Category Archives: Bed Bug Oil

11 Best Essential Oils for Bed Bugs: to Repel, Kill, and Prevent

Bed bugs can live anywhere in a house. They live in furniture, and the most common furniture is a bed. Their main diet consists of human and animal blood. [1]

Bed bugs do seem like tiny insects, but they are very dangerous.

Bed bugs have a lot of negative impact on human health.

There has been an increase of 81% in the calls to pest control companies since 2000 in USA.

Bed bugs thrive during the night, and they bite exposed areas of the body like face, necks, and hands. Bed bugs bite can cause redness, swelling, itching or bumps on the skin.

Essential oils for bedbugs are great aids when it comes to relieving the itching, pain and swelling.

What are Bed Bugs?

Bedbugs are parasitic insects. The common bedbug feeds on the human blood. There are other species of the bedbugs like bat bugs which are common in Europe, Western and Eastern United States.

The name bed bug comes from their preferred habitat of beds or other sleeping and warm areas. They are prevalent at night but are not nocturnal. They have the unique ability to feed on their hosts without being noticed.

Bedbug bites leave some adverse health effects which include skin rashes, allergies, and even psychological effects.

For thousands of years, bedbugs are here, living as the human parasites. In the early1940s, the developed world managed to eradicate it, but their numbers have increased since 1995 due to pesticide resistance.

As the human population kept in increasing, bed bug bites and related conditions have also improved. [2]

Bedbugs are fast, difficult to catch or see and most of the chemicals or pest control sprays dont work on them.

Another crazy fact, bedbugs can live without food for over a year!

RELATED: How to Get Rid of Parasites for Good : 12 Efficient Ways

How Do Bed Bugs Get Inside Your House or Mattress?

Bedbugs enter your house through luggage, clothing, travel bags, or anything new which is added to your house. Once inside your house, they can multiply at a fast rate and soon very dark and warm nook and cranny of your home is filled with them.

They dont have nests, but they do stay in groups and someplace where they can easily attack their prey and can quickly hide if needed.

Mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards are places where they have easy access to people.

Bedbugs feed on blood. So having them in your house does not necessarily mean that your home is dirty. They can be found in clean places, like hotels, as well.

Once they have spread cleaning can be difficult, and in those times only pest control can help. [3]

Signs and Symptoms of Bed Bugs Manifestation

Identifying the bed bugs bites is vital.

Some signs of bed bugs include:

Lavender oil has healing and soothing properties.

It has a wonderful smell, and in Southern France, lavender oil has been used to keep insects like scorpions away.

The floral scent which attracts humans repels bed bugs. It is suitable for killing the bug eggs away as well.

The oil is very efficient in healing itchiness, swelling and all kinds of bug bites. Its antibacterial properties prevent infections. For itching areas, a single drop of lavender oil is very relieving.

Sprinkling a few drops of oil around your bed will also keep the bugs away. Using the lavender oil after the elimination will also keep away further infestation.

READ NEXT: Lavender Oil for Hair Problems: 5 Ways to Use It

Tea tree oil is native to Australia. The aboriginals have used tea tree oil to treat health and skin related issues, which includes bed bugs.

Tea tree has high antimicrobial and antibacterial properties which kill bugs and their eggs. The strong smell disinfects and discourages pests.

Oil is a strong insect repellent and microbe killer which makes it perfect for bed bugs.

Sprinkle a couple of drops of tea tree oil to your laundry. It will help the clothes to smell fresh and keep bugs away.

Another way of getting rid of bugs is mixing tea tree oil with a few ounces of warm water, in a spray bottle. Sprinkling it over the potential places where bugs might be present, like carpets, rugs, and bed, will force the bugs to run!

RELATED: Tea Tree Oil for Scabies : 6 Home Remedies + Tips

One of the most potent antioxidants is thyme oil.

Since ancient times, it has been used as a medicinal herb to treat skin from harmful bacteria, fungal infections, insect bites and stings.

It has compelling insecticide qualities which help to repel, kill and prevent bed bugs infestation.

Thyme oil should be treated with care. Thyme oil is not safe for pregnant ladies and young children. It also protects the body from cuts and scars; and rashes.

