The appearance of bed bugs in an apartment always causes people a lot of trouble. The bites of these bloodsuckers cause unbearable itching in humans, and in some cases, a severe allergic reaction.
In addition, bedbugs are carriers of various infections and diseases. They also contribute to damage to bedding, furniture, wallpaper, etc. The renovation done in the apartment will be hopelessly spoiled by these blood-sucking parasites.
It is worth noting that domestic bugs reproduce very actively. Therefore, if timely measures are not taken to destroy them, they will gradually populate the entire apartment. You can completely get rid of parasites only with the help of insecticidal preparations. But some odors that are unpleasant for parasites can help scare off bloodsuckers for a while and force them to look for other places of deployment.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what smells house bugs are afraid of.
Herbs
The most harmless means for humans to repel bedbugs is the smell of “fragrant” herbs. Typically, wormwood, tansy, calamus, wild rosemary and chamomile are used as an aromatic repeller. Let's take a closer look at each of these plants.
Uses of wormwood
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Bunches of freshly cut wormwood grass are recommended to be placed in places where bedbugs may accumulate in the house. First of all, these are the places:
- under beds and sofas;
- under mattresses or in them;
- under baseboards;
- in bedside tables;
- under pet bedding.
The disadvantage of using wormwood is that its repellent properties are quickly lost. After the plant dries out after 2–3 days, its aroma, which is so unpleasant to these parasites, also disappears.
The aroma emitted by wormwood serves as a mask for the odor of the human body, preventing the insect from detecting its prey. Therefore, it is better to place its bunches next to the person. The use of tinctures and decoctions prepared on the basis of wormwood is also widely practiced.
You can add a piece of laundry soap to the wormwood broth, then use this solution to wash the floor coverings in your apartment. This is an excellent remedy for preventing the appearance of bedbugs in the home.
Wormwood is one of the most effective plants for repelling bedbugs. However, better results can be achieved with an integrated approach to the destruction of blood-sucking parasites in the apartment. Preference should be given to fresh plants. Before spreading the grass, it is necessary to carry out a wet cleaning in the room, and subject the curtains and bed linen to a boiling procedure.
We must not forget that wormwood does not protect the home from repeated penetration of parasites. Experiencing a strong feeling of hunger, the insects attack the victim, despite the presence of wormwood in the room.
Tansy
Tansy inflorescences are distributed to repel house bugs in all places where people are most often found. You can also use tansy inflorescences before bed to rub the skin with them. This can protect a person from bloodsucker bites at night. A concentrated infusion of this plant, when interacting with an insect, blocks nerve impulses and causes paralysis for some time.
The use of tansy requires frequent ventilation of the treated area.
Using calamus
This plant is used to repel bedbugs when crushed. To do this, the dry powder mixture must be scattered in all places where a cluster of blood-sucking parasites is found.
Ledum
The repellent properties of wild rosemary are based on the presence of a pronounced intoxicating aroma in this plant. All places where insects may be located must be sprinkled with powder from ground dry leaves of the plant. To achieve the best results, you can resort to fumigation of the home. It is best to collect wild rosemary shoots from the end of August to the beginning of September.
Chamomile
Dry grass and chamomile flowers can repel house bugs with their aroma, forcing the parasites to look for new habitats. The effectiveness of the plant increases if it is used in conjunction with other means for removing bloodsuckers. To enhance the effect of chamomile, a saline solution is prepared on its basis, which is used to treat all surfaces and hidden corners in the apartment.
What temperature are bed bugs afraid of?
The optimal air temperature for the life and reproduction of bedbugs is between plus 20-30 degrees. Any other temperature regime is uncomfortable for these insects, especially if it is set for a long time. But, to expel bedbugs from the house, you need to create a lower or higher temperature for several days.
In winter, you can open the windows and let frosty air into the apartment for 2-3 days. But raising the temperature to 40 degrees is very problematic. It is easier in the summer to take blankets, pillows and mattresses out of the house and fry them in the sun in calm weather.
At temperatures below +10°C, bedbug eggs are inhibited in development, and the embryo goes into a state of hibernation. At temperatures below +14°C, females stop laying eggs, and the larvae stop growing and molting.
Perfumes
Repelling bedbugs with perfume has been practiced by nobles in France and Italy since ancient times. Before going to bed, they took a bath with the addition of various perfumes to protect themselves from the attack of blood-sucking insects.
