Neighborhood with insects such as bedbugs brings a lot of inconvenience and harm to health: bites, irritation on the skin, areas where bedbug excrement accumulates deprive people of comfort when they are constantly near a person.
And kerosene, which has long been an effective preventative against bedbugs, is often used to combat them. Quick Jump:
How does kerosene affect bedbugs?
How to use it correctly?
Pros and cons of the method
Reviews from people after use
Conclusion
What are bedbugs afraid of?
In order to get rid of bedbugs, it is necessary to cause them a feeling of severe discomfort, which will lead to inhibition of their physiological processes. Insects are afraid of:
- bright light;
- low or high temperature;
- pungent odor.
Each point should be examined in more detail.
Bright light
Bedbugs are nocturnal. If you turn on the light, they immediately scatter. In this regard, to get rid of parasites, you can leave a bright light bulb or fluorescent lamp on at night. However, it is worth remembering that a hopeless situation can force bedbugs to adapt to the light and attack according to their biorhythm - from 3 to 8 in the morning.
Low or high temperature
Sub-zero temperatures work best against bedbugs. In winter, it is advisable to open all windows for at least a day. In this case, it is necessary to deprive the parasites of the opportunity to hide in clothing or in a warm place.
Temperatures above 35 degrees are also effective. However, its application is very limited, and therefore it is not as popular as room cooling.
Strong odors
The strong and pungent odor helps get rid of insects. Both chemicals and plants are used. Kerosene against bedbugs has gained the most popularity. It allows you to effectively combat blood-sucking pests.
Remedy #1: Vinegar
A popular remedy for night parasites is vinegar. It should be remembered that it does not kill, but only repels insects. Used as a preventive measure. You can coat the penetration areas of bed bugs with a vinegar solution. The disadvantages of the method are a specific smell, the need for constant repetition, as the smell disappears.
It is better to use vinegar with other means, for example, mothballs. If you mix vinegar, alcohol (90%), naphthalene in equal parts, and spray it on the bedbugs from a spray bottle, the effect will be positive.
We suggest you familiarize yourself with Wormwood for bedbugs - how to use it and whether it helps
How does kerosene act on parasites?
Kerosene does not depress the nervous system, but acts as a poison on the parasite. The bug's body has a large number of spiracles through which it breathes. Kerosene covers the insect's body with an oily film, thereby blocking access to oxygen. The bug, unable to breathe, soon dies.
For those insects that have not been exposed to kerosene, its smell has a frightening effect. This encourages them to leave the room in search of a place where there is no “aroma” of kerosene.
Operating principle
Once on the surface of the body, kerosene envelops the body of the bug with an oily film. It closes the spiracles through which the parasite exchanges gases with the environment due to which the insect cannot breathe and suffocates. Kerosene against bedbugs begins to act instantly after spraying.
In addition, part of the product may get inside the parasite, which will cause poisoning of the body. Severe intoxication will cause the death of the insect.
Advantages of the method
And yet, it is not in vain that kerosene has been used for baiting bedbugs for a century and a half. It has a number of undeniable advantages:
- it is very cheap, so it is available to almost everyone;
- Processing with kerosene is simple;
- it is not as toxic to humans as chemical insecticides.
Kerosene gets into the spiracles, clogs them and makes it impossible for insects to breathe.
How effective is it?
Despite the fact that kerosene is fatal to bedbugs and quickly leads to suffocation of insects, it is not as effective as might be expected given its qualities.
And all because in order for kerosene to kill a bug, the insect must be covered with it. Otherwise, if the body is not completely wetted with the substance, the insect will be able to continue breathing. It is not difficult to drown individual bedbugs in kerosene. But it is extremely difficult to treat the entire colony at once. Therefore, it is impossible to destroy everyone with kerosene. But you can significantly reduce the population.
Kerosene cannot destroy eggs - due to the fact that it affects the respiratory system.
Rules for using kerosene
First of all, you need to protect yourself from inhaling vapors and getting kerosene on your skin and mucous membranes. To do this, wear a mask, and all exposed parts of the body are covered with a long-sleeved jacket and jeans. You must wear gloves on your hands. If the product gets on the skin or mucous membranes, rinse thoroughly with running water. If the drug gets into the stomach, artificially induce vomiting, take activated carbon - 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight and seek medical help.