To prevent pests like mosquitoes, fleas, lice and bed bugs creating havoc on your body, add a few drops of thyme oil in your closet, kitchen, and bed. [5]

According to some traditional stories, the three wise men (Magi) gave the infant King of Israel gifts of gold to honor his royalty, frankincense as a perfume and myrrh for anointing oil. Frankincense was a precious gift which has potential medical remedies.

Frankincense oil has many beneficial uses. It supports the immune system, fight infection and cure disease; heals skin and reduces scarring. It has a lovely aroma which will lift your mood, clear your mind and also protect from the horrible bug bites.

A single drop of Frankincense essential oil is enough to calm the itch by bed bugs. Apply the oil to the inflamed area, and it will soothe the bite. [6]

Lemon essential oil has a rejuvenating smell. It has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties which makes it another great essential oil for bed bugs. Lemon essential oil kills bed bugs and also gives your home an invigorating fragrance.

Spray lemon oil, mixed with water, all around your bed, your laundry or anywhere in your house. And wait for the oil will to work like magic!

Another essential oil for bed bugs, which is rich in properties and compounds is lemongrass oil. Lemongrass oil can kill insects and also prevent their eggs from hatching. Its very strong aroma will soothe your senses.

Apply this highly acidic oil in areas where bugs might access and get rid of bed bugs forever.

Since it is highly acidic, do not apply directly to the skin and be careful while using when children are around.

Eucalyptus is a favorite essential oil because of its healing properties and energizing scent. It also has antiseptic properties which are very useful in killing the bugs and their eggs.

Spray a few drops of eucalyptus oil all over your mattress, in the surrounding areas, and bedroom to keep a bug free environment.

Remember not to use eucalyptus oil on the skin for bed bug bites. It may have harsh effects on sensitive skin. [7]

Neem oil is prevalent in India, and for thousands of years, people have used it as a natural pesticide. The tree alone discourages the growth of mosquitoes and flies.

It indeed doesnt have a pleasant aroma, but it is undoubtedly the most effective essential oil for bed bugs.

Neem oil can be extracted naturally by pressing the leaves. But it should not be used on the skin directly. A carrier oil or water must be used to dilute it before using on skin.

Citronella Oil is a wonderful essential oil for bed bugs. Bugs dislike Citronella oil, and many commercial bug repellents use this oil. Citronella has a lovely and fresh smell, but insects, mosquitoes, and flies cannot stand it.

Spray citronella oil all around your bed and mattress to keep bed bugs away.

Citronella oil it is only for repelling bugs; do not use it on the skin for soothing bed bug bites. [8]

Clove Oil has an overpowering pungent smell, and it helps a lot in overpowering pests. It is also acidic and contains a compound called eugenol, which is toxic for bed bugs.

Spray all the dark corners where bed bugs could be breeding and multiplying, and the clove oil will kill them. It has a potent smell so tolerating the scent could be difficult if too much of it is sprayed. So be careful while spraying it.

Peppermint oil is famous is for its antimicrobial and insect-repelling properties.

Its fresh aroma is irritating to all types of organisms like spiders, rats, roaches, ants and bed bugs.

This oil can keep all other insects away from your home.

Peppermint oil can be used with other essential oils to keep bed bugs away.

Keeping cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil or spraying it all around the kitchen and other rooms keeps the rooms bug free.

However, it is a potent oil and should not be used on directly. Mixing peppermint oil with other essential oils like almond can help prevent mosquito and bed bug bites.

Be cautious while using peppermint oil in childrens bedroom.

READ NEXT: 12 Health Benefits of Peppermint Oil + (How to Use It)

Easy Homemade Bed Bugs Repellent Spray Recipe

The oils in the list work entirely on their own, but some essential oil, when blended, works even better!

Recipe 1:

Things you will need:

Directions:

Mix ten drops of lavender oil with three drops of peppermint oil and five drops of citronella oil and soak cotton balls in them. Then place the soaked cotton balls all over the bedroom.

Recipe 2:

Things you will need:

Directions:

Mix four drops of thyme, lavender and peppermint oil, along with eight drops of lemongrass oil and dip cotton-wool in the mixture. Place the cotton-wool all around the bed. The strong smell of the mixture will repel the bugs.

