Now I'm trying to decide how to get rid of bed bugs at home quickly on my own, which means will help, I do not know exactly. I want to ask for advice from experts. Tell me what substances there are, what will work best. I would like to choose a product without smell and effective enough. And I will also ask separately whether it really does not make sense to try to use insecticides after repeated use. Thank you for your answers and your time.
The author of the portal answers the question:
What bed bugs look like. Features of the structure, the main signs. Photos of adults, larvae and eggs
У bed bugs There are a number of individual characteristics that allow you to immediately determine who is attacking the occupants of the house/apartment. The main signs are:
- adult length varies from 5 to 8 mm;
- The body is oval, flat in a hungry state, when the parasite is saturated, it becomes oval, lengthens 2-3 times;
- 6 limbs;
- color constantly changes: as they develop, the color of the chitinous shell becomes darker (from milky in larvae to brownish in nymphs, brownish-red in adults);
- 1 pair of geniculate antennae;
- no wings;
- the body is segmented;
- oral apparatus of the stabbing-sucking type.
It is also important to understand what bed bugs look like at an early stage of development. This will allow you to find larvae, nymphs, and then exterminate them once and for all. Differences between juveniles and adults:
- body size changes from 1 to 4 mm as it grows;
- The outer covers are transparent, so it is easy to see when a bed bug has received a portion of food - the abdomen becomes bright red;
- as long as there are no pronounced segments on the body.
Eggs parasites look even smaller, up to 1 mm in length. These are oval formations with a truncated end on one side, and here there is a hole with a lid.
Lifestyle, nutrition and activity period of the bedbug
Insects rarely appear during the day.
They do not tolerate daylight, so from early morning until nightfall they try to hide inside furniture, in cracks, under coverings - any areas that are close to a person's sleeping place. It is important to study the question of how to remove bed bugs, first of all, you need to find their nests. This is the name given to the places where the parasites congregate. Here are also found eggs, larvae of different ages, traces of life activity: shells, which young individuals lose, excrement.
The main and only food source of bed bugs is human blood. If there is no opportunity to bite the main host, the parasite will attack animals or birds. In the absence of food, these insects enter the diapause phase. Fighting bed bugs in the apartment at this stage does not always yield results: the insects have a flattened body when hungry, the chitinous shell is tough enough, so crushing the pests will not work.
Many people throw them away, but in this case the parasites can return or repopulate the neighbors' apartment.
Preliminary preparation for insect poisoning
Before you choose a way, how to get rid of bedbugs permanently, study the specifics of the process of tidying up your home before treatment. It is divided into several stages, each of which is important in its own way. So, it is necessary to find the nest of parasites, remove all signs of insects, as well as to block access ways for other individuals into the apartment and not allow pests to escape.
They may pass to their neighbors, and in the future, under different circumstances, come back again.
Determine the presence of bed bugs. Where the insects can breed
You should look for impromptu sockets pests. Domestic parasites simply congregate in hidden areas. They do not make nests (in the traditional sense of the definition of the word). So conventionally called places, which, when a large number of individuals appear, acquire similar features: there are many insects, traces of their vital activity (black formations), eggs, young specimens. Signs of the appearance of such nests:
- smell in the apartment - reminiscent of the aroma of old cognac;
- bites on the body, they are left by young and adult house bugs;
- husks and red dots on the bedding.
It is important to understand how to destroy bedbugs, taking into account the properties of the materials in the areas where parasites formed nests:
- upholstered furniture (sofa, folding chair), other objects are infested by insects less often, because they are primarily interested in the source of blood, which means that first the parasites seek shelter near the sleeping place of the person;
- outlets;
- frame furniture;
- pictures, photos;
- plinths;
- under the carpet, other flooring, if there are cracks (parquet, laminate, linoleum joints);
- plafonds and the body of the lighting fixtures;
- the back wall of the furniture.
