People love the smell of lavender, lemon, quality perfume, hand sanitizers, spices and fresh fruits. But did you know that bed bugs hate the smells humans like? Finding these nasty, tiny bloodsuckers hiding in your sofa or bed is a yucky discovery. The good thing is you can use some of the items you have at home to scare them away.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a powder, a distinctive type of sand, composed of fossilized algae called diatoms. Diatoms contain silica. This silica absorbs the oils and fats from the insects’ exoskeleton, causing dehydration and death.
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in pest-infested areas and let it do the trick. You can buy diatomaceous earth online or at home improvement shops.
Rubbing Alcohol
Who knew something as readily available as rubbing alcohol can repel bed bugs? They so hate the scent that they stay away from areas applied with alcohol. Direct application of rubbing alcohol damages and dries out their bodies, seriously testing their survival skills.
However, only about half of the bed bugs will die, no matter how concentrated the isopropyl alcohol is. What’s left will keep on breeding. For total annihilation, let an experienced bed bug exterminator handle the situation. Of course, you can still try the other items below as preventive measures.
Mint
With its potent and distinctive aroma, mint emits a strong, unpalatable scent to bed bugs, effectively repelling them. The high concentration of volatile oils found in mint, particularly menthol, disrupts the sensory mechanisms of bed bugs, making the environment inhospitable.
You can ward off bed bugs by directly applying mint oil around the room or by placing dried mint leaves in strategic locations.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is known for its natural insect-repellent properties, making it an eco-friendly bed bug repellent. And as a result, bug bites can be prevented. Like rubbing alcohol, tea tree oil targets the bed bugs’ exoskeleton.
To use, fill a spray bottle with tea tree oil and water. Apply liberally across affected areas to stop the spread of bed bugs. If the scent is too potent, dilute the oil with warm water.
Cinnamon
With its warm and enticing scent, cinnamon also deters bed bugs effectively. This spice contains cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid, which are highly toxic to bed bugs. Cinnamon is a favored choice for natural pest control.
For a less intrusive application, lightly dust the perimeter of your bed or areas prone to infestation. Use cinnamon moderately, though, as its dust can irritate the respiratory system.
Lemon Juice
Ever used up a lemon and placed its peels in your kitchen or bathroom before throwing them away? That’s because it can eliminate foul odors in your home. Apparently, lemon juice can drive away bed bugs. They hate its aroma and its astringent properties can harm them.
Squeeze some fresh lemons, and add water to the juice. Spray it in various areas in your house to deter bed bugs, eliminate unwanted smells and keep your space fresh.
Lavender Oil
Bed bugs and their eggs can’t escape death when you use lavender oil as an insecticide. They hate both its smell and taste. Luckily, human noses love this scent. So you’re hitting two birds with one stone – eliminating bed bugs and making your rooms smell good by applying lavender oil.
Other Essential Oils
A Purdue University research identified that thyme, oregano, citronella, and clove essential oils are the most effective against bed bug infestations. However, the most potent among 15 essential oil compounds was significantly less effective than synthetic pesticides.
This begs the question: can essential oils truly eliminate bed bugs? The answer is nuanced. Essential oils can indeed kill bed bugs, but only through direct contact, which is often not feasible in practice. When these oils do make contact, they don’t guarantee immediate kills like chemical insecticides.
“Scent” Them Away
You’ve just learned some helpful tips and tricks to send bed bugs away. Some of these items are already available in your home. You may still have lots of rubbing alcohol left from the pandemic. Use them for this purpose.
But as always, prevention is better than cure. Don’t let the bed bugs bite you in your sleep or ruin your mattress. Regularly clean your house, declutter and seal the cracks. These guides are helpful. But when you face pest infestation, better call the bed bug busters.
About the Author
Luqman Butter is a certified pest exterminator with over a decade of experience in wildlife removal and pest control in Toronto, Canada. He has had the pleasure of dealing with every pest imaginable; from bed bugs, rats, skunks, snakes and bats. His passion for pest and wildlife control has lead him to become a trusted voice in sharing knowledge and information about pest and wildlife control with the mission to educate people on how to deal with various pest issues in the most effective way possible.