It is possible to prevent the infestation of bedbugs in your house naturally and also cheaply.

Wash all your travel bags, bed sheets, pillows and pillow covers in hot water. Washing in hot water will kill all sorts of germs and pests in and around your bed.

Regularly clean your house, if possible use a vacuum cleaner. By cleaning it regularly, the parasites will not have an opportunity to breed.

Open your room to more sunlight. Enough sunlight and airflow can reduce moisture to prevent bugs and mites nesting.

And lastly essential oils, the natural, safe and efficient way to kill this nasty insect. Essential oils do not have any side effects; they wont spoil your bed sheet!

RELATED: 25 Best Home Remedies for Roaches Control in Your House

Bottom Line

Dont be surprised if you see people throwing away their mattress because the mattress is probably filled with small oval blood-sucking bed bugs.

Instead of buying chemicals from stores try using these essential oils for bed bugs.

Using these natural bed bug repellents can be an excellent way of maintaining the equilibrium between nature and ourselves.

These have no harmful effect on our environment, and you will get best results without any adverse impacts.

READ NEXT: 8 Essential Oils for Bee Repellent

See the rest here:
11 Best Essential Oils for Bed Bugs Bites Remedy ...

One of the most popular home remedies for insects is tea tree oil. Used to both repel and kill bugs, it is likely the first solution you will hear. But how do you use tea trea oil for bed bugs and how efficient is it anyway?

Tea tree oil is a natural extract from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, native to Australia.

Among the qualities of tea tree oil is its use as a combination insect repellent and natural insecticide against numerous pests. The list includes mosquitoes, ants, bed bugs, and other biting or stinging insects. It has also been used to effectively kill lice and other parasites.

Photo Credit: Healthline

The recommended method of using tea tree oil to combat bed bugs is diluting 20 drops of oil in a spray bottle and spraying the bed sheets.

This simple approach is, unfortunately, ineffective.

Finally, bed bugs tend to hide in tiny cracks within the bed frame or nearby furniture, picture frames, and even electrical outlets. Spraying these may cause staining or create the risk of electric shock without any real chance of eliminating the infestation.

In conclusion, tea tree oil for bed bugs is a partial and temporary bed bug repellent, just like rubbing alcohol is.

Once nearly eradicated in developed countries, they have become more populous than ever and have a high resistance to insecticides.

Perhaps the first questions asked after discovering an infestation is what home remedies will work.

There are numerous reasons why you might choose to handle invading bugs on your own, such as cost or avoiding dangerous chemicals.

Unfortunately, bed bugs are a special case and cannot be completely eliminated by these treatments.

Photo Credit: Green Tech Heat

There are a wide variety of do-it-yourself treatment methods available for repelling or eliminating insects. Of these, several have been suggested for bed bugs due to their effectiveness on other species.

For example, diatomaceous soil is a nontoxic remedy used against cockroaches and other insects.

While this does not sound like an effective solution, bed bugs do not live in colonies or hives like many other insect pests. Thus, eliminating many of the females and their eggs is sometimes as simple as sucking them up.

Note that these methods will not eliminate your infestation, they will merely reduce the severity.

Another method which has some minor effect on bed bug populations is to place all of your sheets and linen into the dryer on its highest setting for at least 30 minutes. In case you remember, this is one of the EPAs recommended solutions on how to get rid of bed bugs.

Bed bugs are a serious problem which spreads quickly if undetected. These pests have become highly resistant to insecticides and can hide in very small spaces due to their tiny, flat shape.

Just in some particular cases, when the infestation is not severe.

Remember: if you are dealing with bed bugs, theres a high risk of them hitching a ride to work, a gym, or any other place you frequent to spread to other homes.

Do not rely only on home remedies to completely eliminate the problem! Discuss matters with a professional exterminator and make sure you use a mix of bed bug repellents to be sure you eliminate them completely!

Tea tree oil can be a partial and temporary effective treatment for bed bugs but only if the infestation is limited. Also, you should use undiluted tea tree oil to achieve good results.

Undiluted tea tree oil is harmful to humans. Some people (in a small percent) also develop skin allergies in contact with tea tree oil.

A common belief is that besides tea tree oil, other oils prove to be effective bed bugs repellents: lavender oil, clove, peppermint, cinnamon, or thyme oil. Their efficiency is questionable, however.

