Natural Bed Bug Remedies: Homemade Sprays & Bite Treatments

Gum Spirits of Turpentine for Bed Bugs:

** I used 100% pure gum spirits of pine tree resin turpentine, not petroleum based paint thinner **

Somehow bed bugs managed to get into my house last year. I spoke to pest control and he said it had 'probably' crawled onto me from public transport (!!! Now I'm afraid to get on the bus !!!). I think it's from my neighbours though, ngl.

I'm a holistic therapist so immediately went to natural remedies to annihilate the beasties! I used Diatomaceous Earth on the floor and I made up a spray of filtered water, turpentine, white vinegar, borax and cinnamon oil and sprayed it on everything. You need to continually shake it up when spraying as the oils separate - it really annihilates them quickly, but you need to be stringent and make sure you keep it up for days/weeks/ months to ensure any newly hatched ones get destroyed too. Spray it on all furnishings, mattress, pillows, cushions, carpets, the clothes you are wearing lol, your shoes, bags (!), it will not stain and smells good imo! I sometimes spray it on my skin before bed too. Anything to avoid the bites, I get bad reactions, they are huge red lumps and so itchy for weeks. I was so desperate to stop the itching, I actually found that rubbing my urine on the bites in the shower with a cloth for a good few minutes stops the itching after a few applications, it also heals them quicker - some of you may be disgusted - but Urine Therapy is an ancient remedy. Anything it takes to stop the constant itching!

I also washed my clothes on hot wash with borax and vinegar. Took neem supplements and also a half teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of turpentine every few days to ensure that any remaining bugs that bite me are disabled and have their reproductive cycles impaired. I also believe that supplementing with ivermectin would do the same thing...

Turpentine is a strong anti-parasitic/anti-candida though so if you've never done any sort of detox and start to take it - you will experience powerful detox reactions I.e colds/flu/rashes/headaches etc. Be careful.

https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/turpentine-kerosene.html

Hi Christie

Sorry to hear about your problem with bugs. I have learned of the best and safest bug killer.

It is Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth,

every health store should have it. Also it will kill internal parasites for adults, children 10 amd older as well as pets. To use properly every night have a warm glass of water -put 1/2 teaspoon of Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth and drink it all - tastes chalky. Do this every night for 90 nights. To kill bugs, sprinkle little where you think they might be, It will kill ants, red ants, spiders and bed bugs.I wouls sprinkle every day for 4-5 days. Make sure it is Food Grade.

Take Care

Gary

Food grade diatomaceous earth will kill bed bugs. Put it around the perimeter of each room, and under each leg of the bed.

How do I know which witch hazel to use and I'm confused about the amount till I use the whole bottle like 16 oz or just an ounce of it how does it work there's so many witch Hazel's I don't know which to do

Is the Cinnamon mixture for BedBugs safe to use around dogs?

It's not going to be overnight you have to give it time to work I suggest putting the powder down everywhere throughout your couch on the inside and out and they will die I guarantee you just give it some time please.

If you cannot get distilled water, use the purest water you can get. Don't let the search for perfect prevent you from doing the good enough. Personally, I would use tap water--I'm wanting to kill bedbugs, not do what is best for their health. And the tap water where I live is pretty clean, I can go online and see the test results.

Food grade diatomaceous earth will kill the bed bugs! Sprinkle around the perimeter of the room and around the legs of your bed.

Hi Tara and Earth Clinic, Thank you so much for the cinnamon oil, witch hazel, distilled water recipe to get rid of bed bugs. It helped me A LOT a few years ago. Last week bed bugs came again to my apartment. I still have some distilled water, but distilled water is now very hard, or maybe impossible, to find in any store in my area, and I think Amazon is charging about $10 for shipping! Is there any other kind of water you could recommend I use, instead of distilled water? Or would plain tap water be ok? Thank you for considering this message. I think the recipe is GREAT!

Please do not use cinnamon oil if you have cats!!! Can be toxic to them. Many other essential oils are toxic to them also.

"Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to cats. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic...Essential oils and liquid potpourris contain chemicals that are rapidly absorbed orally or through the skin. Many of these chemicals are metabolized through the liver. Cats are particularly sensitive to essential oils as they have a decreased number of certain liver enzymes necessary to effectively metabolize these oils." (from VCAhospital website)

Yes. best treatment for bedbugs is kerosene.

I've had the unfortunate experience of having bedbugs when I lived in a large apartment building.

First, REMOVE CLUTTER. What I did was put a large amount of my belongings in storage. Yes, I kept these items in storage for longer than the 18 months required to ensure that all bugs are killed (so I didn't have to discard them all).

After removing clutter, this is what worked for me. I read a lot about bedbugs. They can be anywhere in your home, but they are MOST likely to be near the headboard of your bad. If it's a small/minimal infestation, you may be able to clear it simply by vacuuming deeply and regularly around the bed, particularly all the nooks and crannies near the top/headboard of your bed. Do this regularly, ideally daily, and make this the area of focus.

It's important to empty your vacuum cleaner after every use. If your vacuum uses bags and you can't afford to replace them every time you vacuum, you can throw them in the freezer to isolate any bugs so they can't crawl back out and reinfest your home. This is important.

So, vacuum vacuum vacuum and empty the vacuum afterwards or take out and isolate the vacuum bag.

