The web is packed with DIY guides on getting rid of bed bugs. And there have been numerous instances when homeowners failed to eliminate bed bugs by using these DIY methods.
Thousands of our readers asked if it is even possible to get rid of bed bugs by using the methods that they read on the web.
That’s why we created this guide.
In this guide, you’ll find out the cold hard truth about getting rid of bed bugs using DIY methods.
So, can you get rid of bed bugs on your own?
Keep reading to find it out.
You Can Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own….But
Let’s face the reality of bed bugs. Bed bugs are challenging pests to kill.
As bed bugs breed fast and hide in the thinnest of gaps, bed bugs multiply exponentially and spread quicker than you can think.
That’s something that many homeowners forget to take into account.
So, before you even try to get rid of bed bugs on your own, you should ask yourself one important question –
“How severe is the bed bug infestation in the house?”
And believe it or not, it’s hard to find out.
You cannot count each bed bug living and hiding inside your home and declare, “Ok, I’ve got a severe bed bug infestation in my home.”
To answer this question, you’d need to check out the signs of bed bug infestation in your home.
The primary signs are –
- Bite marks
- Tiny red spots on your bedsheets and pillow covers
- Hard-to-spot bed bug shells
- Baby bed bugs
- Blood marks on the fabric of your bed and on the mattress
If you see any three of the five signs of bed bug infestation in your home, then bed bugs infestation is severe.
It also depends on how often you see these signs. Seeing the signs regularly is an assured sign that the bed bug infestation is pretty severe.
Why?
There’s one reason for it. And the reason is bed bugs don’t bite or have their blood meals every day.
A bed bug will bite you to get its blood meal once a week.
So, if you’re observing bed bug bites more than once or twice in a week, then it’s a clear indication that there are a considerable number of bed bugs in your home.
It also indicates that bed bugs are breeding and thriving inside your house.
And that’s when it’s impossible to get rid of bed bugs on your own. It’s because almost all the DIY methods that you read cannot eliminate each bed bug living and breeding inside your home.
And unless you eliminate every single bed bug inside your home, bed bugs will show up again and again.
Bed bugs can come back after using DIY methods because these methods fail to penetrate all corners of your home where bed bugs are hiding.
Only a full-fledged heat treatment can get rid of a severe bed bug infestation.
How NOT To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own?
There are many ways you can get rid of bed bugs from your home. Using a steam cleaner on the bed and other soft furnishings is one of the best ways to eliminate bed bugs.
But there are some DIY methods that you should NEVER use to get rid of bed bugs.
The four DIY methods that you’re about to know will only aggravate the bed bug problem.
Here’s what you need to avoid.
Do Not Use Bug Bombs To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own
In all honesty, bug bombs are the most misleading product you can ever buy to get rid of bed bugs and other tiny biting bugs like fleas.
Why?
There are three reasons for it.
Foggers Or Bug Bombs Release The Pesticide Up In The Air
Bug bombs are easy to use. All you need to do is keep it in the center of the room and remove the lid.
After a while, it releases the pesticide aerosol up in the air.
The pesticide remains suspended in the air and takes some time to settle down. That’s why bug bombs can be effective in getting rid of flying bugs.
But tiny biting bugs like bed bugs, they hide.
The suspended aerosol never penetrates the thin gaps and cracks where the bed bugs hide.
The end result? Only a few to no bed bugs die.
And it also makes the bed bugs go hiding in different places of your home where they’ve not spread.
So, using a bug bomb or fogger can worsen the bed bug infestation in your home by making the bed bugs spread to other hard-to-reach areas of your home.
Pesticide From Bug Bombs Gets Deposited On Your Furniture. It’s Risky
When the aerosol from the bug bomb settles down, it settles down on the furniture and other places that you touch.
That exposes you to the risk of coming in direct contact with pesticides.
And suppose you’ve got sensitive people like children and the elderly living in your home. In that case, it can trigger severe allergic reactions.
Asthma patients are susceptible to aerosols from bug bombs. It contains pyrethrin, which can trigger asthmatic attacks on asthma patients.
Bug Bombs Are Highly Inflammable
The content of the bug bombs is volatile. You need to take appropriate safety measures before using the bug bombs.
And that includes ensuring your stove burners are off and the electricity in your home is shut down.
Bug bombs have caused fires in many homes. And you don’t want your home to be exposed to this risk.
Do Not Use Essential Oils To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own
Essential oils are handy when it comes to controlling bugs. But the truth is essential oils are bug repellers.
Essential oils are NOT bug killers.
You can dab some essential oils on your skin to prevent bed bugs from biting you. But if you spray essential oils on your bed, it won’t kill the bed bugs hiding there.
So, use essential oils to keep bed bugs away from you. Do not use it to eliminate a bed bug infestation.
It won’t work.
Vacuum Cleaning Works, But Only To An Extent
When it comes to getting rid of bed bugs on your own, vacuum cleaning is indispensable to the process.
But a vacuum cleaner has its limitations when you use it to get rid of bed bugs.
And that limitation is that it doesn’t destroy the bed bugs and leave behind many baby bed bugs.
A vacuum cleaner is essential to remove the dead bed bugs after sprinkling diatomaceous earth or after a bed bug treatment.
But to get rid of bed bugs using a vacuum cleaner will not work long term.
You may experience a reduction in bed bug activity in your home after a thorough vacuum cleaning session.
But as the eggs and the nymphs are left behind, you’ll notice a resurgence of bed bug activity in your home.
Do Not Use Mothballs To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
Mothballs contain naphthalene which does not affect bed bugs. Mothballs deter bugs like cloth moths that destroy the fabric. Mothballs do not work against biting bugs like bed bugs.
So, Can You Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Your Own?
The answer depends on the level of infestation.
When the infestation level is severe, NO, you cannot. You’ll have to hire a professional bed bug exterminator.
But when the infestation level is at the early stages, you can get rid of bed bugs on your own.
You can check our post on how to get rid of bed bugs. It is specifically meant for people with tight finances who cannot afford a professional bed bug treatment.
The guide has some cool hacks to kill bed bugs in your home. But remember, the steps mentioned in that guide will work only when bed bug infestation is at its early stages.
Dr. Thomas Orbert, the Microbial Maestro, dances with the tiniest of creatures as an entomologist extraordinaire! With a PhD in entomology, his passion lies in unraveling the secret symphonies of insect-microbe interactions. From minuscule marvels to captivating complexities, Dr. Orbert unveils the hidden world of bugs, igniting curiosity one buzz at a time!
Dr. Thomas Orbert, the Microbial Maestro, dances with the tiniest of creatures as an entomologist extraordinaire! With a PhD in entomology, his passion lies in unraveling the secret symphonies of insect-microbe interactions. From minuscule marvels to captivating complexities, Dr. Orbert unveils the hidden world of bugs, igniting curiosity one buzz at a time!