Natural Bed Bug Remedies: Homemade Sprays & Bite Treatments

diatomaceous earth - I found this in the form at a garden nursery ( so the label said) as silicon dioxide...it was in powder form...do you know if in this form it's supposed to be harmful in inhaled??

The only Diatomaceous Earth products you should use inside your home are those that are Human Grade Formula. Many outdoor Diatomaceous Earth products/posions contain added chemicals that can be harmful to humans/pets.

Be Safe, Not Sorry.

We used this with AWESOME results. Get food grade DE (it's relatively cheap), and sprinkle around the beds and baseboards. No type of DE is safe to inhale, you can use a mask if you like, but I didn't bother.... There weren't clouds of it wafting up or anything.... It's like a powder. Bugs were gone that night and haven't come back. It's been over a year, and we're bed bug free. But if you have animals you may want to try a different method, or lock them out of the room if you're lucky enough to only have one room infested. The other grades of DE are heat treated or have additives, and the shape of them has changed so they don't work as well, but they work wonders for pool filtering and agriculture. And the food grade DE is supposed to have other health benefits if you add it to your diet.... Just don't be stupid and snort it.... Very bad for your lungs!

I want to get in touch with Heather from Katy, Texas to talk to her about diatomaceous earth and how she used it exactly. Is there anyway you can give her my email address? Thank you!

Having problems with bedbugs. Please help!!! Were did you buy the Diatomaceous? Does the food grade work? Please email me. Do you know if its fast around animals?

Thanks

I killed 14 bugs last night.. I am now trying diatomaceous earth. Started dusting at 10am... Lord, I hope this works... I will keep you all posted... & thanks for the help... yeag

i would like to know Where you found food-grade diatomaceous earth. I've been all over the Austin area... Including feed stores... And let me tell you, there must be 100 store employees around and about the area that now think I'm an idiot... and kept trying to send me to pool supply places. I will gladly drive to the Houston area to buy some, and stop to visit relatives while I'm there.

Try Tractor supply co or your local co-op. Ask for different dusts for your poultry--they should have small bottles to large bags They may not realize what the name of it is, but if you say you need a dust for your feed grain or to dust your hen house, they'll show you where all the dusts are and then you have to read the label. I've seen it called earth dust or red earth, but the label will show it correctly. It's great stuff.

To the lady wanting to know where to purchase the "FOOD GRADE", you can find it at any animal feed store. I have learned the DE is best applied as a mud and rub skin. You will be amazed to see them rub off, but remember there are eggs and largea still in your pores. I also am using, Bag balm, hot water, cool water, a good soap, baking soda, Corn Starch, Epsom Salts, Betadine, Alcohol and high heat steamer cleaner, like a shark. I picked mine up at Lowes. The shower mud up with DE. I rub everywhere with it. Include the bottoms of your feet and trim nails cause they hide under the free edge, and pour in hair. Saturate everything with mud and leave as long as you can. I usually rinse the first application removing the ones loose on the surface. Apply a second coating. This is the coating to leave on as long as you can. After rinsing the DE follow with baby shampoo or a regular bar of soap. The hot water should be used if possible to open pores. I like to finish with a cool rinse. Finally, I either finish with leave on Eptom Salts or Vinegar splash. I also put the DE in my tea controling any problem that I might have ingested. Drink Vinegar now too cause I found reserchers documenting the helpful result from intake. See Symptom Finder. Wise Geek web site also explains the Arthopod problem and solutions in detail. Some of these mites are so small that they are not visible even with the use of a microscope. The baking soda sprinkle it on your couches and floors and bed(ing). Massage it into the fabric and leave it. It drys them out and you will see the corps floresent ready for vaccuuming. If you have pets, leave the baking soda on the floor to help them stay mite free. When finishing up your after shower treatment q-tip betadine on to any welts, which are burning bites. The Alcohol onto the scalp and seal with a towel. Just take a hair clip and hold the towel in place. Get yourself a high steam pressure machine about 70 dollars. I have not seen anything kill these tough bugs die instantly other than high heat. Wash all clothing in high heat and with Borax (Boron) or baking soda, both are natural sources just like DE. If you can afford a service call you local carpet cleaners cause they cost much less than the exterminator. Be vidulent on keeping the cleaning routing daily, maybe run the steamer around the house twice at first until you notice the reduction of bites. The last thing I have learned about the problem with these bugs is that in a house hold of five one or two may be effected by them. It is the allergy tollerance (wise geek site) of the individual which determines the situation. I am getting eaten alive and my husband nothing. I cleaned his favorite area with baking soda, his bugs presented after four hours were large, and make me wonder if he isn't the problem. I wish you all the best. This is the worst medical problem I have had in my entire life. Even if you feel like this, don't stop treating your home with baking soda and cleaning with the items I have mentioned. It will take time to get all the eggs from your home cloth surfaces and out of your pores. Brush your hair alot and spray the dog with vinegar daily before his brushing.

