Even if your home is clean, it doesn’t mean that one day you won’t have to google: “How to get rid of bedbugs at home.” Anyone can become their victim. These pests don't care how many times a day you clean. First, let's figure out what this insect looks like and in what conditions it lives.
The bedbug is dark yellow or brown in color and measures about 0.5 cm in size. The flattened shape of the body makes the bedbug surprisingly tenacious. This is a nocturnal insect that attacks during sleep, when the victim is as relaxed and defenseless as possible.
What do bedbugs look like?
Bedbugs have a flat body, they do not have wings, and their color depends on the stage of development (nymphs are born from eggs, which go through 5 stages of life and then turn into adults).
Nymphs are almost translucent; adults range in color from light brown to dark reddish brown.
While the adult male bedbug has a rather pointed body, the female is more rounded.
What harm do bedbugs cause?
Leaving aside the fact that a bedbug-infested household is not ideal from a hygienic point of view, the biggest problem remains that bedbugs feed on human blood (however, they do not disdain pets or any warm-blooded animals).
These uninvited visitors require blood at all stages of development.
- They always come out after feeding in the dark 2-3 times a week and then suck blood for an average of 10 minutes, calmly and repeatedly.
- Unlike other parasites, bedbugs are not at risk of transmitting dangerous diseases.
- However, this does not mean that their feast on human sacrifice will remain without consequences. They leave behind unpleasant bites.
This is interesting
The process of industrial production of resin is called tapping. It occurs in several stages:
- tree preparation;
- applying special wounds to the trunk - reworkings;
- collection of resin.
Comparative table: Composition of oleoresin turpentine produced in different countries
| A country | b — pinene, % | a — pinene, % | 3 — Karen, % | Dipentense limonene, % |
| Russia | 2-7 | 50-70 | 15-30 | 3-6 |
| China | 3-5 | 85-90 | — | 1-2 |
| Portugal | 15-20 | 75-80 | — | 3-5 |
| USA | 25-30 | 60-65 | — | 3-5 |
| France | 20-25 | 70-75 | — | 1-6 |
Important! The most favorable period for collecting ingredients begins in May and ends in September.
How to recognize a bedbug bite
Bedbug bites are relatively difficult to identify, and your doctor may have trouble identifying them. For some people it looks like a regular pimple, such as a mosquito or flea bite, but for others it causes a painful skin reaction.
- Pimples grouped in “clusters” of two or three may indicate bedbugs.
- The bug crawls while sucking blood and bites into the host's body usually 3 times.
In addition, it is not stopped by clothing or a blanket, which are usually obstacles for other insects.
So if you regularly wake up with itchy pinkish pimples of irregular shape, you can spend some time searching your apartment for bedbugs.
Precautionary measures
Turpentine should not be left in areas accessible to small children. The essential oils that make up the substance are toxic and can cause allergies and dermatitis. If you drink a small amount of turpentine (about 15 ml or more), you can be poisoned.
When you work with the substance, take the following precautions:
- wear rubber gloves;
- In case of contact with skin, wash off with warm soapy water;
- do not allow ingestion;
- do not inhale fumes.
Be sure to use a respirator and gauze to protect your airways. Wear glasses, as essential oils have a strong effect on the eyes. If you decide to use turpentine against insects, then buy purified raw materials and do not use sulfate turpentine, as it is highly toxic.
How to detect bedbugs in an apartment
Unfortunately, the idea that bedbugs are only found in unkempt homes is wrong. All you need to do is bring a single female, for example, from vacation, or if the bugs have moved in with their neighbors and decide to honor you with a visit.
Since this parasite lays up to 5 eggs per day, within a few weeks you will have a fairly large colony at home.
Since you have virtually no chance of seeing bedbugs in daylight, identifying their presence in your home is a relatively difficult task. The first sign is often itchy bites. So if you suspect you have bed bugs in your home, it's time to do a thorough inspection.
What to focus on and what places not to miss? In particular, check:
- Frames for beds, sofas, armchairs, etc.,
- Edges and folds of mattresses, seams of bedding, upholstery,
- Backs of bedside tables, pillows, etc.,
- Wallpaper or wall covering,
- Place under posters, paintings or mirrors,
- Cracks in walls, holes from dowels, boxes, etc.,
- Spaces behind floorboards, under carpets, in gaps in the floor,
- Furniture and the spaces behind it,
- Books (bindings and pages),
- Door frames and door or window hinges.