The 14 dead ones is a good sign though, spraying should be the final step after washing bedding, seeking hiding places and constant vacuuming. Try it again after de- cluttering, cleaning etc. I'm your case, the problem may be they are coming from areas not treated. Definitely make a barrier around where you sleep so they have to cross it to get to you. The downside to cinnamon is that they can smell it and simply walk around it. That just means you have to spray everywhere and evenly

What did you use to mix this in? Since it makes slightly over a gallon it won't fit in a gallon jug. Just wondering what you mixed it all in and stored it in.

Hi, I want to make this bed bug spray. I can't find witchhazel where I live. What would be a substitute for it? Thank you

Hi Claudia,

Oh boy-have you got a problem! You will only win if you pull out all the stops and dedicate your waking hours for a week to waging war on them.

I remember when we went through this a few years ago. We had to track down the SOURCE of the infestation (important). We found a few insects in the folds of the mattresses with the help of a torch and a special magnifying glass with a light incorporated in it. Nifty gadget! They (or their eggs) must have arrived two or three weeks prior to our guests being bitten (whereupon we were first made aware that something was amiss!! ).

Some folks swore it was bed bugs and others insisted it was a flea. We had to refund our Family's accommodation charges and they left in a huff!! (Just kidding there! ).

There was no blood on the sheets so we think it was a flea. Bone up on the facts on the web / Wikipedia etc. BUT we had to assume it might be BB's after all to be safe. Don't give them time to spread.

1) We inspected all the bedding, carpets and BEDS. Looked in ALL the seams and any folds where they love to hide.

2) Got all bedding, mattresses etc etc out in the sunshine for many hours over several days. They do this in the Cook Islands (no pun intended ).

3) Placed stuff in BIG, BLACK, plastic seal-able bags and stuck them out on hot concrete and inside sealed up car to cook in the sun. Great plan!

4) Purchased a steam gun and steamed around bed seams/folds and around edges of all carpets. Great gadget-every home should have one. Deals with carpet beetles too.

5) Wash all the linen and bedding in water as hot as you can do it in the machine.

6) Stick it all in the drier and run it until they cook. My personal favourite .

7) Get a special BB mattress cover and leave it on for 400 days (and nights! ) and NO that is not a typo. They can survive in your house for over a year without food - you are their food!! No good leaving for Hawaii for a month - they will happily await your return.

8) There are sticky patches you can get that may trap them on the way between the floor/carpet and your mattress. These monitor and trap utilizing a lure/attractant. Things you can place under bed legs too I believe.

I wish you the best of luck with your battle.

Problem is, people movements facilitate their travel and infestations have soared in recent years. You are not alone with this problem and it's a biggie. We should all stay home and not move about so much!!

Cheers, Michael

Hi Claudia, there was a post which stuck out to me for bed bugs, the poster added cinnamon to yoghurt daily and ate, having read how difficult it is to radicate bed bugs, I held onto that info, it took 3 months however, to eradicate totally, but they did, remember you've got the laid eggs hatching and I think the eggs can hatch 21 days after laying. And they do need to bite to ingest the poison, unfortunately. If me I would order neem capsules, powder, oil. Neem when eaten by these types of bugs, lice fleas etc affects the reproductive cycle and their ability to lay eggs. For this reason you may want to use it externally only, if me however I would ingest, also borax and the cinnamon, to make myself less palatable, spread cinnamon, neem powder and pure salt under and over my bed sheet, yes sleep in it. I'm sure there are other suggestions on the bed bugs pages, these would be my go to. Oh cinnamon for ingesting medicinally should be Ceylon from Sri Lanka, there is concern over the cassia. Best to you.

Sorry to hear about your bed bug problem.

If you can, either buy or rent a vapor steamer (not a carpet steamer). It's a "dry" vapor that won't leave everything wet. Steam cleaning may be the only thing that kills them and their larvae (steam over 300 degrees). You may have to do it a few times but it will be worth it. Good steamers are expensive but, with all of the attachments, you can use it for deep cleaning on upholstery, beds, carpets, curtains, baseboards, crevices in your couch, in your car, floors, etc.

Look for companies that sell industrial steamers as well as machines for home use (e.g., Dupray - there are others). They know the business while some of the cheaper flimsier models (e.g., Shark) aren't effective and won't last.

In the meantime, keep up with the cinnamon oil spray. Also, when you wash your bedding, clothes, etc. add about a cup of borax (20 Mule Team).

I hope you get rid of these nasty critters soon. Take care!

What do you mean "a bomb"?

Sadly the cinnamon oil didn't get rid of the bed bugs. I sprayed bedding, bedroom and whole house day and night, put it in the final rinse, and it didn't finish them. They kept on biting me. I did find 14 dead during the first week of applying the cinnamon oil and was so excited, but they kept on biting. I would even spray myself, my pijamas, bedding, floor, night stands every night before going to bed. I also bought Vaseline and mix the oil in it and apply it on my wrists, ankles and neck...nothing. I'm desperate!!!

Thank you Tara,

I have been using the spray for a week. I've found 2 adult bedbugs and 4 smaller ones dead. The itching continues, could it be older bites manifesting later on?
Any particular difference between the regular oil or te essential oil? Thank you so much.