When treating premises, all windows and doors should be open, and no strangers should be present in the apartment, especially children and animals. Since kerosene is a flammable substance, the use of open fire sources in the room is prohibited, including smoking.
There are several ways to use kerosene against bedbugs:
- spray treatment. All places where bedbugs can live are sprayed - behind radiators, under the bed, etc.;
- 100 ml of kerosene and 5 g of naphthalene are mixed. All hard surfaces are treated with the solution. A pungent odor will help prevent parasites from protruding from their habitats. To achieve a positive effect, treatment at least 1 time per month;
- a product based on 100 ml of kerosene and 200 ml of turpentine will help reduce the activity of bedbugs.
All hard surfaces located in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping area are treated. After this, thoroughly ventilate the room; wet cleaning is done after two days.
Remedy #6: Tea Tree Oil
House parasites cannot tolerate strong odors. Camphor oil can scare them away. For a more lasting effect, it is better to prepare a mixture of equal amounts of this oil and turpentine ointment. Coat the legs, all elements of furniture, beds, baseboards, areas behind the furniture, under the window sill, and heating radiators with the resulting composition.
It is important to treat the bottom of the mattress. This method will repel bed bugs. The disadvantage is the unpleasant odor, which will need to be removed by careful ventilation.
Tea tree oil is an effective folk remedy. It is used as an additional preventive method of repelling bed bugs.
First, high-quality treatment against domestic parasites is carried out. But in the future, according to all instructions, it is recommended to regularly carry out such treatments for preventive purposes. To do this, it will be enough to use tea tree oil. You will need to wash all your clothes and bedding using this product.
Furniture and floors should also be treated with oil. For every 500 ml of water add 18 drops of the product. Spray the solution on all objects in the room, even lamps and carpets. To increase effectiveness, you can diffuse tea tree oil every day.
Flaws
Firstly, the disadvantages include the smell of kerosene, which lingers in the apartment for a long time after it has been ventilated. Secondly, the product spoils furniture, which limits its use on expensive interior items.
Thirdly, kerosene requires careful handling - protection of the respiratory system, skin and mucous membranes, and do not forget that the substance is highly flammable. Fourth, for truly effective control, bedbugs must be covered with kerosene so that they die.
Effective drugs
How to kill bedbugs at home?
Aerosols
You can deal with the problem yourself using aerosols. These insecticides are sold almost everywhere. They are highly efficient and easy to use. Modern aerosols do not contain an unpleasant odor or skillfully mask it. Considered low risk. In case of contact with skin, they do not cause allergies or irritation. It is enough to purchase a mask and rubber gloves.
Such preparations contain insecticides that have a nerve-paralytic effect. They act instantly. Destruction will be especially effective if you treat the nest or know its approximate location. Once on the body of an insect, it first paralyzes and then causes death. It will take no more than an hour to kill bedbugs in your own apartment. Because during this time all surfaces can be treated. The room must be closed. Windows and doors should be opened after treatment.
Under the influence of light and temperature, insecticides lose their properties. In total, the effect of the aerosol lasts no more than 4 hours. Therefore, a second treatment will be required after 10–14 days, and maybe a third after 21 days. Bedbug aerosol pest control does not involve the destruction of eggs. After 2 weeks, a new population will appear again.
Commonly used available aerosols:
- Raptor;
- Clean house;
- Raid;
- Combat;
- Dichlorvos.
Dusts and crayons
How to start poisoning bedbugs in an apartment if aerosols are ineffective? You can use crayons and dusts yourself at home. However, the destruction of parasites by these drugs is somewhat different from other insects. The thing is that bedbugs cannot be fed with anything. They feed only on blood. Therefore, it is necessary to use substances that begin to act after contact with the skin. War begins with the right choice of “weapons”.
- Riapan;
- Chlorophos;
- Neopine.
And also crayons:
- Tornado;
- Mashenka;
- Clean house.
How to properly kill bedbugs at home using such insecticides? The fight begins with finding out where insects move. These creatures constantly approach a sleeping person, so the surfaces under the bed and the frame itself should be treated. They hide in secluded places, somewhere nearby. This means you need to walk along the baseboards. Furniture on the back side, look into the cabinets. In addition, bedbugs are located under the wallpaper. You need to check all the places where they have come unstuck or torn.