Among the most effective solutions, we can count: steaming and cleaning the house, clothing, and bedding; using high heat drying of bedding and clothing; freezing items you cannot heat; using a mix of DIY methods (including rubbing alcohol, essential oils, vinegar, etc.); get professional exterminators help; use bed bug monitoring devices to make sure you dont have an infestation anymore.

Read this article:
How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Bed Bugs and Is It Effective ...

A few years back, on a long weekend, I was extremely bored and there was literally no one around to spend time with. I was tired of binge-watching for more than 12 hours and stepping out alone was equally boring. I decided to get rid of this monotony and called up a friend a few miles away. She was in a similar state and we decide to call up the other girls in the city for a crazy pyjama-party.

How exciting does this sound? You meet your old friends on what was a long boring weekend and not only do you guys plan to party together but a girls night out together. After ages, this is definitely bliss. We decided to meet over at a friends place and spend the rest of the weekend there.

All geared up we went to her house which was about 4 hours away from our place. The weekend was unexpectedly thrilling and we enjoyed ourselves like crazy throughout the day. By 2:00 am a few of us started to fall asleep. Thats when I hit the bed too. Within an hour we all were running all over the room for ointments. Apparently, the bed was loaded (read extremely loaded) with bed bugs. I kid you not, for that entire weekend (which lasted for more than 48 hours) none of us fell asleep. The bed bugs were torturing us every time we tried to get rid of them and they literally sucked blood every single minute.

Chances are, you too must have heard of someone using professional pest control services to eradicate bed bugs from their mattress. It has become a common problem these days and since 2000, there has been an increase of 81% in the calls to pest control companies.

A recently published piece by the USA today showcase the top 50 cities of America that are prone to an attack by these blood sucking creatures. You can read the entire article and find out if your city is crawling with bed bugs.

Moving on, if you have been in a similar situation or have bed bugs in your mattresses already, you definitely need to read this piece. I repeat definitely.

That night out taught me two things

a) Bed bugs can be anywhere: On your sofa, your bed, your friends bed, your hotel room, hostel literally, anywhere.

b) I needed a permanent solution to get rid of bedbugs. I never carried them back with me to my place and to make sure I got to sleep.

There is a whole host of man-made pesticides that you could use or hire someone to use. However, these can easily damage your upholstery, clothes, sheets, and even be harmful to your own health. What I needed was to find an all natural way of getting rid of these pesky pests. Thats when I stumbled upon the best essential oils for bed bugs.

Bed bugs are tiny domestic vampires living in the headboard or in the mattress of your bed. These parasitic creatures feed on your blood and can leave reddish, itchy, painful blisters on your skin. These nocturnal little organisms come out only when the lights go off and a person is most vulnerable. And dont let their size mislead you. They are extremely fast. It is difficult to find them on your mattress for the first few hours or maybe even days. Plus, they are hardy creatures and not all types of chemicals or pest control sprays work on them. And a crazy fact they can live without food for over a year.

Bed bugs love to travel from one place to the other. No matter how dirty your bed or mattress is, a bed bug can only get in when it has managed to hide in your travel bags, suitcases, clothes, or any other item that you have recently added to your home. They are not a result of microbial infestation and multiply at a fast pace.

Typically, bed bugs hide in areas from where they can easily attack their prey and if needed, they can quickly hide away. Such spots in your house may include, but will not be limited to, clothing rack, closet, laundry basket, bedding, curtains, luggage, gym bags, backpacks, handbags, rugs, carpets, coffee tables, and couches.

Rule #1: Bed bugs cant stand temperature riseWere not kidding. This is one of the best and most effective strategies for the removal of bed bugs. The best way to try this technique is by using a dry steam over your couch, beds, pillows, mattress, carpets, rugs, curtains, etc. Make it difficult for the bugs to look for a colder place to hide.

Rule #2: Always wash your travel gears and other upholstery that you think is infested with hot waterYet another way to kill all the microbes, dust mites, and bed bugs is to wash the upholstery, travel bags, bed sheets, pillows and pillow covers in hot water. This will kill all sorts of germs and pests in and around your bedding.