Lol. You made laugh with the nutmeg :D

I do need some humor! I hate bedbugs. I've been bitten since Dec 15th when I went to help a friend's friend. I cleaned her bedroom, didn't think of anything. Next morning I got bitten like crazy.

I used some cinnamon that helped for a couple of days, but they seem to be back with vengeance. I will double check the method and try again. How long to get rid of them? and how exactly do I apply it?

How do you mix this since all of this won't fit in a spray bottle? Can I mix just enough of it to fit in a 24ounce spray bottle what would the amounts be?

I found that using cinnamon powder combined with salt, D-earth, and baking soda, allows for better pest control over bugs. The fact of the matter is using it in a dry environment only. ( you want to dry and kill these bed bugs by lowering the water in the air.) Use it in-between your mattress, in the couch and other places. just keep in mind that you're using powder, (it gets everywhere if you don't use the right applicator.) To cover the top of everything else without a mess, I recommend using the cinnamon oil bug spray in areas where you can't use the powder mixture.

Re-apply every 2 weeks - a month by using a vacuum cleaner to pick up the powder if its pasted together. (only happens if the powder gets wet or picks up to much water from the air)

Another tip is using soapy water. The best I found that worked is dawn dish soap with enough water to spray it out. ( not to much water) When the soap dries on the surface of a bed bug, it clogs it ability to maintain water and slowly dies by drying out.

Bed bugs are easy to kill, but you must search both high and low in order to find them. Think like a bed bug and you shall kill a bed bug.

I always carry peppermint essential oil with me and was able to stop bedbugs in a motel room one time by smearing the peppermint oil on the lower sheet. No more problem. They disappeared quickly. I also placed some on myself.

I have found total victory over bed bugs with baking soda! I found it on a Facebook post, and figured I had nothing to lose after having bed bugs in my home for 3 years already. I had tried bug bombs, sprays, you name it!

I wrapped the beds in plastic drop cloths that you can buy at the Walmart paint department and used clear package tape to tape the sides together. Then sprinkled baking soda on the bed frames and floors all around the beds and at the feet of the bed frames so the bugs would have to crawl through it. It kills them when they come in contact with it. I put baking soda in and around the couch and lazy boy, and kept adding more every week or so. It worked!! We are completely bed-bug free now for 2 years!!

Of course, you have to completely keep all clothing and bedding washed and floors vacuumed as well. It kills the eggs too! Freeeeedom!

I had very high hopes for this remedy to work, and it work faster than the store bought product. I have not seen or felt one from day one of using this. I spray in the morning and again at night THANK YOU SO MUCH. You saved me from all that goes along with having bed bugs

How much distilled water and how much witch hazel-bed bug spray

Tried the mixture for getting rid of bedbugs. I put several bugs on the counter and spray lite mist on them. They died in less than 30 seconds. I proceeded to spray my bed mattress, box springs. The room smells great. Hope this rids the problem that I picked up from a cheap hotel.

Cat liter is bentonite clay--I keep food grade and do lots of things with it.

Thank you so much for sharing this!! And thank you Earth Clinic for existing, lol. The other day the neighbors from downstairs threw their blankets and pillows away, and days after me and my husband started getting bitten. I'm pretty sure the bugs came from their apartment. I used cinammon leaf oil and follow this recipe. It really worked because we didn't get bitten. I also sprinkled cinnamon all over the bed one day, and that worked too.

Will ground cinnamon work as well?

It wouldn't hurt to try white vinegar instead of apple cider. My husband has used white vinegar topically in the past for athlete's foot. He did dilute that and used 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water.

Can I use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar for bedbug bites?

Is this safe for cats? I really hope so, but I need to know for sure before I use it . Thank you

Bed Bug Spray

• One ounce of cinnamon oil
• One small bottle of witch hazel to make the spray shelf stable
• One gallon of distilled water

This solution misted by a spray bottle on fabric, mattress, couch, walls, furniture, and floors will kill all bed bugs. Shake the solution before and during use as the oil rises to the top of the container. I spray every thing with a fine mist. I am the only person in my apartment building that does not have bed bugs anymore. Too kill the eggs that will hatch, spray every three days for two weeks, then once a week for four weeks, then once a month for three months and then every three months. Misting works fine. No need to soak. Dries clear and will not stain. If you live in an apartment complex, spray outside your door and along common walls. This worked great for me and now I sell the spray to the owner.

I buy one ounce of cinnamon oil at a health food store. You can also order it online. The cinnamon oil is much more powerful than the cinnamon powder and does not stain. After handling the oil or the spray, wash your hands as the oil will sting if you touch your eyes or genitals. Good Luck. It worked for me. You can also put a quarter cup of the spray in your wash cycle or rinse cycle and it will kill any bugs or eggs in your clothes. I prefer the rinse cycle as it leaves a more concentrated solution in your clothes and smells nice. Spray your air filter. Use it in your car. From what I have read it is the aroma in the oil that overwhelms the exoskeleton system of the bed bug and poisons them. It worked great for me and I sprayed the way I described and still spray once every three months. If I see a bed bug after a neighbor leaves, and sometimes they walk in and sit on my furniture, I just mist everything again. I cannot tell you just how well this works. I pay less than ten dollars for one ounce of cinnamon oil, a dollar for witch hazel and a dollar for distilled water. This makes a gallon and will last a very long time. Also, now, I do not have problems with roaches or ants.

