immune response can be a sign of an allergic reaction.
In this case, you may need to do one of the following:
- injectable corticosteroid
- antihistamine
- adrenaline drug
If an infection occurs, antibiotics may be prescribed.
Severe itching can lead to further complications such as infection or scarring. For severe itching, people may be prescribed corticosteroid creams and antihistamine tablets or liquid.
Folk remedies against bedbugs with turpentine
Turpentine is one of the most popular ingredients in folk remedies. There are many recipes for preparing mixtures with turpentine for killing bedbugs with folk remedies. Poison preparation and disinsection work must be carried out with rubber gloves. This technical liquid is very poisonous and is used to destroy the nests of parasites.
The most popular folk remedies with turpentine against bedbugs:
- Mix 100 ml of water at room temperature, 10 ml of turpentine, 15 ml of kerosene, 100 ml of liquid soap in a sprayer, treat the places where bed bugs accumulate and the surrounding space.
- Combine turpentine and ethyl alcohol in equal proportions, 5 g of camphor.
- Mix 100 ml of turpentine, 10 ml of kerosene and 15 g of naphthalene.
- 80 ml of turpentine, 40 g of phenol, 6 g of salicylic acid.
On a note!
Considering that bed bugs like to settle under the upholstery of a sofa, mattress, the use of folk remedies for bed bugs with turpentine is not always rational. After use, these products leave stains, which will be very difficult to remove. It is best to use them to destroy nests under linoleum, wallpaper.
Turpentine for bedbugs
Why do bedbugs appear in the apartment?
Bed bugs love a person's dwelling, because the optimal air temperature is maintained in it and food is constantly present. They can get inside the house in the following ways:
- The most popular is from the neighboring apartment. The problem arises when neighbors try to eliminate pests, which eventually go to the nearest place, trying to find food and shelter.
- With new interior items. Bringing antique or just old things into the house, a person is likely to run the risk of getting bedbugs. Insects love antique objects, placing their nests in joints and crevices, where no one can interfere with the reproduction and development of larvae. For this reason, when buying such items, it is necessary to check them for the presence of parasites.
- Through pets, which the bugs do not bite, but cling to their fur. Pets should be constantly examined, washed and treated with special agents if necessary.
- Pests can also take a fancy to holes in household appliances, with which they can come into the house. You can get such a gift when purchasing equipment that has not only been in use, but also new.
- In public places, as people are carriers. Bedbugs easily cling to hair, bags, or clothing.
- These insects can often be seen in sofas and beds in hostels, motels, hotels, etc.
- Through cracks, crevices, ventilation ducts and other openings.
Insects can enter the house in different ways, but in any case, they are easily assimilated, causing harm to people. It is recommended to start fighting them as early as possible. Otherwise, soon there will be many times more of them.
Kerosene against domestic bugs
Kerosene in folk remedies plays the role of a repeller and liquidator of harmful insects. Under the influence of kerosene vapors, parasites and their larvae die. To completely get rid of bloodsuckers, you must repeat the procedure several times. Ingredients for making folk remedies:
- kerosene 100 ml;
- creosol 50 ml;
- naphthalene 5 g
The use of kerosene requires the following precautions:
- Disinsection should be carried out in rubber gloves, a protective suit in a ventilated area.
- People and pets should not be in the apartment.
- Kerosene is a flammable substance, therefore, fire safety rules should be observed.
- If you feel unwell, go out into the fresh air.
- After processing, close the room for several hours.
Kerosene for bedbugs
List of the best odorless products
Products that do not have an unpleasant odor are represented by several well-known brands.
Raptor
Nice aerosol with light floral amber. Its active components have a neuroparalytic effect on the nervous system of bedbugs, which leads to rapid death. The action of the aerosol begins immediately after spraying, when toxins enter the shell and legs of the insects. The raptor allows you to etch out the entire population, because infected individuals, moving around the apartment, transmit the poison to their relatives. The aerosol is indispensable in the fight against bed bugs, which can penetrate the folds and seams of bedding and furniture upholstery. No other "chemistry" is capable of treating these hard-to-reach areas.