Rule #3: Use a vacuum cleanerYes, this magical device not only sucks the dirt off your rug but can suck in those tiny vampires too. Use a vacuum cleaner regularly to keep your living space clean and make sure that those little parasites dont have an opportunity to start building their nests.

Rule #4: Let the sun shine in your roomIf you have access to a huge window and can manage a lot of sun in your room, then, let this technique come to use. Sunlight creates an uncomfortable environment for bugs to survive on the mattress, rugs or carpets and other such upholstered furniture. Let there be enough airflow and enough warmth in the room to convince them to leave. The heat can help reduce moisture in the bedding the prime reason why it acts as a breeding ground for bugs and mites.

Rule #5: Use essential oilsYes. They are natural, safe, effective and affordable. If used correctly, they wont harm your health unlike the pesticides nor will they spoil your linen. The reason that these essential oils are so effective is because

Lets take a look at some of the most popular essential oils for bed bugs.

1. Tea tree essential oil for bed bugsFrom fighting acne to treating head lice, tea tree oil has been a popular pick among many of us looking for an essential oil for bed bugs. You might already know that the oil is a strong insect repellent and microbe killer, making it one of the best essential oils for bed bugs. The oil can also be used to disinfect your house.

To get rid of bed bugs using tea tree essential oil, you need a spray bottle, a few ounces of lukewarm water and a 100% pure tea tree oil. Mix all of these together and spritz it over your linen, curtains, couch, carpets and rugs. The bed bugs should start running away in minutes thanks to its potent smell.

Alternatively, you can add a few drops of the oil to your laundry. It will smell fresh and keep infections and bugs at bay.

2. Lavender essential oil for bed bugsOh, this oil smells heavenly. Spritz a few drops all around your bed and let the aroma linger in the air. The bugs will leave your comfort space and the aroma will let you sleep peacefully. In Southern France, the oil has been used to keep scorpions away Im sure it will definitely wipe off these bugs off. The oil is believed to be effective against the eggs too.

3. Lemon essential oil for bed bugsThe fragrance of lemon essential oil is invigorating. A strong antiseptic, antimicrobial natural agent, the essential oil of lemon is another great essential oil for killing bed bugs that also gives your home a fresh scent.

Mix a few drops with your laundry or dilute with water to spray all around your bed or anywhere in your house. Just let the oil work its magic.

4. Peppermint essential oil for bed bugsThe essential oil of peppermint is revered for its antimicrobial and insect-repelling properties. From killing bed bugs to removing all other types of organisms like spiders and rats, peppermint essential oil can help you fight them all. The oil will keep all sorts of insects at bay and can be used with other essential oils.

However, always remember it is a potent oil and should not be directly applied to the skin or used in a childs bedroom.

Also read: Heal Thyself: 11 Uses and Benefits Of The Magical Peppermint Essential Oil

5. Eucalyptus essential oil for bed bugsEucalyptus is a popular oil among essential oil users and is revered for its holistic healing properties and energizing scent. It is effective in killing the bugs and their eggs due to its antiseptic properties. Spray a few drops all over your bedding and in the surrounding areas.

6. Clove essential oil for bed bugsThis pungent smelling essential oil can be overpowering for the pests. It is acidic in nature and is just the right pick for these bugs. Just make sure, you can stand the smell in case you have to spray too much of it.

7. Lemongrass essential oil for bed bugsAnother highly acidic oil that bed bugs just cant stand is the lemongrass oil. It can destroy their eggs, prevent them from breeding and oh, the aroma will just please your senses.

Note: Too strong to be directly applied on the skin. Be cautious while using when children are around.

8. Neem essential oil for bed bugs

Neem oil has been used for thousands of years in India as a natural pesticide. The tree alone acts as a deterrent for mosquitoes and flies. If you cold press the oil from its leaves, you have yourself an all-natural bed bug killer. It may not have the most pleasant aroma, but it is arguably the most effective essential oil for killing bed bugs.

However, like lemongrass and peppermint, neem essential oil is not to be used on the skin without first diluting it in a carrier oil or water.