Good Luck. I did a great deal of research to find this recipe and it has worked for me and everyone else that I have shared it with.

I believe the article mentioned "Oil of cinnamon". I intend to try the oil. I moved and my couch is full of them. No one mentioned before I moved in that there were bed bugs. I am 75 years old and this is the first time I have ever encountered this. Fought fleas, but this is worse. I am allergic to the bites so am going to try the cinnamon. Unfortunately I thought it was fleas at first and spent a lot of money on pesticides. And then I saw one. Awful things.

It did work for me.

Take a bath with apple cider vinegar as it balances out the ph level in your skin and gets rid of your bed bugs..

So with the cinnamon do you sprinkle it on the bed and then vacuum it off, will it stain?

Another update on my previous posts. After 5 months, I once again cut a slit in the plastic and set off a bomb. The next day I bravely removed the plastic. I found 6 dead bugs. I have seen none since then and I did this almost a month ago. I keep a big flashlight beside me when I sleep and every night when I get up at 3 am to use the bathroom, I look for them. Nothing. So I didn't have any in the walls, in the TV, behind pictures, etc. Like I said earlier, some of this stuff you read about this problem really sounds like a stretch to me. Now my problem is not letting the people visit me that I believe brought them to me in the first place!

Industrial silica is dangerous to inhale but food grade isn't. diatomaceous earth food grade is safe for human consumption and will safely rid you of bed bugs and ants and other exoskeleton bugs :)

I would be very concerned about yourself and any animals that will breathe this stuff in. Silica is very bad for lungs.

If you're going to eat cinnamon, you should research which has the actual good benefits. I believe Ceylon cinnamon is the correct one to use, especially if you're using it to eat, it helps lower blood sugar naturally. Also whole I the subject of cinnamon, please be aware that all food is irradiated. Irradiation takes away it's benefit. There are places that you can research online that sell herbs, spices and essential oils. I'm not sure if I can mention the name or not, so rather than mention it, I'd rather make sure this post is here than take a chance. Good luck

Bed bugs have gotten smarter than we know, ears and nose both infested with the silicon white substance they lay eggs in. Nightmare is all I can say, fighting the battle of my lifetime. Anyone who says they don't live in their host, is either a fool, or too afraid to admit the unthinkable. When we are their blood supply, is it really so hard believe?

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 is the "recipe" for soapy water? How much soap? How much water? What kind of soap?

Thanks BedBugHugs, I want to try your method but I'm not understanding about spraying with soapy water or the essential oils of neem and pennyroyal after applying the DE. Won't this make a muddy mess, and render the DE ineffective? I have tons of DE down and still getting bites. I'm thinking of taking it all up and having someone come in to steam clean with dry heat, then put the DE back down again. Did you mean to apply DE to your sheets and pajamas and sleep in it? How much of the essential oils would one put into an 8oz bottle? I purchased the Neem Oil on line, it came as a Carrier Oil, did I get the right stuff?

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.

I panicked when I found out I had bed bugs. I spent a lot of time and money uselessly, then I calmed down and actually used my brain. I think there may be a lot of fear mongering out there, possibly perpetuated by the pest control companies. No matter where they are hiding, they will come to you, the food source, during the night. I put all clothing and other soft items in plastic bags and left them in my car in the hot sun for an afternoon. The inside of my car reached over 140 degrees. I understand only 120 degrees is needed. In the winter you could use a dryer or even a warm oven. During that time, I bombed the house. Get the kind that says they are for bed bugs and roaches. I believe that killed all the bugs that weren't deep within the couch. Then I inspected all dresser drawers and vacuumed everywhere, emptying the canister outside immediately in a zip lock bag. I bought a big roll of 4ml plastic at Home Depot and some gorilla tape. I spread DE on the plastic, set my couch on it, wrapped it up and taped it completely with Gorilla Tape. Then I threw a pretty quilt over it. My couch is where I sleep, but for those of you with beds, you'll want to do those of course or buy the ready made mattress covers. I haven't seen a bed bug since, it's been 2 weeks, and I've been looking. Yesterday I turned my couch on its side, cut a slit in the plastic, put a bomb in there, set it off and quickly covered the slit with a patch. I did that just in case. I'm letting my quilt touch the floor so they CAN get up to me at night if there are any that weren't already in the couch when I wrapped it. Then if I see any, I will just throw that quilt in the dryer, or spray them with alcohol, but I haven't seen any! YOU are the lure. So if they are "in the walls" (doubtful), they will be coming out to feed. I will probably leave my couch wrapped for 6 months. Also, the information that they can live for up to 18 months with no blood supply (their food), really sounds like a stretch to me. I'll find out in 6 months and will update this post.

Hello Andrea,

Re your cousin and the bed bug issue...

I have found "cedarcide" to be a wonderful bug killer and harmless to humans. I'd spray the whole apartment including sheets and entire bed...clothing walls etc. Once I had a really bad flea infestation in a rental home and even professionals could not kill them....then I found on the internet "cedarcide" and ordered a gallon. I sprayed the whole house walls, floor and air ducts. Second spray....all gone. Same story at another house similarly infested. Will it work on bed bugs? Well, the marketers say so and I'd be willing to try. Look also on EC's Bed Bugs "Remedies" section and look at "Ailments" because other remedies have been suggested also.