And this, indeed, led to a positive result, since bedbugs have a very subtle sense of smell.
The more pronounced the smell of perfume, the more actively it will affect insects, forcing them to look for new habitats.
To protect yourself from bites at night, you can apply cologne or eau de toilette with a pronounced heavy aroma to your body. This method can only be used as a temporary measure before independently treating the premises with insecticidal agents or while waiting for the arrival of specialized service personnel.
Preventive measures against bedbugs
Any of the means considered can be considered as deterrents. This means that they help remove bed bugs at home without the use of toxic substances. But such means are effective as long as there are few insects. In this case, other methods can be considered.
Wet cleaning with bleach
This is a means of aggressive action - it has a negative effect on a person’s health when the concentration increases. However, you need to understand whether bedbugs are afraid of bleach. If there is no other product at hand at home, you can use it, as well as analogues with a similar composition (Domestos, Beliznu).
Bleach does not destroy parasites, but it will not allow them to move freely around the apartment, since the rich smell will prevent them from detecting a food source.
Bleaching powder
Redecorating
It is difficult to eradicate bedbugs from any object, but it is possible to create conditions under which people will be better protected from parasites. To do this, you need to eliminate the cracks; for this purpose, cement and polymer-based solutions are used.
Moreover, it is important to close leaks not only on the floor, walls, but also in the door block.
Bleach to repel parasites
We all often use bleach when cleaning our apartments. It helps to cope with bacteria and fungi, as well as some small pests that are found on hard surfaces. Is it possible to fight bedbugs with bleach?
Undoubtedly, these parasites are frightened by its unpleasant smell. And if bleach gets on the bloodsucker’s body, it will lead to its inevitable death. Doesn't this mean you can just spread bleach all over your house to get rid of bedbugs? No, this method will not help completely get rid of parasites. Of course, it will not be possible to treat every insect, and they themselves are also unlikely to voluntarily climb into bleach. This will only help to curb the activity of bloodsuckers for a while, but after a few days it will resume again.
Therefore, for the complete destruction of domestic bedbugs, it is recommended to combine this method with other methods.
Corrugated cardboard
Of course, insects are not afraid of it, but this old-fashioned method works 100%. Parasites love to hide in corrugated cardboard, so pieces of it can be scattered throughout the room, and then collected and burned.
To catch bedbugs in corrugated cardboard, you need to scatter pieces of it throughout the apartment, and the next morning collect them and burn them
An alternative to cardboard is a wooden stick, in which through holes are drilled and the edges are tightly closed. In ancient times, such a stick was placed in bed, and in the morning the parasites were shaken out of it.
Industrial chemicals
Substances that repel insects are called repellents. Effective repellents that can repel house bugs for a while are available in almost every home. Chemicals that irritate the sense of smell of bloodsucking insects are:
Most of these products were used back in the days when modern insecticidal preparations were not invented. As a rule, thanks to their competent use, it was possible to prevent the proliferation of bedbugs in a person’s home.
But all chemicals with a pronounced odor not only irritate parasites, but are also unpleasant to human perception. It is unlikely that anyone would want to be in a room that constantly smells of kerosene or vinegar. Therefore, the use of such means is recommended if it is possible to move to another place for a while.
Insecticides – chemical agents against bedbugs
In the fight against bedbugs, it is recommended to change the types of chemicals for greater effect. This is explained by the fact that parasites and their larvae, after two treatments, adapt to the active component of the product used and its use will not give the expected result.
Medicines against bloodsuckers are available in different forms: powder or pencil, liquid solution or spray, etc. Organophosphorus compounds such as chlorophos, karbofos or microphos are most often recommended. Modern means include the insecticidal preparation "Pyrethrum", applied in powder form to the places where bedbugs live, as well as the liquid preparation "Tetrix". The preparations produced in the form of sprays received good responses; they are very convenient to carry out work.
Before treating the premises with destructive chemicals, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. To do this, you should pack dishes, clothes, and personal hygiene items in plastic bags, after checking to see if there are any bedbugs there. Processing should be carried out slowly and carefully, using protective equipment.
It is better to leave the treated room for a day, tightly closing all windows and doors. After the specified time has passed, the rooms should be well ventilated and wet cleaned with a disinfectant solution. Items that may contain eggs should be taken to the dry cleaner. Bed linen and towels must be boiled.