Prevent the spread of bed bugs
Can't allow escape parasites from the apartment. The desired result is achieved in different ways:
- properly use means of control, conduct a more thorough treatment of the dwelling, then the insects do not have time to escape, die;
- Before you decide how to get rid of bed bugs, inspect the apartment for leaks on different surfaces, you should eliminate defects in structures, then the parasites will stay in the apartment until death;
- solving the problem of how to get rid of bedbugs permanently, consider the option of joint disinfestation - together with the owners of neighboring apartments.
Prepare for processing
Half of the success of effective insect extermination comes from nest detection.
The easiest place to find habitats is during the general cleaning process.
It is carried out before spraying the poisonous substances, so that the fine particulate matter will get on clean surfaces and will not lose its properties (it can harden when in contact with dust). At the same time move furniture away from the walls, which will open access to the backs of cabinets. Other preparatory measures:
- Pillows, blankets are exposed to a source of heat or cold (taken out into the frost or heat);
- bed linen is washed at high temperatures (+60 ° C and above);
- mattress must be removed from the bed in order to inspect and treat it with special products;
- all personal belongings (hygiene items, clothing) are removed from the room, hermetically packed with plastic film;
- Aquarium, animals, children should not be in the room, flowers are also transferred if possible;
- If there are dishes or cutlery in the room, they should also be moved away, hermetically sealed.
10 easy ways to quickly get rid of house bugs
There are many ways to get rid of insects from an object, but most of them involve waiting for results, for example, when the insecticide works or a folk remedy will scare the parasites away. In such cases, consider methods of getting rid of bed bugs faster.
Calling the disinfection service
This is the most reliable option. After treating the object, the parasites disappear with the entire colony. The principle of action is based on the release of a poisonous substance in the form of a fine suspension. It is necessary to understand how to kill bed bugs, with the use of methods:
- freezing fog;
- hot fog;
- barrier protection.
The substances of the first two groups differ in parameters: the particle size of the cold fog is larger, they settle down faster than in the case of the hot agent. Barrier protection is similar in principle to the action of the aerosol. You need to understand how to poison bed bugs in this case:
- a coarsely dispersed slurry is atomized;
- particles settle quickly due to their heavy weight;
- The product provides protection: on contact with it, the bedbug will soon die.
Barrier protection can be used as a way to prevent the reappearance of parasites. Used by exterminators after bed bug extermination activities are complete.
Steam treatment
You can apply steam generator. Other sources of hot steam are ineffective (including boiling pots, kettles, etc.). The recommended temperature to kill the parasites quickly is +55°C and higher. When deciding how to kill bed bugs, you need to take into account the duration of exposure. The higher the temperature of the hot steam, the faster they will die pests. For example, if you treat them with a heat source with parameters of +55°C, death will occur in a few minutes.
If a steam generator is used, the temperature of the steam at the nozzle outlet is several times higher than the specified value. This means that Insects will die instantly.
Hot air dryer treatment
Deciding,how to get rid of If you want to remove bed bugs by yourself, take into account the parameters of the device. For example, if it is powerful enough, it will provide the necessary conditions for the destruction of parasites. The temperature of the air stream reaches +70 ... +80 ° C. It is recommended to keep the hair dryer at a distance of up to 20 cm from the treated surface.
To consolidate the result, you should linger on each of the sites for a few minutes.
House cleaning and disinfestation
Often when parasites are detected, treatment begins immediately. The nests are left untouched and the parasites hide in hiding places. When the treatment is finished, pest activity may increase. For this reason, extermination of bed bugs begins with cleaning. It is necessary to inspect the entire furniture, remove traces of pests where possible. When an extermination is performed, all hidden areas that have been found are treated with an insecticide.
This will help solve the question of how to destroy bed bug eggs.
Washing of bedding
This method is suitable for destroying parasites from woven things: bedclothes, towels, clothes. It is necessary to wash them in a machine or boil them. In both cases, the water temperature exceeds +60°C - this is the limit, upon reaching which the insects quickly die.