Having learned the interesting hacks on shooing bed bugs away, I am sure you will soon be free of these irritating parasites. However, here are a few important points for you to know before you plan on taking charge of your house to steer the bugs away so that you dont mess things up instead:

a) Do not use pesticide spray all over your mattress, rugs, carpets or elsewhere and expect it to eradicate the bugs. The bed bugs are generally resistant to such sprays and the action can spoil your linen and leave the irritating odor of the spray behind which might linger for days.

b) Always use dry steam when trying the heat technique. Water would just act as a spoiler and when it turns cool, starts providing moisture to the environment thus, converting the bug spot into their breeding ground.

c) Do not use strong essential oils like tea tree in your childs room.

d) Always keep the living space clean. Remove all sorts of clutter from the room and ensure you dont give them place to hide or breed.

e) Do not just rely on essential oils. Seek professional help, especially if you or someone in your household is allergic to bed bugs. While essential oils are strong insect repellents, you can hardly manage to get rid of the bugs if there are too many. In such cases, do not try the home remedies and quickly resort to professional help.

Once the bugs are killed and leave your house, use can spritz essential oils once in a week to ensure they never return.

f) Before using any of the essential oils, make sure neither you nor your family members are allergic to the oil you are using.

g) Always use the purest form of essential oil to fight these bugs. A diluted oil might not be as effective. If you are planning on using these oils on your hair or skin, however, you should always make sure that the oil is diluted either in a carrier oil, another product like shampoo, or with water.

I hope this blog turned out to be of some great help to you. Look forward to your comments below after you have tried one of these remedies. Also, if you know of better hacks, do share them with us and our readers.

Good night, sleep tight, dont let the bed bugs bite!

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7 Best Essential Oils For Bed Bugs | Natural Ways To Get ...

Jennifer Gere remembers well what inspired her and her husband to spend a decade developing CimexiShield, a topical spray they say is the worlds first and only lab-tested bed bug repellant.

CemixiShield claims to be the world's only bed bug spray.

We were on vacation with our kids at a resort in Florida, Gere said. It was the middle of the night when we heard all this commotion outside. A woman was screaming that her kids were getting bit. We had no idea what was going on.

What was going on was a bedbug infestation. Imagine going to bed at night and waking up with your body covered in bug bites. Its the stuff of nightmares.

Gere was so bothered by her experience in Florida that she decided to start looking for something to take on trips that would protect her and her family from bedbugs. She quickly realized there was nothing.

I started to think about how I could make something to do something about this, she said.

Bedbugs have an anesthesia in their saliva that prevents you from knowing you're being bitten until ... [+] it's too late.

Geres husband, Joe, knows a thing or two about bedbugs. His company in New Jersey, BedBug Chasers, utilizes special heaters he designed to rid homes and businesses of bed bugs.

We realized that chemicals werent that effective against bedbugs any longer, Joe said. The only way to really kill them was with heat.

At 122 degrees Fahrenheit, all stages of bedbugs die, according to Joe. With his heaters, Joe raises the temperature in a home or hotel room to 130 or 135 degrees and keeps it there for hours so theres no chance of survival for any bedbugs in the house or room.

Typically we arrive around 8:30 in the morning and were done with our treatment by 2 in the afternoon, Joe said. With cool down you can be back in your home by 4, unlike the traditional chemical process, which takes four to six weeks. This is one day.

Bloodsucking bedbugs are formidable opponents. They have two sensors, one long-range and the other short-range. Their long-range sensors pick up on carbon dioxide, which is how they find where you are in your house or hotel room, by sensing your exhaled breath. Once they get in your general vicinity, a short-range heat sensor brings them directly to you.

Heat plus carbon dioxide equals food, Joe said. Its right out of the movie, Aliens.

It gets worse. Bedbugs have an anesthesia in their saliva that prevents you from knowing youre being bitten until its too late.

Nobody wants to be bitten by a bedbug, thats going to ruin your day, Joe said.

Jennifer and Joe Gere of CimexiShield.

After years of experimentation with different natural repellants, Jennifer and Joe came up with CimexiShield.

Its an oil-based product, all essential oils, Joe said. Its like any other moisturizer. Rub it into your skin and now youre fine.

Jennifer said the main ingredient of CimexiShield is lemongrass, plus a proprietary blend of several other oils. As she developed her bedbug spray, Jennifer tested prototypes on herself, tapping into a constant supply of bedbugs from her husbands work.

