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Getting Rid of Bed Bugs the Organic Way

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Remember those days when we didn’t have to worry about bed bugs? When we were dancing in the brilliance of chemicals and our freedom from pests? Well, we were bugless, but our environment and wildlife was suffocating from the affects of harmful chemicals like DTT, and the pesticides were also affecting our own health.

The change in pesticide practices has enabled the resurgence of bed bugs. But even if we kept up our bad habits, the bed bugs would have reappeared anyway. All those chemicals have only created a greater monster—they’re now resistant to many pesticides.

International travel hasn’t helped us much. Travelers bring the bed bugs with them. Hotels once used residual chemicals constantly in their rooms in order to maintain a “pest free” status. But in the 1990s they replaced their pesticides with traps for other pests. Bed bugs now have the opportunity to find their way to the bed without encountering any obstacles. Because of this, hotels are now scrambling to keep bed bugs at bay while still maintaining a safe, chemical-free environment for their guests.

Cleaning Helps Some

The most organic way to kick out bed bugs is to clean. This is one area where hotels have an advantage; their rooms are constantly vacuumed and cleaned. But don’t misunderstand; bed bugs don’t need a filthy room to thrive. They can infest even the cleanest room.

However, a thorough, deep clean will decrease the bed bugs’ population. Remove all the bedding, wash it in hot water, and dry it on the hottest setting possible. Then vacuum, and vacuum, and vacuum some more. Don’t let anything go without being swept over by the hose—including the mattress, bed frame, near baseboards, closet, and in any fabric in the room. If you think there’s a bed bug on it, vacuum it. (Also be sure to check the dresser and side table drawers for bed bugs.)

Afterwards, you need to gather any other fabric object that can’t be washed, vacuum it, bag it in plastic, and tape it tightly. Leave them be from a week to a few weeks. This should suffocate the bed bugs.

If you want to be completely sure that your bed bugs don’t have a chance, scattering food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) across the infected areas is a great way to stave off the remaining population. Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized skeletal remains of diatoms. It pierces the skins of insects and causes them to become dehydrated. This powder is not harmful to humans; however, be sure to wear a mask to prevent breathing it in and gloves to protect your hands as you disperse it.

Treatment Takes Time

Move the bed away from the wall, and pore DE around the legs of the bed—where the bed bugs can’t help but crawl in the stuff to get to their meal. Dust the mattress with the stuff—including in between the mattress and the box springs. You could also put it in the carpet and the corners of the room. After it is applied, wait for 10 to 14 days. Inspect it, and if you see nothing but dead bed bugs, feel free to clean up the DE and reclaim the room again.

These methods can be very effective for managing and eliminating your bed bug problem. But bed bugs are particularly stubborn. If all your do-it-yourself efforts fail, there are also pest control companies that use green products and methods. You’ll still be conscious of the environment, and you will be taking care of your bed bug problem efficiently. Especially if you have a larger infestation, you would save a lot of stress by calling a professional.

So keep the bed bugs away with organic methods, and you will not only be able to protect the environment, but everyone’s health as well.

McKenzie Hillam is a freelance writer who loves to travel and hates bugs. She writes for companies like Preventive Pest Control in Las Vegas.

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