Hello, Its 99% true I tried myself before reading this article just 3 months back it really works.
I will add two more steps.

Step 1) use high heat hair fryer.

Step 2) use vaccun cleaner immediately to suck the dead bugs and eggs.( not to forget clean the filter bags of Vacuum cleaner after)

step 3) I used Kitchen cleaner spray (EASE YOUR BAM which is available in grocery store) on Bugs and eggs on infected or hide place and wipe out with rough cloth, on spraying the Buggs egg get carbonize.

try once, it really works.
thanks

Step 1) use high heat hair fryer.

Step 2) use vaccum cleaner immediately to suck the dead bugs and eggs. ( not to forget clean the filter bags of Vacuum cleaner after)

step 3) I used Kitchen cleaner spray (EASE YOUR BAM which is available in grocery store) on Bugs and eggs on infected or hide place and wipe out with rough cloth, on spraying the Bugs egg get carbonize.

It's only been a few days since my first post and I found a real tiny one. He must have still been in the egg stage when I bombed the couch. Upon further investigation, I discovered that in one small section where I had used a piece of tarp instead of the clear 4ml plastic, he had drilled a tiny hole through it. The hole was right where I lay my head, which makes sense because they find you through your breath. I saw several other holes and without looking further, I took the quilt up and put it in the dryer on high heat for 40 minutes. I also covered that tarp section with clear, thick plastic. I had used the tarp because I didn't have quite enough of the clear plastic, and it was sort interwoven with plastic and fabric both. When I mentioned the bombs, I said use the one for bed bugs and roaches. I meant the one that says it's for bed bugs and fleas. This is WAR.

This is an update on my earlier posts.

Well, it's been almost 2 months since I wrapped my couch (where I sleep) and I am thrilled to say I still have not seen any more bed bugs! And I look for them. If I get up in the middle of the night, I take a flashlight and really look, but so far, nothing. Yay! Just recently I was in someone else's apartment and as soon as I walked in I smelled a disgusting smell unlike anything I had ever smelled before. I could not put my finger on what it was. Thankfully I only sat on a hard kitchen chair, because I learned later that person's apt. is badly infested with bed bugs and I think that must be what I was smelling! So, take that for a head's up. If you encounter that in someone's house, beware! They DO have a smell if there are enough of them. My infestation must not have been too severe because I never noticed that smell in my place, thankfully.

What do you mean "a bomb"?

Thank you so much, people need to know how to get rid of those crazy bed bugs, without paying a lot of money, it's all about the money. We can't afford it. God bless you.

Seem that you might need an exterminator. Most of them warrants their job, too....

Just a thought: Diatomaceious earth kills bugs, so could you put your mattress in a 'bed-bug proof' mattress cover and put DE inside the cover? Or use one of the plastic covers--seems like you wouldn't be exposed to breathing the dust but the bugs would, you could eventually remove it and vacuum thoroughly. I have also heard that M*** oil soal works, put it in a sprayer and really wet all cracks, crevices, etc and then wipe up after a short while. Said the oil coats the bugs, they come out looking for air but die. Heat, also, you could put fabric items (clothing, pillows, sheets) in a black plastic garbage bag, seal it up and leave in the sun for a week. At the very least, put some DE in a saucer and place furniture legs in the saucer so the bugs walk thru it when they come out at night. Hope this helps.

