By Janet from Houston, TX
How do you get rid of bedbugs from your home? How do you make something like a recipe from household products? What do you put together to kill them? Does anyone know? If so, let me know asap please.
By Whittany from Muncie, IN
By danswebs12/30/2010There are good posts on this ThriftyFun page that explain how you can get rid of them as well.
<a href="/tf678484.tip.html">Getting Rid of Bed Bugs</a><br/>
Tips include:
<ul><li>vacuuming</li>
<li>steam cleaning</li>
<li>washing sheets and blankets in hot water</li>
<li>sealing cracks around plumbing</li>
<li>ground cat litter</li>
<li>etc.</li>
</ul>
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
By poem300 from NYC
By mikie05/03/2011Well, I have been struggling with bed bugs for close to a month, just when I thought I had gotten the upper hand, wham, I wake with bites all over again. It's to the point where I have to circle each bit to keep track if I have more. I have vacuumed, cleaned, laundry, constantly, and now I am doing it all over again. I hear that mineral oil is good to try, but I haven't tried it yet. I have tried baking soda, left that on my couch for 1 week or longer, then I vacuumed the pic-a-dilly out of it. I have tried alcohol rub spraying on anything and everything. I took the week off of work just to get a good week on this situation all of this week. Along with putting silicone, and mineral oil around the base board of the house, and I also bought expanding foam, to use on the bigger projects. I think I am going to go along the base boards with the mineral oil, and the bedding legs, couch legs. I am at my wits end and willing to try anything.
Now the question is: how often do they lay their eggs? Should I be vacuuming and cleaning vigorously? I am at the point of throwing out my couch. Help, anyone please. I am losing my mind. Do they live in your clothes? I have all material washed and bagged, and 2 pairs of clothes that I wear, and my pj's, and bedding, they all get washed on a daily basis.
When traveling how do you prevent bed bugs from coming home with you?
By audrey from Bedford, PA
By Teresa Kay06/24/2009Don't set your luggage on the floor. Put it on a chair, table or luggage rack if there is one, anything but floor and bed.
Has anybody ever heard of Bed Bug Chasers? Has anybody had any success treating an entire house with heat to get rid of bed bugs? Rather than chemicals I would like to treat the whole house rather a room or two just to be safe.
By Mike from Huntington, NY
By carol10107/17/2010Do a search on Diatomacous Food Grade. According to the reviews it will get rid of about anything and will not harm people or pets. It's sold on the internet or at Home Depot, or Garden shops and is reasonably priced.
What are the steps to kill bedbugs? How do you clean the sheets with splattered blood and feces from bedbugs?
By Millie W.
By jankasony10/12/2012I had a tenant who brought bedbugs into an apartment. I had great success using food grade Diatomaceous Earth, which can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot.
It is a white powder. Use a paintbrush to "paint" all your baseboards (where it meets the floor as well as the wall), the "feet" on your bed and where the wood frame meets the wall around the closet, windows and bedroom door. You may also want to "paint" the edges of your mattress.
The food grade type of Diatomaceous Earth is very safe. It works by dehydrating the bodies of the bedbugs. Works on roaches too!
We have bedbugs in the apartments where I live. They haven't reached my apt yet. How do I get rid of bedbugs or prevent them?
By Dollie from Tucson, AZ
By desertgal01/20/2013Diatomacious Earth should do it. (spelling may be wrong). It is available at garden shops, feed stores, etc. It's non-toxic to humans and animals but kills most bugs.
We don't know were they came from, but they have invaded my leather couch and the store bought sprays are not working very well. Does anyone have a better idea?
By Karen
By LCA05/28/2012Rubbing alcohol kills bed bugs; preferably wintergreen. Could add your own essential oil(s), like frankincense, lavender, cinnamon oil, whatever.
Rubbing alcohol can also stop the itching from a bed bug bite. Do Not Use rubbing alcohol if you are allergic. Most people with allergies can have someone else spray and usually do not have a problem with this method if they wait for the alcohol is evaporate and the odor to dissipate.
Put rubbing alcohol in spray bottle and thoroughly saturate the item; couch, beds, baseboards, shoes ... so that it stays saturated for at least 15 minutes. Repeat every 3 to 4 days until there is no evidence of bites, then weekly thereafter. It can takes several months to completely eradicate the adults and hatching eggs.