Ammonia
Very often, to repel bedbugs, people use ammonia, which is one of the most effective repellents. You can buy it at any pharmacy without a prescription.
A small amount of ammonia is added to water and the resulting solution is used for washing floors, treating windows, doors, furniture, heating radiators and other places where insects accumulate. The optimal dosage of the drug is determined quite easily - you need to focus on your own receptors.
If, after treating your home, you smell a distinct smell of ammonia, then bedbugs will definitely be able to smell it. And since these bloodsuckers cannot stand its aroma, they will be forced to flee the poisoned room.
Reviews from victims of bedbug bites
Galina, 43 years old, Kaluga
I was once attacked by parasites in a hostel. In the morning I woke up - my whole body was covered in spots. I thought it was an allergy, but when I saw my neighbor, it became clear that we were attacked by some kind of insects. I found out that they were bedbugs at home when I found one in my suitcase.
Marina, 28 years old, Sevastopol
When I was a student, I lived in a dorm, and one day they were poisoning bedbugs, so we were asked to go home. Before that, many girls had been bitten, one had a terrible allergy. Maybe after that they decided to poison them.
Karina, 29 years old, Kazan
I never thought that we would have bedbugs in our home. I thought they started in unsanitary conditions. I had to poison. But at that time I knew little about insects, so I immediately called exterminators. Now I would poison myself, if I had to, it would cost less.
Pest eggs
Essential oils
Another remedy that can repel bedbugs are essential oils of plants such as eucalyptus, rosemary, tea tree, and lavender. They are used to lubricate those places where clusters of parasites are found. To protect yourself from the bites of these bloodsuckers at night, you can treat the bed frame and its legs with any essential oil or a mixture of several oils.
First aid for bites
If, in addition to inflammation and itching, the victim no longer has any allergic reactions, then it can be relieved in the following ways:
- With the help of medications. “Afloderm” or “Menovazim” are good at relieving itching and disinfecting the affected areas.
- Using aloe juice. This method is great for sensitive skin of babies. Aloe soothes the skin and relieves itching. The bite site should be rubbed with a fresh cut of the plant.
- Saline or soda solution. A cotton swab soaked in the solution is applied to the bite site, after which the inflammation subsides quite quickly.
- Parsley juice is also great for calming inflammation.
- Fresh potatoes can relieve itching; you should briefly apply the cut tuber to the bite site.
If the allergy is not limited to just itching, then this is a serious reason to consult a doctor, especially if the bitten person has a fever.
Repelling with vinegar
Vinegar, of course, will not be able to destroy house bugs, but it guarantees that they will be 100% repelled. Allows the use of any vinegar. After discovering a nest of parasites, you only need to drop a drop of vinegar into it so that they leave their home for a few days.
The result of this treatment does not depend on the strength of the vinegar solution used. The greater its concentration, the better results can be achieved. The treatment of all surfaces in the house must be carried out very carefully so as not to miss a single centimeter.
Acetic acid can also be used as an effective preventive measure. They treat all places from where parasites can enter the apartment. However, the smell of vinegar disappears very quickly, so you will have to repeat the treatment quite often.
Call exterminators to your home, professional combined treatment with insecticides
Reasons why specialists are usually invited to clean the premises from parasites:
- independent processing does not produce results;
- there are too many parasites;
- bedbugs reappear from time to time.
When carrying out professional treatment, more effective means are used. They are delivered using special equipment - sprayers. During the process, the working solution is converted into a fine suspension; the particles are so small that they very slowly settle on surfaces, killing parasites through the respiratory tract and outer integument. After spraying the suspension, the barrier protection method is also used - this is a preventive measure, as a result, parasites will not appear in the apartment in the future.
If independent control does not give the desired result, then you need to call professional exterminators
Pros and cons of the product
There are few advantages to this method of fighting parasites, such as bleach against bedbugs:
- The drug is freely sold in stores and is inexpensive.
- Chlorine can be used as a temporary measure, for example, until the pest control service arrives.
- Using the product is easy - just scatter the powder or prepare a solution.
If you still decide to fight blood suckers with bleach, it is better to dilute it. The drug is diluted in a ratio of 1:10, that is, 5 liters of water are taken per half a kilo of powder. Prepare the liquid as follows:
- Pour dry bleach into an enamel bucket and dilute with a small amount of water.
