Victoria (Edinburgh, Scotland) on 03/02/2024
** 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
Sandy (Usa) on 09/02/2020
Jody (Australia) on 06/24/2020
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.
Claudia (Ontarii) on 04/22/2018
Aussiejan (Flaxton) on 09/04/2017
Mariana (Va. Beach, Va.) on 08/23/2017
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!
Bed Bug Spray with Cinnamon Oil Tara (Tn) on 11/18/2016
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.
Mystic Gardener (Central Ohio) on 09/27/2015
Suzie (Los Angeles, Ca) on 12/27/2014
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!!!!
Leah (Tx, United States) on 01/06/2014
Karen (Salisbury) on 10/03/2013
Tam (The Valley, Ct, Usa) on 05/17/2013
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.
Charles (Bangkok, Thailand) on 03/11/2013
Carly (Seattle, Wa - Usa) on 12/20/2012
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/
Gerry (Sudbury, Ontario, Canada) on 12/07/2012
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.
Anne (Las Vegas, Nv) on 11/30/2012
they were driving me crazy. tried spraying it with rubbing alcohol, but did't help much.
bought a new sofa and mattresses with a cover covering both of them (it's just impossible to put a fitted sheet over both of them) but bugs evently got on those.
i read about the cinnamon. put an entire bottle all over it, and then realized it was nutmeg. so i added cinnamon over it and haven't had a bite since
first put some of the mixture all over the mattress and then put on sheet and put mixture all over that. and no more bites.
before you do this you might invest in one cover that covers both mattresses.
Jessie (Long Island, Ny) on 10/31/2012
Finally Relief (Springfield, Mo) on 10/01/2012
At this point, the bed should be free of bugs and the only way for more bugs to get back onto your bed is up the legs, but they are unable to climb glass. I had relief the first night, and haven't had a bite since. It's been 4 months. I know some of these items are pricey, but you will lose your mind and more money trying to get rid of these. If you have problems other than in the bedroom, use this method of cleaning and spraying the any furniture and raising it onto glass. The key here is keeping them from getting to you to feed. Do not wear clothes or bring any other items into bed with you unless they have been heat treated or you could reintroduce the bugs that way.
Stephanie From Texas (Plano, Tx, Usa) on 06/10/2012
The other thing you might look into is having an ozone machine run in your home, which would kill all bugs, fungus, etc, and not result in any toxicity or residue, but I have only hearsay info about that, and I would imagine it would be pricey.
Yeag (Louisville, Ky) on 06/11/2012