I have to give Jen credit, Joe said. She was a trouper, not only going through years of trial and error but also constant exposure. Does this one bite me or not?

Once she had arrived at a winning formula, Jennifer gave it to a third-party lab to be certified with blind testing on more than 100 people to make sure it was safe and effective. The certification was required by Amazon, where Joe and Jennifer are selling CimexiShield for $24.95 for a 2-ounce bottle.

The spray has two 5-star reviews so far, and Jennifer said sales are climbing every week.

Im just very excited about the whole thing, she said. Its so nice to help people that are living in fear with anxiety.

Original post:
Got Bedbugs? This Startups Topical Spray Will Chase Them Away. - Forbes

It can be difficult to identify bed bug bites because the red itchy bumps caused by bed bug bites look like flea bites or mosquito bites. Bed bugs usually come out at night and feed on the blood of humans. The tiny nasty pests can leave a cluster of bite marks on your face, arms, stomach, and legs. Some people only have a mild reaction to the bed bug bites and may only have a few small red dots. However, others have more severe reactions and are plagued by large red bite marks and an irresistible urge to scratch them.

Pictures of bed bug bites show groups of red bite marks on the body. Very often, the bite marks left by bed bugs are in straight lines or in a zig-zag and very rarely is there just one solitary red bite mark.

There are many effective natural home remedies to quickly get rid of the signs of bed bug bites. You can make your own natural treatments for insect bites with ingredients like witch hazel, apple cider vinegar, and aloe vera. The natural anti-inflammatory ingredients in those home remedies help to quickly relieve itching and promote healing.

In this article, you will learn how to identify bed bug bites and find out how to get rid of them quickly. You will also see images of bed bug bites to help you to spot the tell-tale signs that you have been bitten.

The Latin name for bed bugs is Cimex lectularius, or common bed bug. If youve ever seen a close-up picture of a bed bug you will see that they look quite scary. However, in reality, bed bugs are tiny pests that lurk in corners and crevices of beds, mattresses, and furniture. They are about the size of a small apple seed and many can be seen crawling around if you have an infestation.

Dr. Carol DerSarkissian on WebMD says that bed bugs have flat, brown, oval bodies. They dont have wings but can quickly scurry over floors, ceilings, and walls. The parasitic insects live in groups and love to hide in dark places. If you have a bed bug problem in your home, you should check for signs of bed bugs in corners of your bed frame, along the seams of mattresses, along baseboards, and behind pictures. In fact, they will live in any crevice that is large enough to slide a credit card into.1

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that bed bug eggs look like tiny white pinheads. As they go through their nymph stages they shed skins and these yellowish shells are a common sign to look for when checking for an infestation of bugs.2

On most people, bed bug bites look like itchy red bumps on their body. However, it can be difficult to know if the bite marks have been caused by bed bugs or not.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of bed bug bites may not appear for a few days. Also, each person reacts differently to being bitten by these irritating pests. Some people show no signs of being bitten whereas other people have a severe reaction to the bite, and large bumps appear on the skin that itch severely.3

However, Dr. Carol DerSarkissian on WebMD says that the only way to know for sure if the red bite marks have been caused by bed bugs is to look for signs of a bug infestation. That will confirm if the red spots that look like bed bug bites are in fact the result of bed bugs.

Images of bed bug bites generally show clusters of itchy red bumps on a persons arms, neck, face, legs, and other areas of their body. Depending on the number of bed bugs that have infested your sleeping area and your reaction to them, bed bug bites also have other signs.

Doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that more often than not, bed bug bites will be in either a rough line or in a cluster of red marks. If they cause a severe skin reaction, the itching can be very intense. In rare cases, a person who has many bites and a severe allergic reaction should visit a doctor.4

Doctors from the National Health Service say that, in some cases, the itchy red bumps on the skin can cause a rash or start to blister and fill with fluid.5

However, it can be difficult to tell if the bites have been caused by bed bugs or another insect. Therefore, its important to know how to identify the difference between bed bug bites, flea bites and mosquito bites.

Flea bites and bed bug bites look very similar and cause itchy red marks on the skin. Even in pictures, it is hard to tell bed bug bites and flea bites apart. However, there are some differences.

