10 Ways To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Naturally!
(BeWellBuzz) Ever experienced that irksome itching which just seems to have appeared from nowhere, only to cause you rashes and massive discomfort! Well, that bed bugs do not occur in the industrialized, developed world is perhaps one of the most pronounced and misplaced myth of our modern lifestyle.
Surviving on the blood of birds and mammals, these parasites can occur due to a number of reasons and need immediate remedies to get rid of. Read on as we shed more light on what exactly is a bed bug, why do they occur and what you can do to free your household of these pests in a natural manner.
Cimicade – The Genus
When we say ‘bed bug’, we generally refer to the whole family of all the species of the genus Cimicade, the Cimex lectularius being the most commonly found bed bug in our households.
Put in laymen terms, the bed bugs are tiny to small insects which feed on blood of mammals and birds, making the human beings a major target. The adult bugs are oval shaped, wingless and flat, having rust-colored bodies with small eyes and tiny antennas.
You will mostly find these bed bugs in the small cracks and crevices of your furniture, along with mushrooming on your upholstery and draperies.
Why do they occur?
Bed bugs have a strong ability to travel from the place of infestation to reside in other areas. The most common example is to get bed bugs into your household through mattresses, beds or upholstery that you might bring from somewhere. While they mostly come out at the night to attack their prey in sleep, their bite is often painless and will only be noticed when a red rash or swelling occurs, though it can cause other symptoms like allergies.
One of the most startling facts about bed bugs is that their occurrence is absolutely unrelated to cleanliness. From the cleanest homes to the finest hotels, they can reside anywhere if you manage to carry them from their original place of infestation.
Here, let’s look at some of the concrete causes, sources and places where these bed bugs will mostly reside in:
- Second hand furniture or upholstery brought into your house
- Excessively cluttered bed space and box beds
- Loosened wallpaper and cracks in the plaster on the walls
- Window casings, behind pictures and between moldings and partitions
- When you travel back from an infested point, you might carry hidden bugs in your luggage
- From backpacks and luggage items which are used frequently to travel out of the house
- Very common in places like hotels, motels, inns and shelters where there is a high rate of turnover of occupants
10 ways to de-bug – naturally!
1. Regularly vacuum all your upholstery, especially the undersides of the bed as well as pillows and mattresses.
2. Treat your furniture and cushions with dry steam on a regular basis.
3. When traveling, carefully examine all the mattresses and sheets you might be using, especially at hotels and inns.
4. De-clutter your home as much as possible. This makes it easier to spot bed bugs.
5. Examine any second-hand furniture you get into your house properly.
6. Place your mattresses and furniture outside in the sun on a regular basis, especially if you live in a temperature colder than 25 degrees F.
7. Do steam cleaning for your carpets and rugs regularly.
8. Get waterproof zippered mattresses cover for your mattress and other such furnishing as required.
9. As a general practice, wash and dry your bedding at high temperatures.
10. Use light colored beddings as far as possible.
Use insecticides, but judiciously and strictly under professional guidance
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References
http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/bedbugs
http://www.orkin.com/other/bed-bugs/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bedbugs.html
http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/whats_bugging_you/bed_bugs/bedbugs_faqs.asp