The advantage of your search is that bedbugs live in colonies, so even if you don't see them "alive", they leave traces.
In particular, you may find feces (dark spots), bedbug eggs, or "locker rooms" left behind by bedbug larvae. If you cannot find such evidence in your home, you can use a bug trap to detect the presence of pests.
Safety rules and processing steps
When using chemicals to control bedbugs, it is important to follow certain safety precautions. You also need to be careful when using such aggressive substances that are included in folk recipes:
- In any case, vacate the house to be treated from its occupants;
- Carefully study the recommendations for using the product;
- Wear special clothing and protective equipment: glasses, gloves. After the procedure, wash everything well or throw it away;
- Before processing, remove toys, dishes, clothes, and linen. Everything must be packed in bags. It is advisable to wash textiles immediately;
- Place items that cannot be washed in plastic bags and leave them in the cold or in a hot place;
- Move the furniture to the middle of the room, remove paintings and carpets. Apply the product to cleaned surfaces. Carefully treat places where bedbugs nest, as well as cracks in furniture, walls, doors and window sills;
- Walls should be treated 30-50 cm above and below;
- After completing the work, it is necessary to close all windows and leave the room for a period of 1 to 3 days;
- Then ventilate the entire apartment, and wipe the surfaces well with a soda solution. To prepare it, take 1 glass of the substance and dilute it in 1 liter of water.
Bedbug Traps
Special traps may not help you get rid of bedbugs, but they can quite easily confirm (or, at best, refute) your suspicion that these parasites live in the same house as you. They are also often used in hotels or hostels for inspection. There are three types of insect monitoring traps:
- Pheromone traps attract bedbugs to a special pheromone and are additionally equipped with an adhesive trap to which the bedbugs stick.
- Heat traps imitate the heat of the human body, which bedbugs use to search for their prey. Having fallen into the trap, the glue again awaits the uninvited guest.
Bed foot traps are similar to the plastic bowls that bed bugs fall into on their journey for food, and use very smooth sides instead of glue so that the bugs cannot climb up.
Cleaning the bed and sofa
To clean a sleeping sofa or bed from bedbugs, first, the furniture should be disassembled if possible. Place all parts in an upright position and inspect them carefully. Remove the covers and wash them. Treat all parts of the furniture, especially the bottom and backs, with a special anti-bedbug product.
Wash bed linen at high water temperature. Clean and dry the blankets, mattress and pillows. It is good to look through all the folds of the mattress and spray with insecticide. If possible, it is better to replace a mattress with bedbugs with a new one.
How to exterminate bedbugs
Once you've confirmed the presence of bedbugs in your home, it's time to counterattack. But be prepared for the fact that this will not be an easy fight.
How to get rid of bedbugs? Of course, you can contact a specialized company that will carry out disinfestation in your home, or try liquidation yourself.
But forget about the usual insect repellent sprays that you can buy at the pharmacy and which will not harm intruders in any way, and focus directly on specialized products designed to kill bedbugs.
Preventive actions
To prevent the appearance of bedbugs, it is necessary to create “unfavorable” conditions for pests. This can be achieved by observing sanitary standards:
- Keep your apartment or house tidy.
- Carry out cosmetic repairs in a timely manner and eliminate holes in baseboards, floors, and walls.
- Regularly inspect possible nesting sites for parasites.
- Be careful when purchasing used furniture.
- If insects are found, immediately carry out extermination measures.
Bedbug spray
Bed bug spray is a very common way to kill bed bugs. The advantage of the sprayer is its ease of use (you will again find the manufacturer's exact instructions on the packaging) as well as its effectiveness.
One of the most popular is “Help Boyscout insecticidal spray for bedbugs and fleas, 200 ml,” which has a long-lasting effect and, after two or three applications, rids households of uninvited guests (of course, this depends on the degree of bedbug infestation).
Smokehouse against bedbugs
The undeniable advantage of a smokehouse against bed bugs is that they not only kill parasites, but also expel them from their hiding places, which could have gone unnoticed, for example, when spraying.
You can use them separately, but their combination with sprays is more effective - very often the beetle, trying to get out of the chimney, leaves its hiding place and ends up in the place that you previously sprayed.
Traditional methods
In addition to heat treatment of the bed or sofa, residents remove these parasites in other places - on the carpet, on clothes, etc.
