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Home Remedies to Eradicate Bed Bugs

The good news about bedbugs are not known to transmit any diseases or illnesses. The bad news is that they're tenacious little vermin who can survive for over a year without food. Bedbugs typically hide in the nooks and crevices of furniture items like beds and sofas, waiting to take a bite of you. With a lot of perseverance and diligence you can use one of a few home remedies to effectively eradicate bedbugs.

  1. Heat Method

    • Wash everything in your home using water of 113 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for at least one hour. This means everything, not just your clothes and linens, but slip covers, curtains and table cloths as well. Anything with folds where a bedbug or bedbug eggs could hide should be thrown in the washing machine or boiled in a large pot on the stove for an hour. Iron or dry all cloth items on high heat for added protection.

    Freezing Method

    • If it's winter and you live somewhere where temperatures routinely fall below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, start hauling your items outside and don't forget your bed mattress. Hang all cloth items on a tree branch or clothing line and rest your mattress against the side of the house or a tree. Flip and rotate individual items every few days to expose all the sides. Bedbugs require at least 4 days of sub-zero temperature exposure before dying. The longer and colder the exposure period, the more effective your efforts will be.

    Garbage Method

    • If you were ever tempted to throw out your mattress or sofa, now would be the time. Tape plastic around the sides of the furniture, effectively trapping the bedbugs inside the plastic. If you're unable to bring the item directly to the dump, make sure to place a sign on the outside before dropping it at the curb. A warning sign prevents someone from unknowingly taking the item home and experiencing an infestation.

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