Wash the bedding before you start etching.
Vacuum cleaner
This method allows you to quickly collect the parasites from the surfaces where they have made their nests. A powerful air flow is created, drawing in all the dirt, as well as insects and their clutches. But when choosing how to remove bed bugs, you should also consider the possible consequences. For example, insects can get stuck inside the vacuum cleaner: adults, their eggs. It is impossible to completely clean the mechanism of the device, so soon bed bugs will reappear, how to get rid of them - already apply other methods than the vacuum cleaner.
The device that was used for nest cleaning will probably no longer be able to be used in the future at home.
Caulking cracks and crevices
When deciding how to poison bed bugs, you must first make a cosmetic repair of the apartment or fill individual cracks with the solution:
- on the floor;
- walls;
- The ceiling, where the communications are laid;
- in a cracked door frame or doorway.
It is through the leaks in the apartment enter the bed bugs, their extermination is carried out with standard means (chemicals).
However, this is a temporary measure, because through the cracks the insects will again enter the territory of the dwelling. You should permanently close all access ways to them by removing defects in the supporting structures in the form of cracks.
Getting rid of contaminated items that cannot be treated
Before dealing with the question of how to destroy bed bugs, inspect the apartment, assess the condition of the furniture. It will be necessary not only to destroy the parasites, but also to remove stains from excrement, as well as the smell. This is difficult to implement if the insects have been living inside the furniture, on the mattress for many months. The odor and waste products are absorbed into the structure of the material.
The problem can only be solved by replacing the furniture, coverings.
Diatomite (powder)
This substance is included in many remedies. It is the name of the rock. If it is used in powder form, the desired result is achieved in different ways:
- the product acts as an adsorbent - it absorbs moisture and prevents it from entering the body of the parasite, it does not take long to get rid of bed bugs;
- The powder breaks the integrity of the outer covers, shows itself as an abrasive substance, as a result of the damage the insects slowly die.
If the outer covers are injured, the affected tissues do not regenerate. You need to understand how to remove bed bugs in the apartment by yourself in this way: the powder is scattered in different areas, in places where the risk of occurrence is higher pests.
Observation, verification, and again observation
One of the most effective and least expensive methods bed bug prevention and control - control the condition of furniture, interior items, the underside of the carpet, mattress, bed linens. It is necessary to inspect things regularly.
It is necessary to look for signs of infestation of the object: excrement, eggs bed bugs, how to remove them should be decided after determining the properties of the material on which the deposit is made. This will determine what methods to use.
Professional pest control: pros and cons
When there are bedbugs in the apartment, what to do - first of all, consider all available means of combat, compare their positive and negative qualities. They are among the first to evaluate the benefits of professional pest control services:
- high efficiency;
- A single treatment is sufficient, since most professional tools continues for several months;
- The insecticide is sprayed by professionals, they know everything about parasites;
- Thanks to the principle of cold/hot fog, all surfaces are covered with poison, which accelerates the death of pests.
When deciding how to combat bed bugs, take into account the disadvantages:
- high toxicity of the used preparations;
- You need to leave the room for a long time: several hours / days (depending on the type of product, the manufacturer's recommendations);
- at the end of the recommended preservation period, the object should be used with caution as the poison remains everywhere: on upholstered, framed furniture, floor, curtains, carpet, etc.
The most popular and affordable remedies for exterminating bed bugs at home
It is possible to use household methods. But it is important to first learn how to get rid of from bed bugs in the apartment this way. Consider household chemicals, non-toxic substances that have a strong odor, and physical methods.
How to repel parasites with wormwood or tansy
Herbs with bitterness contain components that have a devastating effect on parasites. In addition, such plants repel insects, but do not kill them. More often than others, wormwood and tansy are used. The recipe for preparing a remedy to combat bed bugs at home is one:
- Take 2 tbsp. raw materials for 1 cup of water;
- Bring the liquid to a boil, remove from the stove;
- leave it to infuse until it cools completely.
