Bedbugs are small, harmless insects that emit a horrible smell when squashed. They can be a huge annoyance, but there are many ways to keep them at bay. Gently pick them up or use a few traps to keep them from releasing their unpleasant odor into the house. You can also keep them out of the way by sealing gaps, reducing lighting, and treating exterior walls with insecticide.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Eliminate Bedbugs in the House
Step 1. Leave them intact to prevent them from spreading their own smell
They are known for the disgusting smell they emit when crushed. Therefore, when you see them, do not crush them or step on them, otherwise a pungent smell will spread throughout the house.
Step 2. Collect them and flush them down the toilet
The best way to catch and eliminate these insects is to use a broom and dustpan. Gently accompany them into the scoop to avoid crushing them. Pour them down the toilet and flush the toilet before they have a chance to release their scent.
Avoid using a vacuum cleaner, as the pressure inside the appliance could compress them and trap their smell in the bag
Step 3. Place some sticky traps around the house to catch them and track their activity
You can buy them in a hardware store and distribute them in all the rooms of the house. They will allow you to catch bedbugs, but also to understand where they are most concentrated. Discard and replace them as needed until the problem is resolved.
- Place them on windowsills to catch these insects as they try to enter the house.
- Make sure you keep them out of the reach of children and pets.
- Avoid placing them outside as they can trap small animals or harmless insects that carry pollen from flower to flower, such as bees.
Step 4. Eliminate them using detergent, vinegar and warm water
Pour 120ml of vinegar and 60ml of dish soap into a spray bottle. Add 240ml of hot water and swirl the mixture to blend. Spray it on bedbugs at close range to kill them instantly.
Please note that this solution could smear the surfaces on which it is applied
Step 5. Pour the bedbugs into a bucket of soapy water
With this method you can kill them quickly and obstruct or mask their stench. Fill a bucket with hot water and dish soap. Remove bed bugs from walls, curtains or other surfaces and throw them in the solution. You can also collect them with a broom and dustpan and throw them in the bucket.
When you're ready to get rid of any bugs you've collected, simply flush them down the toilet
Step 6. Build a light trap out of a plastic bottle
Cut off the top of a large plastic bottle and slide it upside down on the other side. Use sturdy tape to attach a battery-powered flat torch to the bottom of the bottle that shines upwards. Leave the trap in a dark area of the house so that the bedbugs, in an attempt to reach the light, enter it and remain imprisoned.
- Apply duct tape or small pieces of foam to the sides of the plastic bottle to create a foothold and make it easier for bed bugs to enter.
- Create more than one light trap to get rid of these insects quickly.
Part 2 of 2: Keep Bedbugs Away
Step 1. Close the cracks around the house with sealant
It is possible that bedbugs enter the house by exploiting external cracks or holes. Use a urethane sealant gun to fill in the small openings. Do this every year to keep your home in good condition.
Pay particular attention to the areas adjacent to doors and windows
Step 2. Replace or repair damaged mosquito nets
Bedbugs can enter the home through small lesions formed in the mosquito nets. Then, check them to see if they are punctured or torn, even slightly, and repair them with a sticky glue. Fix holes larger than 2-3 cm by applying a mosquito net patch with strong adhesive. If they are badly damaged, replace them completely.
Consider adding protection to other possible entry points, such as the chimney opening, pipes, drains, ventilation ducts, and drains
Step 3. Rub a clothes dryer sheet over the mosquito nets
It seems that the scent released by this product repels bedbugs. To further protect your home from these insects, run it over any mosquito nets. The scent will adhere to the wire mesh discouraging them from entering the house.
If the mosquito net is very large, use 2 sheets to sprinkle the fragrance over the entire surface
Step 4. Make a peppermint spray to repel bed bugs
Pour 480ml of water into a spray bottle. Add 10 drops of peppermint essential oil and shake to blend the mixture. Spray it around bedbugs' entry points, such as windows and doors, to prevent them from entering your home.
You can also mist it outside to keep these unwanted guests at bay
Step 5. Apply a bifentrin insecticide outside the home when autumn comes
Purchase it at a hardware store and spray it on exterior walls in September or October. Try it in a hidden corner and wait a few days to make sure it doesn't damage the facade. If it is safe, spray it on all external surfaces.
- Spray the pesticide upwards to make sure you coat the entire wall evenly.
- Wear protective goggles and clothing in case the pesticide falls on you while spraying it.
- Do not apply it in the garden on trees and leaves in an attempt to kill bedbugs.
- If you prefer a simpler solution, consider outsourcing the job to an exterminator.
Step 6. Dim the external lighting
Since bedbugs are attracted to light, lighting outside your home can be tempting, so try to keep it low near the front and back entrance to your home. Turn off the light bulb on the porch when you are not using it.
Alternatively, buy a motion sensor lamp to avoid unnecessarily turning on outdoor lights
Step 7. Place a dish soap-based trap outside your home and light it
Catch bedbugs that might make their way inside by using soapy water at night. Equip it with a lamp so that when it lights up it becomes an irresistible attraction for insects. They will introduce themselves by drowning in soapy water.