My cousin moved into as apt last year and keeps getting bites. she is a super clean person but the previous tennants were nasty filthy. She changes her bedding twice a week. She has inspected the mattress and can't seem to find any in the creases. She has sprayed everything with bug spray made to kill them, but every night she is getting new bites! Cinnamon seams like it would leave a horrible mess and stain everything reddish brown. But she might be willing to try this. Maybe eating it would help. I'm not sure she has them maybe they are dust mites.

Dear Julie,

When I use Apple Cider Vinegar for bug bites, I put it into a spray bottle and spray it onto the bites. Alternately, dab some onto a cottonball. If you are dealing with a sensitive skin area, dilute with water at least 1/2 and maybe more if that seems too strong for your skin.

~Mama to Many~

How did you use the apple cider vinegar for bed bugs? Do you pour in a bowl and soak your foot in it?

Thank you so much. I needed that bit of information. I recently moved with my Aunt. Her home is infected. They've really had a feast on me. The itch feels like someone put a germ under my skin.

I was thinking, if you ingest powdered cinnamon in food. What do you think of boiling cinnamon sticks and drinking the water concentrate as a tea? Also when you boil cinnamon in the house, the house really smells like cinnamon. They might not like the smell, either. What do you think?

To Kevin

did you use cinnamon to get rid of bed bugs or roaches? And how did you use it?

Cinnamon helped me eradicate every single one :)

I just wanted to focus attention on the most important aspect of being able to successfully eliminate bedbugs. In all the posts I have ever read about completely getting rid of bed bugs, they say they hunted every last little one of those disgusting creatures down and killed them be it with, heat, soap or steam. No stone is left unturned. Bed frames and mattresses were torn apart, couches deep steamed, clutter and hiding places investigated - hunting every single one down and killing them. New bites after what you thought was a successful bedbug hunting season? That's to be expected and common AND your indication there is a hiding place you must hunt down and KILL! Depending on your level of infestation, will be how long this takes to eliminate them. I have never heard of anyone just spraying insecticides or sprinkling diatomatios to rid them permanently. This is why there are no professionals who guarantee curing bedbugs. DO NOT make it worse by roach bombing the place and making them spread. Diatomatios earth can help but also cause them to spread out of the area they were confined to. Hunting, cleaning killing is the most important part.

I just want to say that I love earthclinic! I come here often just to learn new things!

I also want to let people know that there is an easy solution to bed bugs. It is a growing concern, there are so many people that are getting them! Including me! I am sorry to say. I did everything right, I checked when I was at a hotel, I never put luggage on the floor, I sprayed concoctions in any hotel room that I stayed in. But I got them anyway, and I don't know how. The good news is there is help. The first thing I did when I thought I had them was to wash and dry all bed linens and while that was drying I vaccuummed my bed and steamed the mattress then I encased the mattress and pillows with allergy and mite control encasements, (I will do the box spring tonight), even with a partial effort its helped immensely. I bought a large mattress bag for dust mites not for bed bugs because mites are smaller and put alot of my clean things in there. Next which is very important, I put diatomaceous earth (FOOD GRADE) in the encasement, just a tablespoon spread around on the mattress. Then I dusted the bed frame, my bed room and around the floors with the D earth. I used a thick make up brush to spread it. I dusted the couch and love seat and every chair. I sit on only one barstool. Yes its a pain but so are bed bugs. I bought a few clothes hanging racks at walmart and after I dry clothes I hang them up or put small items in plastic bags. I thought I would go crazy and I panicked for a few hours in the last week I even cried a time or two....but I will win!!!! The main thing is to learn all you can then go forth and conquer!!!!

Dear Nailia,

When we use Apple Cider Vinegar for bug bites, we use it topically. I use it straight. But if the skin is broken it burns a little. But it usually relieves itching for hours. For children or sensitive skin, we dilute it with half water. Or even more.

Turmeric internally may also help the itch as it is an anti-inflammatory. 1 teaspoon twice a day for adults.

~Mama to Many~

How do you suggest to use the ACV? Drink it? Rub it with a cotton ball directly on our skin bumps?

I tried apple cider vinegar and it worked right away on my skin for bed bug bites. Thank you so much. I couldn't sleep at night but the Apple cider vinegar is great.

Really good stuff. Booked a hotel and picked a bad one. Full I tell you, full. But this stuff cleared everything within a few hours. Very effective!

I put cinnamon on my mattress and been sleeping pretty good for the last couple of nights but my concern is that I still find one or two bugs on the bed when I go to turn in at night. Does anyone know if I need to repeat application of the cinnamon?

I used cinnamon and had a Great nights sleep after staying awake for 48 hours afraid of being attacked. Does anyone know if I need to reapply the cinnamon and what the time frame is?

It works. I used it and it worked for me and my family.