It takes a long time to completely rid yourself of this type of infestation, but it can be done. Bed bugs can live for over 18 months without a feeding.
Vacuum floors, sprinkle carpets with Diamtomaeous Earth and leave in as long as you can; repeat several times a week, then weekly, then bi-monthly. DE can take months to work, so you want to use the rubbing alcohol as much as possible to stop with feeding frenzy.
Wash sheets, pillows, blankets, hats, clothing, washcloth's and towels and other items everyday and put in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes at a temperature above 130 degrees. Things that cannot be washed, dried, steamed - can be put in black plastic bags and placed in the sun for a day or two or three.
Important: Buy and use plastic mattress and pillow covers with zippers that completely enclose the Bed Items, after they have been sprayed and naturally dried.
Shampoo hair everyday with dog flea shampoo with conditioner, they can hide, and lay eggs, in hair. Boil combs, hairbrushes.
If you do get an Exterminator; remember that you want to have the baseboards sprayed thoroughly and ALSO Have Them Use a FOGGER to get into the nooks and crannies.
Being DILIGENT is the Most Important Thing You Can Do.
I am a former nurse and know that this has been used by many people with really good results. Hope this helps you as well.
Are there any natural remedies for getting rid of bed bugs, that really work?
By IsadoraD from Boston, MA
By Catherine Michele08/27/2012Diatomaceous earth is a good pest repellent but it is not safe for human if it is not used properly, specially if it is inhaled, which would happen if Diatomaceous earth is put near a bed. Do check what is the form of diatomite you are using and take the necessary precautions.If you have a cat check also the type of diatomite used for its litter. Avoid the type of litter which produces a lot of dust when poured. Whatever type you are using avoid inhalation when pouring the litter.
To better understand why Diatomaceaous earth is not a gentle product of mother nature read the following from Wikipedia :
''Safety considerations
The absorbent qualities of diatomite can result in a significant drying of the hands if handled without gloves. The flux-calcined form contains a highly crystalline form of silica, resulting in sharp edges. The sharpness of this version of the material makes it dangerous to breathe and a dust mask is recommended when working with it.
The type of hazard posed by inhalation depends on the form of the silica. Crystalline silica poses a serious inhalation hazard because it can cause silicosis. Amorphous silica can cause dusty lungs and silicosis, but does not carry the same degree of risk as crystalline silica. Natural or dried diatomite generally contains crystalline silica. Diatomite produced for pool filters is treated with high heat (calcining) and a fluxing agent (soda ash), causing the formerly silicon dioxide to assume its crystalline form. A mask is necessary for working with either product.
The crystalline silica content of the dust's particulate is regulated in the United States by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and there are guidelines for the maximum amounts allowable in the product and in the air near the breathing zone of workers.''
What do bed bug bites look like and how to I get rid of bedbugs?
By Kay B.
By michawnpita03/30/2013Google the image. To get rid of, really high heat has been the best way to kill. A lot of sprays don't work, they like other insects (lice) are very resistant.
I know my home has BED BUGS. Is it true that thyme will actually get rid of them? I've been trying everything since January of 2005.
I have bed bugs. What can I do to get rid of them? There has to be something out that I can use that is fairly safe.
I have bed bugs and my room has been sprayed once, is this enough?
By Martinbt58 from London
Then, we bought caulk to most closely match the colors in the room. I used Liquid Nails for the nail holes, but my husband was mad (it was easier for me than the caulking gun). I found that Clorox Cleaning Spray with Bleach (you want the bleach, I wanted a name I knew) kills the suckers on contact. We are on bottle 3. Buy a few large plastic totes/tubs that will support your miscellaneous items, your books, papers, etc.
Here is what we have done: remove everything you can from one room at a time. You cannot effectively treat the entire house in one fell swoop. Pack up one room, remove stuff from off the wall (I ended up throwing out some wood picture frames and keeping the pictures), if the item is large, trash bag it and duct tape it securely. Remove curtains, all material, and take immediately to washer/dryer. If clean already, then simply dry for 20-30 minutes on high.