Aerosol insecticidal agents against bedbugs are good because they are able to penetrate into the most inaccessible places of insect colonization
Feedback
Antonina: “Faced with bedbugs in a student dormitory, we rushed to look for some odorless aerosol. In the supermarket we came across a Raptor and bought a couple of spray cans. They sprayed the whole room, mattresses and even clothes with shoes. At first it smelled like flowers, and then the smell disappeared altogether. As for the bedbugs, they disappeared in a week and never reappeared. By the way, we used the Raptor every day - we sprayed it before going to the pairs. "
Solfak
One of the latest chemical developments. Has no aroma or side effect, dissolves in water, does not leave marks and stains on furniture. Ideal for baiting parasites at home. The active period is about 90 days.
Feedback
Marina: “We treated our country house with Solfak. There were not very many insects in it, so two treatments were enough for us. The product has no smell, which was very pleasing, because there was no desire to breathe any filth. The effect is also very strong - the insects disappeared and still have not returned, although 3 months have passed. Feel free to use Solfak to kill domestic parasites - it really helps! "
Foresight
Concentrated product based on permethrin. Possesses a low degree of toxicity, but lags behind other brands in efficiency.
Feedback
Galina: “We were looking for an odorless agent against bedbugs for four days - either the price did not fit, then the result was not the same. And then we accidentally stumbled upon Forsyth. We bought a whole canister and processed not only the house, but also the utility rooms. The product is used sparingly and acts very quickly. There are no more bedbugs at all. "
Combat
This bug aerosol, which is very popular among Russian consumers, smells like mint and lemon. "Kombat" is produced in 500 ml cans. This amount is enough for pest control of 40 sq. m. area. The tool is equipped with additional attachments designed for processing small crevices and holes. The toxins that make up the aerosol have a neuroparalytic effect, and the antifungal and antibacterial components are responsible for sanitizing the apartment. This is one of the main advantages of "Combat" over other insecticides.
Feedback
Alexander: “We have never had bedbugs or cockroaches. And then the child began to appear strange bites. There are no mosquitoes in the apartment, so at first we decided that it was just an allergy. And then the wife found a whole nest of bedbugs under the mattress of the crib. On the same day, we bought a Combat and sprayed it around the apartment, processed the crib and bed linen. In general, we spent 3 cylinders, but got rid of bedbugs. What I also liked is that the aerosol does not smell at all. Recommend".
Folk remedies with chemical solutions against insects
You can get rid of folk remedies for domestic bugs with the help of technical fluids that are commercially available in the public domain. The disadvantage of this method is the high toxicity of the components and the specific smell.
- Denatured alcohol is effective for the destruction of adult bugs, larvae, eggs. They do not need to process the apartment, they pour pure denatured alcohol directly on the parasites. The substance is highly flammable.
- Ammonia is poured into containers that are installed near clusters of bloodsuckers. The second way to use the product is to add liquid to the water for cleaning floors. After treating the floor with ammonia, not only bugs scatter, but also cockroaches.
- Aviation fluid is used to treat the nests of parasites.
Destruction of bed bugs by disinfection service
The most effective and most toxic way. Substances used by specialists contain a high concentration of a pesticide. Prepare to leave the apartment for at least a couple of days. Chemicals remain on surfaces for some time, which prevents re-infection, but is not safe for health (especially with children).
Specialists can poison in several ways.Spray, spray solution, or use hot or cold mist method.
Hot fog
Using a special generator, any drug is heated to 90 degrees and sprayed. The particle size of the aerosol is up to 30 microns (in conventional sprayers - several hundred). These small particles can penetrate into hard-to-reach areas of the room, where household products cannot reach. So a change in the physical properties of a drug affects its action.
Cold fog
A generator is used that creates slightly larger particles (up to 80 microns) without heating the pesticide. Settles faster than hot fog and is slightly less effective.
Plants against parasites
Most folk remedies for bedbugs in an apartment based on plants are safe. Their effectiveness can only be assessed in terms of prevention, because they perform a deterrent function. Dry plants are most commonly used. Herbariums are hung on the walls, near windows, doorways, near beds. They also prepare decoctions from plants and treat possible places of insect penetration. Essential oils from these plants or cedar nut oil can be added to herbal poisons.
Chamomile, calamus, peppermint, wormwood, tansy, wild rosemary - all these herbs are used to repel bedbugs with folk remedies.
Important!
Wormwood, tansy, wild rosemary are poisonous plants, so if there are children, pets in the house, you need to make sure that the herbs are out of their reach.
