Home remedies for bed bugs

Bed bugs always seemed like just some urban legend we were told as kids to help give us nightmares at night, who knew they were real. These little bugs are pretty scary too because they are a little insect that feeds on human blood, kind of like a tick but without the dreaded Lyme Disease. These pesky little bugs become active at night and creep around in bed with us, hence their fitting name. They are about the size of an apple seed, so easy to see, and they have a flat rust colored body. When they feed on human blood they turn a brighter red color. Scarier yet, bed bugs can live for many months without feeding!
If you have a bed bug problem some of the signs will be the bugs themselves, living or dead. You may find little blood stains on your pillow or sheets where bugs have been crushed while you slept. Look for dead bed bugs in the seems of your mattress, in the bed springs, between floor boards and even behind the head board of the bed.

If you like to travel your bed bugs are happy to travel with you. They will hide in your bedding, your luggage and even your clothing. Each place you stop and stay and unpack your stuff you will leave bed bugs behind to infest yet another place.

If you find that your home is infested with bed bugs you can take a few steps to help rid your home and your life of this little critters. First you will need to clean all of your machine-washable items that are in the infested area with the hottest water setting possible and dry them on the hottest dryer setting possible. You can also have them dry cleaned.


Scrub the seams of the mattress to remove any bugs and eggs that may be hiding there by using a stiff brush. You will need to use a good vacuum that has a HEPA filter to clean the mattress, furniture,floors and carpets in the infested area. Don't miss any cracks or corner or you won't be killing off your infestation, and make sure to dispose of the vacuum bag prior to using it in any other room.

Bed bugs have been making the news a lot lately. Bed bugs are nocturnal insects that feed on blood. Bed bugs prefer warm temperatures and are common in Florida and other warm climates. The bed bug is typically active at night. They hide during the day in mattresses, clothing, headboards, etc.

Bed bugs can usually be found in hotels, cruise ships, motels and other places that people stay over night. So, when you stay at one of these accommodations, you may end up taking them home with you if they decide to climb into your luggage or clothes.

Getting bed bugs out of your house.

Bed bugs are very hard to get rid of and sometimes only a professional can help. There are some home remedies to try first before calling a professional.

Six steps to naturally combat bed bugs:

Vacuum everything.

Vacuum the mattress, any upholstered furniture, and the drapes. Use the crevice tool on your vacuum to do the bed frames, the baseboards, and any furniture near the bed. Of course, vacuum the carpeting as well.

Wash everything.

Wash mattresses, pillows and everything that is washable in hot water. Don't forget stuffed animals and toys. Anything that can't be washed or vacuum must be sealed in plastic bags.

Use a natural insecticide.
These are safe for kids and pets, so can be used safely.

Steam Treatment.

If you can't wash mattresses, you can use a steamer on mattresses and other furniture to kill bugs. This is not as effective, but can help get rid of some bugs.

Dry heat.

Put clothing, toys and anything that you can't wash in dryer for five minutes. Such high temperatures will kill bugs.

Use the sun.
If you live in a very hot climate, put items outside to dry all day to naturally kill them.