Heat treatments can kill bed bugs in one day by a licensed pest control company. The affected room is heated to between 135°F (57.2°C) and 145°F (62.7 °C). Some experts believe the rising temperature in the room lures the bed bugs from the daytime hiding spots.
Heat is non-toxic, and can kill all bed bug life stages including bed bug eggs. However, heat treatment of any kind (except your home clothes dryer) is still relatively expensive and has no residual (long lasting) activity. The lack of residual activity means that bed bugs can re-infest again the day after treatment.
Pyrethroids are synthetic chemical insecticides that act like pyrethrins. Both compounds are lethal to bed bugs and can flush bed bugs out of their hiding places and kill them.
Vinegar is often used as a contact type insecticide, which means that you need to spray it directly unto the spotted bed bug to make it effective. Vinegar offers short term and limited effects on your fight against bed bugs. It is not so effective as a stand-alone treatment against serious cases of infestation.
DIY treatments include high heat, bleach, alcohol, and diatomaceous earth. Rubbing alcohol, salt, baking soda, and boric acid are not effective. Certain essential oils repel bed bugs but won't kill them. Diatomaceous earth is an effective passive method of bed bug treatment.
Steam – Bed bugs and their eggs die at 122°F (50°C). The high temperature of steam 212°F (100°C) immediately kills bed bugs. Apply steam slowly to the folds and tufts of mattresses, along with sofa seams, bed frames, and corners or edges where bed bugs may be hiding.
Lemon (Or Any Citrus)
Like many other animals, bed bugs hate the smell of citrus plants. Citrus, particularly oranges and lemons, will smell gross to them. As a result, most bed bugs will not want to stick around this aroma for too long. There are several ways to make this work for you if you want to repel insects.
Bed bugs are easy to kill using heat. Their thermal death point is reported to be 114-115° F. Putting infested clothing in a hot dryer is an excellent way of killing bed bugs and their eggs. Heat can also be used to kill bed bugs and their eggs in furniture and carpeting.
Bed bugs are generally considered to be nocturnal and prefer to forage for a host and take a blood meal during the night. They also will come out in the daytime or at night when lights are on, in order to take a blood meal, especially if there were no human hosts in the structure for a while and they are hungry.
Vacuum your mattress and floors often.
Wash all sheets, clothing, and textiles at least once a week in hot water. Use caulk to seal cracks around baseboards, electrical outlets, light sockets, and furniture, so bed bugs can't hide in them. Check for bed bugs in hotels, hostels, and guest rooms you sleep in.
Baby powder can be used to smother and suffocate bed bugs. A 70% isoprophyl solution will also kill bed bugs and their eggs on contact. Both of these methods, however, may require multiple applications to fully eliminate an infestation.
Diatomaceous earth is a passive way to kill bed bugs. It often requires some time for results to show (usually between 2 to 4 weeks, and sometimes longer). That's because bed bugs must come into direct contact with the powder for it to work.
To lure bed bugs out of their hiding spots, you can use a steamer or a hairdryer to heat areas such as mattresses. Neither of these is hot enough to kill the bed bugs, but it can trick them into thinking a human host is near. You can also keep an eye out at night to locate their nests when they are most active.
Travel – Bedbugs may find their way onto luggage in hotels and motels with a high number of occupants. If you have stayed at a hotel or other home recently, leave bags and clothes in the garage or somewhere far from upholstered surfaces, suggests Allan Bossel, to avoid unintentionally transporting them to your home.
It's very difficult to get rid of bedbugs yourself because they can be hard to find and may be resistant to some insecticides. There are some things you can try yourself, but these are unlikely to get rid of bedbugs completely.
For washable items research shows that dry cleaning, washing in hot water for 30 minutes, or tumble drying for 30 minutes on high will kill all stages of bed bugs. Non-washables are a little trickier. Items that aren't needed for a while can just be stored.
Some of the most effective household cleaners aren't meant to be mixed. You probably already know never to combine harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia (or really, bleach and anything). But common pantry essentials that are often used for cleaning — like baking soda and vinegar — shouldn't be mixed either.