Hi, I had a very bad bed bug infestation, so I went and got me 3 steamers, bed covers, and tea tree oil. They were in all of the beds and couches it was so bad! I had no idea why we were itching so much, but soon seen this blood filled bug crawling on my shirt! I was so grossed out, I went and got a clothes/furniture steamer (combo), a detail/kitchen steamer (combo), and a regular compact carpet steamer. Well, I first started with two of the steamers, and I could not believe what I was seeing! There were hordes of them on the mattress lining, so I had to go to the store again to get bed covers. I steamed the beds with the furniture steamer, and then with the kitchen steamer, I poked and prauded as much steam as I could to kill them all off, then covered the beds with the bed covers. I then went to the couches, they were horrible there too! So I again pushed as much steam as I could into any cracks of the couchs I could find, plus the cushions and legs of it. Its to bad we have carpet, because theres were I was next with the carpet steamer. I steamed all the carpet in the house, living room, den and a bedroom. To my surprise, it worked, BUT not overnight. I had to do this over and over again, and I got tea tree oil to spray on everything. I did not care at that point, so I put tea tree oil on pretty much everything, diluted in a spray bottle of course. I also steamed the base boards, anything that I thought they could hide, I was steaming it! I got rid of them within two weeks, I did this DAILY to make sure we did not get a re-occurance, I also steamed the clothes and put them in the dryer at high heat. Then vaccumed the place to pick up their little corpses. I have to say the steaming did the job, and kept our clothes wrinkle free lol!

Cinnamon in mattress seams - has helped seemed to be gone except for egg droppings. Used food grade hydrogen peroxide on walls/base baords. Also sprayed green rubbing alchol - haven't bothered me since - saved extermination fees apt wanted to charge me. going to do Apple Cider Vinegar and neem. None in couch that was neemed months ago- for fleas. Doesn't seem any went in couch.

Hi, here in UK the old tried and true remedy for Bed Bugs is, put a moistened bar of soap in the bed at night, as it's body heat that attracts them at night, or even something to warm the bed up. They then come out, and stick to the bar's of soap, and they can live up to two year's under wall paper waiting for dinner to arrive!

Are you sure it's bed bugs? I am asking because when I and my friend and her kids were getting bitten to death at night in bed in her home, the DR said it was Bed bugs. It wasn't, it was Scabies caused by a mattress given to her by someone else!! And it's so infectious the whole Housing Estate were rampant with it, and all of us were tearing our skin off, any thing with an abrasive surface was worn away on our bodies. Another friend's DR told her, the bites on HER kids were Gnat bites (scabies again). My friend was too embarrassed to warn everyone as the week before, she went door knocking to tell all the parent's her kids had head lice so everyone could treat the kid's at the same time, it gets worse!! A lot of people on the Estate worked at the local Paraplegic Hospital and all the Patients and staff there got infected as well, and it made the National News as these Staff also stood in for sick staff at other Hospital's. And everyone in the other Hospitals got infected, school's Clinics, in fact everywhere people integrated with each other, so I had the unenviable job of ringing News stations up and telling them it was 'Scabies' because the Hospital's thought it was Bed Bugs and were treating for it, as Bed Bugs are sneaky and you rarely see them, but you soon know when your on the menu!!! And if it's definitely Bed Bugs your home will need to be sprayed as they love to hide in padded headboards, stuffed toys, wall skirting, in clothing, loads of places I'm afraid, but the Bar of Soap method I mentioned has been used for ever to get them in the bed. Love Andrea C xxxxxxx

Hello Karen from Salisbury:

About the infestation... Yours being "bed bugs"... I've had great success with cedar oil. It's been used for at least a thousand years that can be documented.

A human can get it onto skin and no harm; in fact it works as an insect repellent.

It works against spiders, bed bugs, ants, fleas... Ah! Fleas. A quick story on a flea infestation in a rental home I once had. Renters had left a big flea infestation. I don't just mean a few fleas in Room 1, and a few fleas in Room 2 etc. I mean when I walked into the living room with no shoes and bare legs, you could actually see movement toward my legs!

In seconds my leg had a dozen fleas and quickly I sprayed my leg with the cedarcide spray (in a cannister like you use in the yard... With a little hose and nozzle) and that spray on my legs killed those on me and protected me from further attacks. I then sprayed my hands and applied the cedarcide over my arms and neck and even face as I recall. Well, all through the house I went spraying the floors and walls and left over furniture.

Prior to this experiment in cedarcide, we'd tried everything to rid the house of the fleas. Twice the professionals had come to fumigate and in no time the fleas were back. I'd put out 20 bombs and again, they were back in days. So I did a web search and read about cedar oil. Ordered two gallons.

I sprayed twice with the cedarcide and the second time as I walked through without spraying my legs (a human white strip) one flea made it to my leg.

After the second application I walked again with bare legs and feet and, yeah, no fleas. As I recall, I did have to spray into an air intake to make sure the fleas were killed in the vent system.

And I have a niece living in Peru and she was having a terrible time with Brown Recluse spiders in her home/apartment. I shipped her a gallon of cedarcide and after spraying no more Recluses.

Sometimes if I get a mosquito that is in a room and I can't locate it; I'll use the hand held sprayer and spray. I can even spray on furniture. You can see the "oil" but it absorbs. If on hard floor it's slippery until it drys. Then no marks or stains is evident. Oh yes, the mosquitos are killed too.

Diatomaceous Earth may be killing them but you don't notice. If they are inside the couch and not coming into contact with DE then they will be protected. They can go without food for a very long time. Also remember it takes a week before you see any effect. If they are breeding, they may be replacing the ones killed. I used DE with an insecticide that I bought at Lowes.