If necessary, increase the amount of grass, but this should also change the amount of water.
Bed bug extermination with vinegar
This is tool can be used to repel insects in areas that have already been cleaned and treated. Thanks to the strong smelling agent in the area of ventilation, along the baseboards, in the entrance areas of pipes in the apartment will not appear vermin. You need to know how to quickly get rid of bed bugs in this way:
- take vinegar (9%), water;
- The recommended ratio is 1:1;
- the solution is wiped over the surfaces.
Boiling water is the safest way to remove parasites from sofas and other upholstered furniture
Thermal influence helps to destroy a group of insects in a short period of time. The temperature of the boiling water exceeds the maximum allowable level (+55°C) at which pests perishThe effectiveness of this method is high. Recommendations:
- open access to infected furniture;
- pour boiling water on the insects' nest, it is important to do it carefully so that the hot water does not ruin other materials and the pests do not escape.
The couch needs a long time to dry and clean afterwards. It is better to take it outside (in summer).
Cooling of the room
Contaminated furniture can be taken out into the cold. The same is done with bedding, toys, things, furnishings. You can leave things in your yard for several days. In this case, it is important to monitor the temperature - it should not be less than -17 ° C.
If you wonder how to exterminate bed bugs in the apartment by freezing them out, it is not possible to achieve the desired result - when the windows and doors are left open in severe frost, the risk of malfunctioning of the heating system, water supply increases.
This method is only suitable when the object is furnace heating, and water is drawn from a well or well (eg, cottage).
How to make ammonia poison for bed bugs with your own hands
In its pure form it is a strong-smelling, aggressive substance and is even used for destructions vermin nests (if they settle on washable surfaces and not on upholstered furniture). Different Recipes:
- deciding how to remove bed bugs, consider using a less concentrated product: 1 tbsp. should be added to 1 bucket of water, ready-made solution can only be used for repelling;
- add 3 tbsp. of ammonia to 1 cup of water - the result is a solution of more aggressive action, it is sprayed from a sprayer over surfaces where they can crawl Insects.
Tea tree oil
If it is necessary to choose methodIf you have to use the oil in a larger volume, then you create intolerable conditions for the parasites to live in. Natural repellent is prepared according to the recipe:
- prepare 2 tsp. essential oil 50 ml of water;
- the solution should be applied to areas of complex configuration (corners, with projections, joints - all elements of the structure where vermin are hiding).
Lavender oil
To get rid of from bedbugs at home, you can add 10 drops of it to 1 glass of water. The solution is used to treat surfaces where bloodsucking insects can crawl: inside framed furniture, above the floor, under the carpet.
The strong smell will scare the parasites away and they will go in search of a new home.
Kerosene
The product can be used in its pure form without additives, but despite its strong odor, only a deterrent effect is provided. Pests are killed by direct contact with kerosene, only when this substance gets on the chitinous covers. Recipe for preparing the poison:
- prepare: 5 g of naphthalene, 100 ml of kerosene, 50 ml of creosol;
- The components are thoroughly mixed;
- The product is applied to hard surfaces, because of the aggressive action and strong odor creates unacceptable conditions for the existence, soon the parasites themselves will leave the object.
Turpentine
Mix this component with kerosene in a ratio of 2:1 (it is enough to take substances in the amount, respectively: 200 and 100 ml). Add naphthalene 17 g or 50 ml of denatured alcohol.
The product is applied to surfaces, periodically renewing the layer of the solution, but regardless of the amount of it provides a predominantly repellent effect.
Ethyl alcohol
This substance has a less intense odor than ammonia or many other analogues, but it is still used. Alcohol is used to repel insects on surfaces. It can be used to kill insects in a nest by pouring a large amount of the substance over the area.