- Stir with a wooden spatula.
- Pour water to the required volume.
- Close the container with a lid and leave for 24 hours.
- Pour the bedbug repellent into a dark glass bottle and spray the solution where the insects are most numerous.
Treating bedbugs with chlorine has several disadvantages that should not be underestimated. First of all, this is a very weak effect. To obtain a certain result, the nests of bloodsuckers will have to be treated with liquid or sprinkled with powder.
But bedbugs are cunning creatures, and detecting their settlement is not easy. While the owners think about how to poison the parasites and try to destroy at least part of them, the surviving relatives feel great and continue their harmful work.
The same applies to the larvae and oviposition of bloodsuckers. Chlorine kills bedbug eggs only upon direct contact with the substance, but finding translucent shells of microscopic size is almost impossible.
The main disadvantage of the drug is the danger to residents. It is no coincidence that the poisonous substances of bleach were used during the First World War. When chlorine enters the human body, it forms acids that damage the integrity of tissues and cells.
The consequences of inhaling toxic fumes are not long in coming. People experience severe shortness of breath, cough, and sore throat. At high concentrations of chlorine, pulmonary edema may occur. If the substance gets on the skin, a strong burning sensation occurs. Vision also suffers: some housewives are probably familiar with the situation when prolonged contact with bleach causes pain and pain in the eyes. For this reason, the use of bleach in everyday life is increasingly limited.
How long do house bugs live?
The average lifespan of a bed bug is 10-12 months. In particularly extreme conditions (for example, during a sharp cold snap or the absence of a person in the house for a long time), they fall into suspended animation, in which they can remain for more than a year until the return of a source of food or normalization of external climatic conditions.
Lifestyle
Bed bugs are predominantly nocturnal. Only a certain danger or alarm can force them to become active during the daytime, for example, destruction of their habitat or the action of third-party chemicals.
The parasites are most active between 3 am and 6 am. At this time, they are especially dangerous for humans, since they go out in search of food, this is their feature. Insects are mobile and fast, they can get from any corner of the apartment to the bed in a matter of seconds, spend about half an hour feeding and return to their previous shelter.
Bed bugs spend most of their life cycle preferring to hide in various shelters, emerging at night to satisfy their hunger or to find a new home if the old one has been destroyed.
After a single feeding, bedbugs digest the blood somewhere in a secluded corner of the home.
Reproduction and development
Bed bugs mate through traumatic insemination:
- The male, using his genital organ, pierces the female’s abdomen and injects seminal fluid into it.
- After a few weeks, the female begins to lay eggs (up to 5 eggs daily). Over the entire life cycle, one adult female is capable of laying about 250-500 eggs.
- An insect in an egg will develop to the adult stage on average 30-45 days, but in extreme conditions development can take up to 100 days.
- Bedbug larvae immediately begin to look for food on their own, because to move to the next stage of development (and to molt) they need a certain amount of blood they drink.
Prevention of bedbugs
To avoid the appearance of harmful neighbors, you should take preventive measures:
Systematically clean the room with special care. Be sure to clean the apartment from dust, debris and dirt. Periodically thoroughly clean carpets and places where books and furniture are located. Vacuum all hard-to-reach places, especially under the bed. Bedding should be washed and ironed once a week. When changing bed linen, carefully inspect the bed for the presence of bedbugs; most of all, they love secluded corners.
It is advisable to immediately make repairs when moving into an apartment. If your neighbors have bed bugs, seal all the cracks and cracks in the walls.
It is important to make at least cosmetic repairs, change the wallpaper and baseboards. If possible, replace old hardwood flooring, as this is a favorite habitat for insects. Inspection and disinfestation of new furniture or apartment
Before moving into a new home, inspect it. If possible, immediately treat the apartment with insecticides. The same is done with new furniture; it is worth inspecting all the cracks and hard-to-reach places. You should not purchase used furniture to avoid bringing parasites home.
There are many ways to get rid of bedbugs, and it is up to you to decide which one to use. It is worth remembering that all insect control methods have a temporary effect. Therefore, it is better to trust a professional who will carry out high-quality disinfection of the room and you will not have to worry about how to get rid of blood-sucking insects for a long time.