When bed bugs were effecting my bed, I just put a thick double ring around bed and room. I vacuumed and washed in hot water everything also.

Given you have so many, they are probably everywhere in house. It may be that you are dealing with large numbers.

Diatomaceous earth does not work on bedbugs! I covered my couch with it. I sprayed the inside, outside, underside, opened the seams, around the feet and still have bedbugs. I have also tried sprays which are only a temporary fix for one night, steamed everything for a one night fix. Is there anything else to try? I read cinnamon but is it a temporary fix as well? I will write this because I experimented with it myself: a mixture of pickling salt and creole mix stops them in their tracks but wasn't able to finish my experiment because my son went and sprayed it with 91% achocol, the bug died. An exterminator told me achocol will kill them but again it's on contact like many of the products being sold. Once it dries it no longer is effective. Any advice is helpful and should I experiment again with a different product I will let you know. Thanks to all

To: Bed bug hugs... you wrote in getting rid of them to... "completely seal mistress and box springs with plastic"

...ah.....actually a great post, and a reminder for all of us to proof carefully.

You need to try high heat steam cleaner. It help and is the key to begining the killing them all. High heat on everything and baking soda left on carpet. I wrote my treatment on this blog. Read it and see if it helps you. I saw suggestions of soap mixures sprayed around house - good idea lots here to try. Find the source. Remember to sanitize your walkway and shoes.

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.

Just need to make sure the Diatomaceous earth is "food grade", as there is also a type they use for pools and it is not safe to be around. You can usually find the food grade fairly cheaply at a feed supply store as some farmers add it to their cattle feed. I picked up 50# for less than $30 that way.

How to get rid of bed bugs without pesticides. You must hunt them down with soapy water and a shop vac.

Get a gallon sprayer, fill it with half a bottle of dawn dish liquid or Murphy's oil soap. Inspect all surface area for bugs like around the mattresses, box spring, head boards. If you find them, spray the he'll out of them.

Next take apart the bed. Spray everything and watch them run. Spray then vacuum them up. They should die on contact when sprayed.

Make sure the shop vac is sealed and has a small bit of soapy hot water for the bugs to fall into.

You have to hunt every one of those little bastards down and kill them. Look everywhere they hide which is usually near the place their meal ticket sleeps.

Completely seal mistress and box spring with plastic bags from home depot or if you are rich and can afford a 40$$ vinyl bedbug cover from target then get it. If not get a few cheap mistress bags from HD. Sometimes the bag breaks over time. Have one ready just incase. Before sealing, pat the bed down with DE (diatomaceous earth).

Toss more DE around and under bed frame. Pat it into carpet with a flip flop. Smear it into wood bed frames.

Pat some into your bed cloths. About a hand full sprinkled then patted in should do.

Inspect and wash anything left on the floor or dark coloured as BB are attracted to dark things to hide in.

By this point you WILL still be getting bit but far less.

Let new bites be a message that another bed bug hunt is in need. Again, hunt those little a-holes down and kill them. Tape up holes in wood bed frames, move bed away from walls and night stand away from bed. Smear DE around base boards and use a paint brush to smear some o the walls around the bed or anywhere you think needed such as places you don't want them to come to.

More bites? Hunt, seek, Respray, kill, revacuum and 're apply DE.

For added insurance, buy neem oil (the real stuff with Indian writing on it usually under 10$$ 100ml size) and pennyroyal oil and mix it with water. Use best judgement on amounts. Shake well and spray likely places they access to get to you. Spray places you don't want them like in couches, upholstered chairs. Both oils make them unable to reproduce.

Most importantly, sleep only in the same spot/bed and never move locations or make them spread out of the infested locations with foggers. You, their food source are their bate and you want them to come to you through the DE.

Some medical research journals indicate the drug ivermectin medication in the bloodstream kills bed bugs every time in a matter of hours. If you have pets switch them to ivermectin based anti parasitic monthly medications. Ivermectin can be prescribed to humans for scabies and for lice. Though a safer alternative is olive leave extract and neem leaf capsules before bed. This may not kill them but make them sick and unable to reproduce.

Far more effective than laying any substances around and hoping they walk through it and die is the hunting method. Seal all cracks and crevices after blowing DE into them and start hunting, kill spray with soapy water, and spray tons all over.

If you plan on using tons of water and concerned with moist surfaces milldo-ing, add laundry borax to the soapy mix. Prevents mold.

If you live in an apartment, pass along this knowledge, share some of your DE and use of your gallon sprayer AFTER all bug entry points have been sealed by everyone. Everyone will have to make the same effort and help out those who may not have the resources or youth to do so.

I gave out the DE and oil mix and was reported back they were bug free for a few neighbors even though I know they cut corners. Sadly some trashy tenants don't seem to mind the bugs and refused assistance. It's been going on 2 years and I have only had 1 bite and I'm note even sure it was bed bugs and that was 4 months ago.

I'm fairly sure a few units upstairs and down the hall have them. No one that I gave the oil and DR have them and I have been 99% bug free all this time in spite of the people upstairs.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I got rid of my bed bugs fast using cat litter. One web source said to crush the crystals with a mortis and pestle, but, time must have passed and I found a brand of cat litter that has micro crystals of sylica gel at the grocery. :-D The silica gel dries out bed bugs.