Immediately remove it from dryer and seal it in tub/tote or remove to off-site location in trash bags. Vacuum all surfaces. Pull drawers out and set on floor, if bed frame is on floor use plastic dishes and water/mineral oil/whatever you want. Anything liquid seems to work to surround legs. If mattress sits on wooden frame, like our captains bed, get rid of it and go to a wooden leg or metal legged frame like a Hollywood which is what we went to. Once the room is vacuumed, take time to vacuum the rest of house, then get rid of the vacuum bag to an outside dumpster.
Return to the room with your Clorox cleaning spray. Spray all surfaces. We found what looked like mold at the old wooden window (we live in a house, we don't have the option of relocating), and turns out that is where the infestation was. We sprayed all over the bedroom, along the baseboard, the windows (top, bottom, inside, etc), the doorways (the jamb, all trim where it connected to the wall, etc.), the walls all around the room (we do not have carpeting in the house, this would have added to our nightmare). We then turned off the lights, closed the door, and slept in another room.
Before daylight, we opened the bedroom door, armed with our Clorox, and sprayed anything we saw that moved, and then sprayed again all surfaces. During the next 2 days, we caulked all cracks, crevices, nail holes, baseboard areas, around outlet plates, etc. We could see the dead bugs still stuck to the wall.
The next morning, we washed the entire room with Magic Erase and hot water (we wore gloves). We then shut up the room, closed the door, lights off, and waited a few hours. We entered the room, blinded the buggers, and sprayed the ones we saw, watching to see if they headed anywhere in particular to hide. We sprayed the places around where they were, and left again for the night. Blinding them is key. You will see them, kill them, and be done before they have time to crawl away. We went from over 50 the first time, to 27 to kill, and this weekend our room is bug free (we haven't killed any in there yesterday or today).
This past week, we started on my daughter's room, doing the same thing. If there is something I don't care if I keep, I pitched it. If there is something sentimental, I have packed it away. My room looks bare, her room looks bare, my living room is full of totes/tubs. There have not been any sightings in my living room or kitchen, so we are "living" there.
My daughter and I have seen 2 in her room today. It is now caulked, sprayed (her futon got sprayed with the RID then promptly enclosed in a Queen size "bag"), and has been left bare. We will continue to clean, having caulked the bedrooms, hallways, bathroom, hall closet, etc. while doing the rest of the 2 rooms. We will continue to keep the Clorox handy, and to watch for infestation. These things will die in their baby-stages if we do not "feed" them. My bed is not touching the wall, it is setting in water (the mineral oil evaporated quick and dish washing liquid/drop), my bedding does not touch.
I have a bath towel covering some of the window. My shelves have been caulked to the wall, my room smells "clean". I have not cried today. We will leave my daughter's room and ours bare for the rest of the month. We did bedbug foggers from Lowes and they don't work. We used bug spray that contains permethrin, it didn't work. The Clorox kills on contact and the caulk has them sealed in the walls hopefully to die, but this isn't a one-time application situation. We will be monitoring our rooms for weeks to come. If your neighbors have them, be extra secure about sealing the baseboard and nail holes in the shared walls. You can survive this. (09/13/2009)
By LMSnOH
Is there a fumigator to get rid of bedbugs? Does anyone have advice to get rid of them?
Lucy from Silver Spring, MD
By Jules
By Jim
By Rae
By goodhealthy
I had a mild bed bug infestation that I thought was over a couple of months ago, but I found one on my comforter this morning. This situation started back in October. Since then, the exterminator has made 2 visits in October and November. I've washed all my bedding, clothes, and everything in my closets. I've also plugged up all the holes and cracks in my walls with caulk. I've even been dusting diatomaceous earth (food grade) all over my bed frame, walls, and couch.
I haven't gotten a bite since November so I thought I had successfully gotten rid of them. Now 2 months later and they're back. What am I doing wrong?
By Amy from Brooklyn
By dreamyr227
By carnation037
By tlcdsfit
I need information on fighting bed bugs in my apartment in Los Angeles.
What are some ways I can get rid of bedbugs?
How does one get rid of bed bugs apart from the wet soap trick?
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Getting Rid of Bed Bugs