How can you poison bedbugs in your apartment yourself? In this case, people use various folk methods and remedies (in particular, a vinegar solution).
Moreover, when carrying out disinfestation at home, residents use only safe means (for example, turpentine). Then they, for example, mix 50 grams. ammonia with 150 ml of turpentine and 50 gr. laundry soap, and then spray this solution over 1 or several rooms.
Detecting and getting rid of small pests on the carpet
When destroying various bedbugs on the carpet, the tenant performs the following actions:
- vacuums the carpet frequently;
- uses one of the powdered products listed above;
- knocks out the carpet outside (more often when there is already frost).
However, small pests rarely appear in carpets because they are more likely to inhabit more enclosed areas.
Killing insects on clothes
When destroying various bedbugs on his clothes, the tenant performs the following actions:
- washes her wardrobe items in very hot water;
- completely irons his clothes;
- Sprinkles contaminated clothing with bleach.
To achieve maximum long-term effects, people add a specific insecticide to the powder.
What repels bedbugs
Is there any prevention against bedbugs? Don’t lie to yourself—it’s impossible to completely prevent these parasites from entering your home. Only if you live in a sealed environment will they not let anyone in and will never get out. However, this does not mean that you cannot take certain measures against bed bugs. Which?
In hotels or hostels, always check areas where bed bugs may occur first (especially in and around the bed). Place unopened luggage in the bathroom until you are sure there are no vermin in your room.
- When you return from the road, open your suitcase in the bathroom again (bedbugs do not like tiles or other smooth surfaces found in the bathroom), check their contents and wash anything that is heated to a high temperature (at least 60 degrees).
- When purchasing used furniture, do a thorough inspection. The same applies, for example, to bed linen, books, paintings, etc.
- Check regularly for bedbugs.
- If you know that your neighbors have bedbugs, for example, carry out preventative spraying against bedbugs. Focus on areas where insects can enter your apartment (risers, central heating pipes, skylights, front door area, etc.).
You will also find bed bug (or insect) repellent on the market, but its use is not entirely effective.
Therefore, the only reliable protection is regular home inspections. Fortunately, it is not difficult to recognize a bedbug due to its specific appearance, and even a layman can usually identify it.
If you find uninvited visitors in your apartment, do not panic and act quickly. Bedbugs are also nothing to be ashamed of - they do not say anything about your care and cleanliness.
Bedbugs are just insects that don't recognize how tidy your home is. And while they can make life very inconvenient, fortunately, there are reliable ways to say goodbye to them once and for all.
Mechanical methods
The most common are two mechanical folk methods. To implement the first, you will need a vacuum cleaner, to use the second, a steam generator. In the first case, bedbugs can only be “collected” in a garbage bag built into household appliances. In the second, kill insects, and not only sexually mature ones. One bad thing: both methods will steal a lot of time from the home “exterminator”, without giving any guarantee of effectiveness.
Vacuum cleaner
Peculiarity. By combining the mechanical method with the chemical method, you can get a pretty good result. To lure bedbugs out of the hiding places in which they are safely hidden, you will need ammonia. Bloodsuckers cannot stand the smell of this liquid. It is enough to place saucers with a smelly liquid near places where insects accumulate, and the living creatures will immediately begin to leave their homes. You can make the composition stronger.
What we do
- Prepare the emulsion according to the following recipe: mix 100 g of denatured alcohol and 50 g of ammonia.
- Pour the emulsion into a spray bottle and spray the room.
- We turn on the vacuum cleaner, remove the brush attachment, and use the tube to quickly collect insects that have awakened from the aroma spreading throughout the apartment into the dust collector.
Steam generator
Peculiarity. The method is environmentally friendly, accessible and easy to implement. And also quite effective. It is noteworthy that the steam generator is capable of eliminating even eggs by destroying their shell. True, the method cannot be used near outlets. And condensation settling on the surface of the furniture can negatively affect its upholstery and further operation.
What we do
- We turn on the steam generator and start from the most remote places: we steam curtains, cornices, joints of walls and furniture, niches behind paintings, cracks and other hard-to-reach locations.
- Then we proceed to textile processing.
- We carry out liquidation activities daily for several weeks, paying special attention to places where insect nests have been observed.
- We refrain from wet cleaning until the treatments are completely completed.
- We carefully inspect all things and pieces of furniture so as not to lose sight of a single parasite.