Place a container (I used the plastic ones we get when we order Chinese take out, they have a good footprint for furniture legs and are shallow, and free) under the most human/animal occupied furniture legs first. Bed bugs will die soon after they pass through the silica gel. Bed bugs can hibernate for up to 18 months, so keep the silica litter under the furniture legs for that long.

Also, that oil soap made for wood kills bed bugs on the spot. I used more than a healthy dose in several gallons of water. I have a back pack sprayer. For the wood bed frame (mattresses removed) I just sprayed away and watched them come out from every crack. After all was flooded and I saw no more movement, I used a towel on the bed frame and a mop on the wood floor. We let the frame sit for two days to dry then wrapped in saran wrap.

I do still have upholstered furniture wrapped in plastic. When 19 months pass since I saw the last bed bug, I will remove it. I wish I had known about the cinnamon, my kids would have appreciated that.

Within my first 10 days of panic, I bombed the house, and then lay DE all over the floor. Both were very bad ideas and in response to feeling desperate. My son did not breathe well with the DE (he has asthma) on the floor. My kids are older so I was not concerned about them ingesting the silica litter. In the containers placed under furniture legs it poses no harm compared to DE constantly being disturbed into the air.

We read some funny writings, it helped to laugh. The guy that wrote about the cat litter wrote that he missed his bed bugs, and, like him, I still have about half a bag (was $11.00) of the litter left.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is not crystalline silica. Both are essentialy pure silicon dioxide, but not in the same structure, which makes all the diffence in the world here. DE is made by diatoms and is amorphous. Crystalline silica comes from quartz containing rocks, including sand. The particles do not begin to get dangerous until they get below a few microns in size and are able to get into the lungs.

For small ants or mites, or other things that itch in bed talcum powder seems effective as have used it for years. Always have a small bottle when travelling throughout Asia and always comes up trumps when the critters are out to bite. Not every night but quite frequent in my experience.

Hey I like that! Simple and safe. I also bought one of those steam cleaners, and spray down my bed, all the corners and nooks. and the carpet. Then I moved into a non-carpet apartment. But, even tho I checked everything, I must have taken something with a bedbut or two on it! Now I have them again.

So I tried the rubbing alcohol out of desperation, I just mixed some with water and put into a water spray bottle. It kills them on the spot.

Once I was cleaning the kitchen with bleach spray cleaner... and went into my room to see a bedbug! I just sprayed the cleaner on it and bam! But of course, I can't use that everywhere.

Nice to read other ideas like cinnamon etc. Safe alternatives I like.

If you notice a bumpy red rash and have been reading library books lately, the link below might be of interest to you.

If you think about it, bed is where most people read library books. (I don't even want to think about the second most popular place they do their reading).

Anyway, heads up on the issue - better safe than sorry!

Merry Bug Free Christmas!!!

http://wtvr.com/2012/12/08/bedbugs-found-in-library-books-on-college-campus/

I recently, read about some Natural-Home-Made Bedbugs remedies, people have used & tryed.

I tryed one such remedies. As, Super of 2-12 Unit Bachlor Apts. We had BBugs problems with one of our Apts Units that a tenant, left us to cleaning out. After multi-sprayings by the Pest-Control man. We finally had got this under-control. I later sprayed apt, with home-made remedy with combinations I. E. (2-8oz-cups-Apple-Cider Vinager, 2-80z Cups of Rubbing Alcholo, and 2-3 Cap-fulls of Eucalyptus Oil from 50ml Bottle I purchased. I put and poured all this into a Large 32oz(948-ml) Plastic-Spray-Bottle. This is all Natural and non-toxic, home-made remedy.

I first sprayed the entire bachlor empty apt bed-area, all around all apt base-board trims. And the walls, wipeing down the walls as well, with damp cloth and dry cloth. I sprayed the entire living-room, base-boards trims as well, closet, kitchen and bathroom, and apt-door entrance area as well. I also did this to my own Bachlor apt. Bed-room sleeping area where my mattress is and was, I sprayed my comforters and pillows, this does not do no-harm, nor not any discolourations , nor damages to your sheets, comforters, nor to your pillows. I just has bit of smelly smell for a few hours, best to open windows for few hours, the smell goes-away after few hours, Note: After you Spray your Apt. Bed-room, and or house area, keep door closed for few hours or go take a good walk for a few hours. If after a week, you can apply a second-applications or 3rd application, if you wish. But, one application does it. it does not hurt to doing a second application, best to be safe than sorryful.

But, I will tell you this. This method really works, have not seen not any BedBugs, in other apts which I have washed down and cleaned out. And that I have Sprayed with the Home-Made Combinations Remedy, of Apple-Cider Vinager, Rubbing Alcholo, Eucalyptus-Oil.

But, still if your not totally convinced, still call in proffessional-Pest Control. Sometimes this can be and get very expensive to treating bed-bugs problems inside your home. I waited 7-days after Pest-control sprayed our apts, I sprayed apts with this home-made Natural Remedies for bedbugs. I have not encountered not anymore bedbugs problems and not recieved any more tenants complaints from them about bed bugs.

I hope this works for you, give it a try. Good Luck People

From A : Superitendant whom has used this combination Home-Made Natural Remedy For BedBugs. Its worked for me. Its bit smelly at first. but open your windows, it will go away after-few-hours.