Bedbugs in an apartment: how to get rid of them using folk remedies? - briefly
Spread food‑grade diatomaceous earth in baseboards, cracks, and mattress seams, then steam‑treat all suspect surfaces. Launder linens in water above 60 °C and spray diluted tea‑tree or lavender essential oil on remaining hideouts.
Bedbugs in an apartment: how to get rid of them using folk remedies? - in detail
Bed bugs thrive in cracks, seams, and upholstered furniture. Their small, oval bodies and nocturnal feeding habits make early detection critical. Look for rusty‑colored spots on sheets, shed exoskeletons, and live insects in mattress seams, baseboards, and behind picture frames.
Folk methods rely on physical disruption, desiccation, or natural toxins. Their effectiveness varies, but proper application can reduce a mild infestation.
- Diatomaceous earth – Sprinkle a thin layer around bed frames, under furniture, and in wall crevices. Leave for 48 hours, then vacuum. The powder abrades the insect’s exoskeleton, causing dehydration.
- Essential oils – Mix 10 ml of tea‑tree, lavender, or peppermint oil with 1 liter of water. Spray onto mattresses, box springs, and carpet edges. Reapply daily for a week. Oils contain compounds that repel or intoxicate bed bugs.
- Heat exposure – Wash all bedding and clothing in water above 60 °C, then tumble‑dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Place small items (pillows, toys) in a sealed bag and leave in a sunny window for several hours. Heat above 45 °C kills all life stages within minutes.
- Cold exposure – Seal items in airtight bags and store in a freezer at –18 °C for 72 hours. Freezing destroys eggs and nymphs, especially when combined with heat treatment for adult insects.
- Baking soda – Disperse a light coating on carpet fibers and mattress tops. After 24 hours, vacuum thoroughly. Baking soda absorbs moisture from the insect’s cuticle, accelerating desiccation.
- Vinegar solution – Combine equal parts white vinegar and water, add a few drops of citrus oil, and spray directly onto visible bugs and their hiding places. Immediate contact may immobilize some individuals, but repeated use is necessary.
- Alcohol – Apply 70 % isopropyl alcohol to cracks and seams with a spray bottle. Alcohol dissolves the protective wax layer, leading to rapid death upon contact. Avoid excessive saturation that could damage fabrics.
- Neem oil – Dilute 5 ml of neem oil in 500 ml of water, add a mild detergent, and spray onto infested zones. Neem contains azadirachtin, an insect growth regulator that interferes with molting.
Preparation steps improve results: remove clutter, seal infested items in plastic bags, and clean all surfaces with a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter. After each treatment, vacuum again to eliminate dead insects and residual powder.
For moderate to severe cases, folk remedies often fail to eradicate hidden populations. Combining natural methods with professional heat chambers or pesticide applications yields higher success rates. Continuous monitoring, using sticky traps placed near bed legs, confirms whether the population declines.
In practice, a regimen that alternates diatomaceous earth, essential‑oil sprays, and periodic heat cycles can suppress an early infestation without chemical exposure. Persistence and thorough coverage remain the decisive factors.