Hi Thelma, This ia a thought but way don't you try food grade Diatomaceous Earth, plus it is reasonible enough too. Sprinkle it in your bed, mattress, carpet and etc. The DE kills parasites and bugs in your body and garden. I've had good result using it. Just be careful not to breath it. The DE should also take care of the eggs and new ones hatching out. If you try this post on EC so others will know if they should try it.

I know this is an old post now, but I was wondering where do you buy Diatomaceous Earth? I'm in the UK and I'm not sure even what kind of store I would try. Thanks.

Baby Powder..!! And Bedbugs don't mix

It is the cheapest method that I have found.! And it smells wonderful too.. Just try not to inhale the contents while using this method, can be a little messy but not anbything major that a wet cloth can't clean up... Anad it only cost a "buck" at the local dollar stores :^)

It asphyxiates them, dust the mattress box spring mattress cover and bed covers, this works exceptionally well in a hotel environment, and any transient lodging, this is the first thing I do before I sit down or unpack my things are left at the door or in the bathroom area, foyer, or any hard surfaced area away from the sleeping quarters, the reason is that I carry a trial sized plastic container with a little household bleach with me to sanitize everything just in case. (toilets and shower/tubs)..hope this helps

Another one that works too is using Dog and Cat Flea shampoo mixture in a spray bottle. This is one that I found out from "Billy the Exterminator" show.

I tried almost every methods that are not toxic and safe. It took two weeks to get rid of bedbugs -- actually I am not 100% sure if they were bedbugs, fleas, or mites. I got more than 70 bites all over my body and my bites look like those bites. Anyway thanks to Earth Clinic for helpful information!

2. Spray the mix of rubbing alcohle, viniger, and eucalyptus oil to fabrics.

3. Spray insectside (non-toxic blend as well) on front yard (especially near the main door)

3. Discard my old comforter and seal the matress completely with vinyl zip cover.

4. Diatomaceous Earth under the bed and under and above the matress -- then I covered matress with two cover sheets to make sure D-earth comes out.

5. Add Borax when doing laundary. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil.

6. Vacuum frequently.

I had a cookout Saturday, June 2d, & someone brought bed bugs into my house & now I have a major infestation... I have killed 30, or 40 with my bare hands, sitting up each night all night ever since... I tried the soapy water, baby powder, 2 different types of insecticides & no luck so far.. They just keep coming in all sizes. I eat cinnamon every day for a year or 2 & they don't bite me, but they are going after my 1 year old daughter, because she is to young to injest cinnamon & I am going nutts... PLEASE HELP ME!!!

Get some DIATOMACEOUS EARTH All-natural flea repellant, insecticide, and health aid. You can buy this at a feed store, or order it on the internet. It is a powder. Just dust it where ever you think the bed-bugs are and it will kill them. Not harmful to humans, but do not breath the dust it will get in your lungs.

Read somewhere that you can sprinkle cinnamon on your matteress. Have also read that after you sprinkle cinnamon on your bed you can spritz it with water. Makes one wonder about cayenne and borax too. Hope the solution and relief come quickly for you!

Hi there, i'm new to this blog--searching for bp remedies and saw your post. i've heard that d earth or diatomaceius earth will work for bed bugs as well as other things and is non-toxic in the food grade form. i purchased from on the net. its silica powder and very interesting to read about its origins and history. hope you can try it and it works for you--god bless, michelle

I heard a pest controller guy on the radio say that the best chemical free way to get rid of bed bugs is to use a steamer, he said the heat kills them and the eggs. Make sure you get the steam into the seams and creases and vacuum the mattress & pillows after, let them dry completely before putting clean linen back on. Good luck

Silicon dioxide is what's in diatomaceous earth... :)

Wrong! This is an irresponsible post! SILICA is in Diatomaceous Earth, NOT Silicon Dioxide!! DE "is almost pure silica (with some beneficial trace minerals); under a microscope, it looks like shards of glass (glass is made from silica). DE is totally nontoxic. There is no buildup of tolerance like there is to poisons because the method of killing is PHYSICAL, not chemical. On any beetle-type insect that has a carapace, like fleas and cockroaches, the DE works under the shell and punctures the body, which then dehydrates and the insect dies. "