Video advice (photo + video): how to get rid of bed bugs yourself, a review of folk remedies
Advantages and disadvantages of using folk remedies
When the question is decided, how to poison bed bugs in the apartment on their own, assess the positive and negative qualities of all available remedies. This is how you choose the most suitable option. Advantages of using folk methods:
- ease of use;
- You can use improvised means more often (as convenient), there is no need to adhere to a special scheme;
- affordable components - in most cases they are at home;
- many of the substances in this group are not dangerous.
Negative qualities:
- Low effectiveness - in normal conditions, folk remedies only scare away, they are not considered when deciding what to poison bed bugs;
- strong, but not always pleasant smell (the exception is essential oils), which is difficult to remove.
The 12 Best Modern Chemicals Against Bed Bugs
To kill parasites, consider more aggressive methods exposure. These include insecticides. First you need to decide what to poison bed bugs with. More effective ways to control these insects:
- fog (cold, hot);
- aerosol;
- spray (based on a concentrated product).
Carbofos
Effective substance - malathion. It is an insecticide of the class of organophosphorus toxicants. When using it, there is an intensification of the action of one of the components into which malathion breaks down. At the same time, the nervous system is depressed. The price is 4200 per canister of emulsion concentrate.
Dichlofos
The drug is represented by many types: Neo, Varan, Eco, Universal. In most cases, substances of the pyrethroid class are used in production. They disrupt the metabolism of sodium ions, thus contributing to the development of paralysis. The price is 290.
Hot Fog
This uses an insecticide that is heated before spraying. As a result, a lot of fine particulate matter will appear at the outlet of the equipment nozzle. The particles do not exceed 20 µm. They retain their properties in the air for a long time and spread over significant areas due to the pressure created inside the equipment.
If you need to choose what to poison bed bugs with, you should consider that hot fog is for professional disinfestation. The average price of the service is 2500 for a 1-bedroom apartment.
Xulat micro
It is a concentrated liquid. It is used in different proportions, which depends on the type of insect. The main components: tetramethrin, cypermethrin, piperonyl butoxide. The mechanism of action of the remedy is based on the defeat of the nervous system, the ultimate goal is the death of parasites at different stages (except the eggs). The average price is 750.
The Executioner
Concentrated liquid contains fenthion. The principle of action is disruption of nervous system function. This is a consequence of disruption of protein phosphorylation processes in the parasite's body. The average price is 2500. (500 ml).
Combat
The substance is available in aerosol form. Composition: deltamethrin, tetramethrin. The required treatment effect is achieved by disrupting the exchange of sodium ions (stage of the nerve impulse conduction process). The drug has a special nozzle. It is buried in the hidden crevices for treatment. The cost varies depending on the composition, the volume of the bottle: 420-570.
Raptor
If you have a home bedbugsHow to fight them - consider effective remedies:
- aerosol;
- aquafumigator.
Both preparations are used, but at different times (not simultaneously). The composition includes pyrethroids, which provoke the development of paralysis in insects. The average price of an aerosol is 250. Aquafumigator costs more expensive - 540. It is an insect-killing system that releases insecticide into the air.
The fine particulate matter is deposited on all surfaces, including where bed bugs live in the apartment.
Cucaracha
It is one of the best products, it is considered a professional preparation. It contains insecticides of different classes: pyrethroid, FOS. This not only increases the effect of treatment, but also reduces the risk of parasites resistance to poisons. The product is available in liquid form and costs 400.
Clean House
The drug contains synthetic insecticides representing the pyrethroid class (tetramethrin, cypermethrin). The composition of the drug is similar to many of those discussed above, but it differs in the concentration of the active ingredients. The effectiveness and speed of action depend on it. The average price is 350.
Fufanon
If bed bugs appeared, how to get rid of them - for this purpose, consider another preparation of aggressive action, used by professionals. Fufanon contains the active ingredient of the same name. This component belongs to the group of FOS, acts effectively, because it depresses the nervous system. The price is 1500.