Herbs for bedbugs
Overview of different recipes and tips for their use
Before choosing a method that allows you to quickly get rid of bedbugs with folk remedies, assess the possibility and consequences of application from the point of view of:
- safety for people and animals in the apartment;
- simplicity and convenience;
- the likelihood of damage to furniture, other interior items.
Over the centuries of forced coexistence with parasites, the people have accumulated many ways to destroy them. Whichever method is chosen, the emphasis is on harmlessness to humans.
Critical temperatures against parasites
The most effective folk remedies for bedbugs in an apartment are freezing and heating. Bedbugs are not so sensitive to temperature extremes, but at a certain temperature regime they die.
Freezing
To get rid of bugs, their eggs and larvae, the air temperature should be minus 20 Celsius. Freezing an apartment to such a state can be dangerous. This method is good for eliminating insects in pillows, in clothes, and those items that can be taken out into the street.
High temperatures
It is possible to rid the living space with folk remedies from domestic bugs even at high temperatures. At + 50, the parasite and its offspring die. Artificial heaters, irons, boiling water are used, but processing with a steam generator is most convenient.
On a note!
The smartest on a hot day put the car in the sun, the car gets hot, the temperature in the cabin reaches the desired level and the chamber for the destruction of blood-sucking insects is ready. Clothes, pillows, everything that can fit into it is placed in the car.
What mechanical methods are effective?
Similar techniques give the result when the apartment is locally infected with parasites. They do not guarantee one hundred percent success, it is necessary to supplement with other methods, including chemical ones. The most expedient and uncomplicated:
- Thoroughly clean the surfaces with a powerful vacuum cleaner. He will collect bugs, larvae and eggs, after which they are burned.
- Exposure to boiling water or steam. It won't take long to spoil upholstered furniture like that, but you can wash clothes, bed in very hot water or douse it from a home steam generator.
- Use a clothes dryer. In addition to her, children's toys are thrust there. If there is no such device, a car on the street will help out on a warm sunny day. Collect the contaminated items in a plastic bag and close them in the car.
- Freezing is available for residents of the private sector. In winter, they take out furniture and clothes outside, leave them for a day or two.
Another way to get rid of bed bugs in an apartment has appeared on its own in recent decades. It is based on the use of double-sided tape. It is glued in places where parasites are likely to move, including around beds. They wait for the insects to stick, collect and destroy.
To combat bedbugs using a mechanical technique, it is repeated without long interruptions. At this time, personal items, upholstered furniture are carefully packed. The slots at the baseboards and in other places, holes, joints are sealed with a sealant.
What drugs are really dangerous?
There are also means that can destroy bedbugs, but which are extremely dangerous to humans and which cannot be used in apartments and residential buildings. These include:
- Pills with aluminum phosphide - upon contact with moisture, phosphine is released from the air, which completely mows down all living things, including plants. It is impossible to stay in the room in which such tablets are decomposed until they are completely decomposed and then for several more days after the start of airing. It is also unacceptable for gas to escape from these tablets outside the premises, therefore, they cannot be used in ordinary apartments and houses;
- Sulfur bombs, the smoke from which is approximately equally toxic to humans and insects. Moreover, even if the handler himself lights them in a respirator, the smoke from them can penetrate through ventilation into neighboring apartments and poison their residents;
- Smoke bombs based on pyrethroids (permethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and others) are dangerous for the same reason as sulfur bombs: smoke from them can get into rooms where people are without personal protective equipment.
All such funds are officially prohibited for use in residential premises and their use in apartments and houses is a violation of the instructions. If after such a violation someone is poisoned, then the violator will bear responsibility for such an incident.
We follow the instructions and use the drug calmly
Therefore, we conclude: it is not a tool in itself that is dangerous, but violations of the rules for its use. To say that insecticides are dangerous to humans is as unfair as saying that household appliances, knives or cars are dangerous to humans. If you use an electric stove incorrectly, it can catch fire, you can get hurt with a knife, and cars certainly kill people much more often than any chemical means. But the potential danger in the event of improper use of this or that tool or device is not at all a reason to abandon it, if it makes life easier, helps to solve certain problems and is safe when used correctly.
In almost all cases in which insect repellents led to any undesirable consequences, users somehow violated the rules for the use of such agents. And if we relate the number of such cases to the number of situations in which no one was hurt, then we can conclude that such accidents are nothing more than exceptions to the rule: household insecticides for independent use by the population in everyday life, subject to the instructions, are safe for people.