Also pay attention to the linoleum on the floor
Destruction can be much more effective than using an aerosol. Because a fairly strong protective layer is created on the surface. The pest, once on the poisoned plane, smears itself and carries the poison into the nest. Gives poison to other fellow creatures. After a certain time, everyone becomes infected. The fight goes on for more than one day. Because under the influence of light and temperature, insecticides lose their properties.
In addition, crayons can be used to protect against bites. The bloodsucker will not get through such a line, you can sleep peacefully. You will be able to cope on your own if the pests have not had time to multiply significantly. What else can you do to get rid of bedbugs?
Concentrates
You can independently ensure the destruction of a large number of parasites. At home, you can carry out the treatment no worse than the workers of the SES (Sanitary and Epidemiological Station). Moreover, it is not difficult to buy the same drug in our time. It should be remembered that during processing it is necessary to use personal protective equipment: gloves, a respirator, a suit, even glasses will not hurt.
Conclusions: all the pros and cons
Kerosene against bedbugs is only effective in cases where the population is small. If there are a lot of them, it is almost impossible to rid your home of parasites on your own. This may lead them to find new habitats. Despite its advantages, kerosene has many disadvantages, which also need to be taken into account. In this regard, it is better to seek help from specialists who will rid your home of blood-sucking parasites effectively and without harming the health of those living in an apartment or private house.
Processing rules
Kerosene can be used to treat wooden, metal and plastic surfaces. They can be used to wipe furniture, floors, baseboards, and the backs of paintings.
Kerosene cannot destroy eggs - due to the fact that it affects the respiratory system
But you should not treat textiles with kerosene - mattresses, upholstered furniture, blankets. After this, the textiles will be almost impossible to wash.
How to make sure there are insects in your apartment
Household members may not even suspect the presence of bedbugs in the apartment, and for a long time. In order to make sure that nocturnal bloodsuckers are present in the apartment, there are certain recommendations. The main habitats of house bugs are:
- bed; armchairs and sofas; bed linen and towels.
Bedbugs are active at night, when people are sleeping, the parasites attack them and drink blood. A terrible sight, but such a phenomenon is quite common. If bedbugs are infested in one of the apartments of a multi-storey building, then after some time they can multiply so much that they will become a nightmare for absolutely all residents of this building.
The main location of colonies of quiet insects are baseboards, heating systems and other hard-to-reach places where the air temperature does not drop to +15 degrees. If the temperature is below +15 degrees, then the bugs leave such a room or die out.
To make sure there are blood-sucking pests in the apartment, there is no need to check all hard-to-reach places, especially since you are unlikely to find them during the day. You can arrange a raid at night, but the chances are almost zero, since you can wait all night with a flashlight, but still not wait for the bloodsucker to attack. In this case, in the morning a red dot (one or several) is found on the body, which is the site of the bug bite. This point indicates that the bug has damaged the integrity of the skin for the purpose of feeding. Parasites feed on blood, and one adult is able to suck up to 7 ml of blood at a time. Therefore, the main way to determine the presence of bedbugs in an apartment is the formation of such red spots on the body, which will itch and itch throughout the day.
Bedbugs go out hunting at night, so humans do not react to insect attacks. In addition, bedbug saliva contains an anesthetic substance.
Most of the bites are caused by females, and males are less active in this regard, but cause no less harm than females.
The second, no less reliable way to determine the presence of bedbugs in an apartment is the presence of a characteristic odor in closed areas. This could be a closet, a place behind the wardrobe, behind a closet, a sofa, etc. The aroma indicating the existence of bedbugs in the apartment is fragrant with the smell of burnt nuts
Now you know how you can verify the presence of bedbugs in an apartment, which is very important. After all, to effectively fight a parasite, you need to know it by sight
Symptoms of a parasitic infection
A variety of symptoms can indicate the presence of parasites in the human body.
Most often, the patient’s metabolism is disrupted, the immune system fails, and an allergic reaction in the form of a rash can be observed on the skin.
The following signs may also indicate infection:
- Loose stools, frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain;
- Muscle and joint pain;
- A sharp decrease or increase in weight;
- Depressive state, feeling of weakness and chronic fatigue;
- A person often suffers from colds;
- Blood pressure constantly fluctuates;
- The whites of the eyes acquire a yellowish tint;
- The patient grinds his teeth in his sleep.