Forsyth
This is Concentrate, it is considered for the preparation of a solution. The remedy contains fenthion, this substance is one of the most effective, it is classified as the 3rd class of danger. The principle of operation is based on inhibition of the process of protein phosphorylation. As a result, the parasite can't move, eat, crawl, so it quickly dies. Fention is an insecticide of the FOS class. You can buy the drug for 250.
Get
Available in small vials, costs 590. The form of release is. microencapsulated emulsion. The poison is released from microscopic capsules gradually, thus increasing the duration of action of the solution. The product begins to kill parasites in 2 hours after spraying.
Disadvantages and advantages of using chemicals in the home
Before making the final choice waysIf you want to know how to poison bed bugs in the home, you need to learn about the pros and cons of using the chosen option. Advantages of household insecticides:
- high efficiency;
- you can fight insects of different species, because the preparations are universal;
- Prolonged action - the product retains its properties even in the air;
- Insecticide-based preparations kill adults, larvae, and nymphs.
Disadvantages:
- funds from bedbugs can be toxic - sometimes a class 2 hazard;
- treatment is carried out in accordance with the scheme, otherwise the substances will lose their properties.
Personal protection rules, safety precautions for extermination of bed bugs
All of the insecticides listed above can kill bloodsuckers parasitesas they are characterized by intestinal contact action, which makes them versatile. But it is important to correctly poison insects. If you plan to spray an aerosol, spray, hot mist, you need to prepare:
- mask;
- rubber gloves;
- polymer or glass glasses;
- closed clothing;
- a headscarf or other headgear.
After the work is finished, you should take a shower. When the insecticide is applied to surfaces with a brush or rag, hands should be washed with soap and water. It is recommended to rinse the mouth cavity.
When bed bugs are fogged, a fine particulate matter is released, it can get into the nasal passages, on the mucous membranes of the eyes (even if glasses were used), so all areas of the body should be rinsed or rinsed with water.
Prevention. How to prevent reinfection
If you can etched pests, you should continue to maintain the cleanliness of the room on your own. Basic activities:
- When buying new and old furniture, appliances, you need to inspect all surfaces inside and outside;
- exclude the possibility of penetration of parasites into the object, for this purpose they fill the cracks with mortar, change the ventilation grid for another one - with small cells;
- use any of the folk methods (essential oils, kerosene, vinegar or alcohol);
- Restore the doorway and replace the block if the wood is cracked;
- inside the furniture leave plants with bitterness;
- do general cleaning more often.
Expert tips
- bed bugs may develop resistance to poisons (for example, if the room has already been treated before), so it is better to try to use a combination of products containing different types of insecticides (pyrethroids and FOS, neonicotinoids);
- If there are nests of parasites on the bed, inside the sofa, it is better to destroy bed bugs in these areas with hot steam, boiling water or take the furniture out into the frost.
Reviews
Conclusion
To properly etch bedding parasites, you need to know what they look like: a brown segmented body 6-8 mm long, on 6 legs with 1 pair of antennae. They stay in hiding during the day and attack at night, so the bites appear on the human body after sleeping. Peculiarities of combating them:
- Parasites found at home by signs: unpleasant smell, excrement (black spots) on furniture, things. To prevent the insects from escaping poisoning, fill cracks in the floor, walls with mortar, close the ventilation duct with fine mesh mesh.
- The most effective means are: hot fog (a method used in professional disinsection), temperature effects, insecticides in the form of a spray or aerosol.
- Folk remedies are used as an additional source. They are available, always at home, used randomly, not according to the scheme, for example, to repel use ammonia, ethyl alcohol, denatured alcohol, turpentine.
- If you need to decide how to output bedbugsThe insecticide treatments are based on different types of insecticides. They contain substances that prevent the development of resistance in insects, as a result the effectiveness of treatment is not reduced.
- For prevention, folk repellents are used. You can additionally close the ventilation grid with fine mesh mesh, fill all the gaps in the supporting structures, door frame, opening.