You toss and turn all night, unable to sleep because of those little bloodsuckers feasting on you. Bed Bug Magic is every traveler’s nightmare and seems impossible to get rid of once they infest your home. Before you douse your entire house in toxic chemicals, give some natural bed bug sprays a shot.
They work just as well, if not better, than the commercial stuff and you can whip up a batch with ingredients from your pantry. Who knew a few essential oils, alcohol, and water could be such an effective bed bug killer?
Spray the natural bed bug spray in all the cracks and crevices where those little buggers like to hide and you’ll be sleeping tight in no time. Forget about the itching and scratching – you’ve got an easy, inexpensive bed bug solution ready to go. Spray away bed bugs the natural way!
Understanding Bed Bugs: What Are They and How Do They Spread?
Bed bugs are pesky little creatures that feed on human blood. They spread easily from place to place, hitching rides in luggage, furniture, and clothing. Understanding how these bugs operate is key to controlling and eliminating an infestation.
Bed bugs are oval-shaped, brownish insects about the size of an apple seed. They hide during the day and emerge at night to feed, crawling out from tiny cracks and crevices in walls, floors, furniture, and bedding. Each bug can live up to a year and females can lay hundreds of eggs in their lifetime.
These blood-sucking bugs spread through direct contact with infected areas or items that have come into contact with bed bugs, such as linens, clothing, luggage, and furniture. They can crawl between rooms in multi-unit housing and even hitchhike their way into public places like hotels, shelters, and nursing homes.
The signs of bed bugs include small blood stains on sheets, molted bed bug skin, a sweet musty odor, and of course, visible bed bugs or eggshells. Getting rid of an infestation requires intensive cleaning, vacuuming, steaming, sealing cracks and crevices where they can enter and hide, and often professional pest control treatments.
The key to controlling bed bugs is early detection. Inspect your home regularly, especially in areas where people sleep. Look for the telltale signs of bed bugs and their remnants. The sooner you spot an infestation, the easier it will be to eliminate and prevent these pesky blood-sucking bugs from spreading. Staying vigilant is well worth the effort for peace of mind and restful sleep.
Dangers of Chemical Bed Bug Sprays
So you’ve got bed bugs. Bummer. Your first instinct may be to reach for the strongest bug spray you can find, but hold up –
those harsh chemicals aren’t your only option and can do more harm than good.
Dangers of Chemical Sprays
Chemical pesticides, especially the ones that kill on contact, often contain toxic ingredients like pyrethroids that can irritate your lungs, skin, and eyes. (-) They may get rid of the bugs you see, but they don’t eliminate the eggs which means the infestation will just come back with a vengeance.
(-) Harsh sprays can also damage the finish of wooden furniture and may contaminate the area, persisting in the environment for a long time.
Rather than spraying chemicals around willy-nilly, there are Natural bed bug killer you can make at home that are safer for you and the environment. Natural sprays, while gentler, can be just as effective by dehydrating the bugs or suffocating them. The key is to be diligent and spray regularly in all areas where you’ve seen signs of the bloodsucking fiends.
Some of the most potent natural ingredients to eradicate your bed bug problem include:
(-) Tea tree oil – The strong smell deters bed bugs and can kill them on contact. Mix a few drops with water in a spray bottle.
(-) Lavender oil – The soothing scent of lavender oil masks the musty odor of bed bugs and also has insecticidal properties. Use the same method as tea tree oil.
(-) Diatomaceous earth – This fine powder dehydrates the bugs by absorbing their oils and fats. Apply in cracks, crevices, and entry points to create a protective barrier.
By using natural bed bug sprays and being proactive in your approach, you can kick those creepy crawlers to the curb in an eco-friendly way. Sweet dreams!
Benefits of Natural Bed Bug Killers
Making your own natural bed bug spray has several benefits over using harsh commercial pesticides.
Safer for You and the Environment
Commercial sprays contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to inhale and are terrible for the environment. green bed bug spray use ingredients that are non-toxic, organic, and biodegradable. You can feel good about using them in your home and know you’re not polluting the air or groundwater.
Cost-Effective
The ingredients for homemade sprays are very inexpensive and can be found at most grocery stores or natural food stores. All you need are a few essential oils, rubbing alcohol, water, and spray bottles. Compare that to the high cost of commercial bed bug sprays and treatments. For the price of one bottle, you can make several bottles of natural spray.
Gentler on Your Home
Harsh chemicals found in commercial sprays can damage paint, varnish, and wallpaper and leave lingering smells. Natural sprays contain gentle ingredients that are safe to use directly on mattresses, linens, carpets, and walls with no damage or harsh fumes. They leave behind a fresh, clean scent from essential oils like eucalyptus, lavender or peppermint.
Highly Effective
While natural sprays are non-toxic, the essential oils they contain, like clove, peppermint and eucalyptus oil, act as natural insecticides that effectively kill bed bugs on contact. Spray them directly on any visible bed bugs, their eggs or entry points to get rid of an infestation and deter the pests from coming back into your home.
Using natural homemade sprays is an eco-friendly and cost-effective way to eliminate a bed bug problem. Make a few bottles to have on hand—you can spray them around the house as a preventative measure or at the first sign of bed bugs. Your home, health, and wallet will thank you.
DIY Natural Bed Bug Spray Recipes
DIY natural bed bug sprays are easy to make and effective. When those pesky bed bugs invade your space, fight back with natural ingredients you may already have on hand. Here are a couple simple recipes to get you started:
Essential Oil Spray
Essential oils have natural insecticidal properties that can kill bed bugs on contact. You’ll need:
- 4 ounces of water
- 10-15 drops of tea tree oil
- 5 drops each of lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well to blend. Spray the mixture directly on any bed bugs you see, especially in cracks and crevices where they hide. The strong aroma will also act as a deterrent. You can also spray this around baseboards, bed frames, headboards and mattresses.
Rubbing Alcohol Spray
Rubbing alcohol is great for killing bed bugs on contact. It will dehydrate the bugs and eggs, causing them to die. You’ll need:
- 1 part rubbing alcohol (70% concentration or higher)
- 1 part water
Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and spray directly on any bed bugs you see. Spray around the room in areas where bed bugs may hide. The alcohol will kill the bed bugs instantly but can also act as a repellent for up to several hours. Reapply as needed.
Either of these sprays can be used as a spot treatment for active infestations or as a preventative measure in areas where bed bugs may enter. For severe or persisting problems, you may need to combine these sprays with other methods like heat or cold treatment, vacuuming and sealing up entry points to eliminate the infestation. But as an initial response and natural bed bug spray, these recipes can be very effective at controlling small outbreaks in an eco-friendly way.
Conclusion
So there you have it, an easy DIY formula for a natural bed bug spray to get rid of those little bloodsuckers in an eco-friendly way. All you need are a few simple ingredients you likely already have in your home and you’ll be sleeping tight without worrying about bites.
Spray the solution in all the cracks, crevices and entry points to create a barrier and kill any bed bugs on contact. Reapply every few days to make sure any newly hatched bed bugs get eliminated as well. With this homemade bed bug spray, you’ll have those pests out of your bed and out of your life in no time. Sweet dreams!
