Home remedies to get rid of bed bugs

Tiny creatures like bed bugs can literally wreck havoc in your house. Recently, my bed got infested with bed bugs, and I had a hard time sleeping at night. I had a stinging sensation at the back of my ears and on the feet. Next day, I was feeling itchy and spotty at the back of my ears. I clicked a picture of it with my cell phone camera. I was shocked to see three tiny bite marks. I showed it to my Mom and she instantly figured out what was wrong. 'Oh my God! Those are the bed bugs bite!', she exclaimed with a hint of worry on her face. I couldn't imagine I had bugs in my bed!

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Calling up pest-control services to get rid of bed-bugs was out of question, because I am allergic to fumes and smells of the insect sprays and other chemicals they might use. So Mom suggested we keep the mattress and the pillows in the sun. It was summer then, and the temperature was beyond 40 degrees Celsius. Perfect time to roast bed bugs!

So, we moved the pillows and the mattresses to the eighth floor my apartment building and let it stay out there in the sun for a good 7-8 hours. Thank you God, for the elevators! I also washed my bed-sheet, duvet, pillow covers and put it out in the sun to dry. We did this back to back for two days. And voila! My mattresses, pillows, pillow covers, bed-sheet and duvet were free from bed bug infestation.

I realized that in spite of maintaining highest level of hygiene, our homes get infested with bugs anyways. So, we need to be watchful for signs of their presence. On noticing any bugs, we should take prompt remedial measures.

Here are some home remedies that will surely help you get rid of bed-bugs.

• To begin with, wash the bed-sheet, pillow covers and duvets thoroughly. If possible, use hot water. Also wash mattress cover, if any. Dry it in sun. But, do read the wash instructions on them. Do not wash them in hot water or dry them in hot sun if the instructions say so.

• Apart from putting the mattress and pillows out in the sun, you can also use hot steam. This is perhaps the deadliest way to exterminate bud bugs. Many vapor steamers are available in the market these days that are used to clean floor, bathrooms, tiles walls, etc by the power of hot steam. Alternatively, you can use a steamer that is meant for ironing clothes. Steam the mattress and pillows on both the sides to eliminate the bugs. Steaming is a good option, in case the bed-bugs decide to attack your bed during monsoons and winters.

• Homes with pets like dogs and cats have an increased susceptibility to bed-bug infestation. There is quite a possibility that your pet's bed is infested with bed bugs. If so, do not hesitate to discard the mattress. Examine the surrounding area for bed-bugs and their eggs.

• Beg bugs do not feed  for longer than 8-10 minutes. Neither do they have a firm grasp on hair. If your pet is carrying bed bugs, a session of grooming outside the house shall do the trick.

• You can keep bed bugs at bay by vacuuming the mattress, pillows, carpets and frame of the bed at regular intervals, preferably, 3-4 times a week. Discard or burn the content at a safe place, preferably outside the house.

• Get a cover for your mattress if you haven't been using one. A mattress cover will prevent the bed bugs from penetrating deep into the mattress.

• Change the bed-sheets and pillow cover at regular intervals. Wash the duvets too.Wash them thoroughly everytime using a good detergent.

Beg bugs are pest. They bite and give you nasty bite marks with a stinging sensation. They deprive you of good night sleep. Do not ignore their presence. We have simple home remedies now, to eradicate them. Hygiene and vigilance are the best methods to prevent bed bugs.