The symptoms of flea bites generally appear on the ankles, feet and around the abdomen. As with bed bug bites, flea bite symptoms can also appear in small clusters. Dr. Carol DerSarkissian says that if you look closely at a bed bug bite you wont see a small red dot in the middle as is characteristic of flea bites.1

Both mosquito bites and bed bug bites can leave itchy welts on the skin. Doctors from the Mayo Clinic say that the symptoms of mosquito bites show up very soon after the bite; in fact, in only a few minutes, a puffy red bump usually appears.6

Unlike bed bug bites that are painless, you may feel the mosquito bite and it might start to itch immediately. It is also more likely that the mosquito bite will blister and ooze a small amount of fluid.

Bed bug bite marks usually heal within 2 weeks and wont leave any permanent mark on the skin. In some cases, there are complications associated with bed bug bites.

Of course, for many people, the appearance of red itchy welts on visible areas of skin like their face or arms is an unwanted complication of bed bug bites.

One of the most common, and potentially serious, complications that is seen with bed bug bite is a secondary skin infection. Dr. Stephanie S. Gardner on WebMD says that itching from bed bug bites can be so severe that constant scratching breaks the skin and germs get it. This can cause a bacterial infection in the bite mark.7

Dr. Steven Doerr on eMedicnineHealth warns that some people experience severe allergic reactions to bed bug bites. Some of the signs of a serious allergic reaction include itching all over the body, tightness in the throat, chest pain, red bed bug rash that spreads from the bite area.8

At least the good news with bed bug bites is that they dont spread disease. The CDC states that bed bugs dont spread disease and the most serious health threat is a lack of sleep from scratching and secondary skin infections.3

If you suspect that clusters of itchy red spots on your body are the result of pesky bed bugs, you should check for signs of an infestation.

First, you dont have to worry that having bed bugs is a sign of uncleanliness or dirtiness. The CDC says that bed bugs only feed on blood and arent attracted to dirt. Bed bugs have been found in the cleanest of 5-star hotels.3

To check for signs of bed bugs, you should look in areas where they tend to live. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that tell-tale signs of bed bug activity are tiny rusty-colored stains on bed linen from bug feces or dried blood. You may also notice tiny yellow shed skins around your bed and sleeping area.9

The next step to confirm if itchy red marks on your skin are from bed bugs is to find where the critters are hiding. You should check all joints and screw holes in your bed frame, around mattresses and box springs, and around the headboard. Other places where you might find evidence of a bed bug infestation are in the folds of drapes, in drawer joints, behind loose wallpaper, and at baseboards.

If you find feces, dead bed bugs, or bed bugs crawling around, it is time to take drastic action to get rid of the bed bugs quickly. This is the only way to prevent getting more bed bug bites in the future. Some effective ways to kill off infestation of irritating insects include using bed bug powders that destroy populations of bed bugsas well as bed bug sprays.

Fortunately, there are many great home remedies to get rid of bed bug bites quickly. Here are a few of the best ways of treating bed bug bites at home.

To quickly get rid of an intense itch in a swollen bump caused by a bed bug bite, you can use a cold compress. One excellent way to make a compress is by using a cold tea bag. Cold helps to relieve irritation from your skin by calming nerve endings, and tea helps to relieve itching and promotes healing.

A study from 2012 into the healing effects of tea found that compounds in black and green tea have an astringent effect. This helps to reduce itching in irritated, inflamed skin.9 However, you dont just have to use black or green tea bags. Research has also found that chamomile has soothing properties and is just as effective as hydrocortisone creams (often prescribed by doctors to reduce itching in insect bites).10

How to use:

To quickly get rid of the irritation that bed bug bites cause using a cold tea compress, this is what you should do:

Aloe vera also has properties that reduce itching and help to speed up the healing time of a bed bug bite. Aloe vera contains many properties to nourish your skin and relieve inflammation and irritation.

One study into the healing properties of aloe vera found that it has a soothing effect on irritated skin. It was found that aloe vera was just as effective as hydrocortisone creams in reducing itching and inflammatory responses in the skin.11

How to use:

Aloe vera gel is great for helping bed bug bites to heal faster. This is what you should do:

Tea tree oil will help to treat the itch in bed bug bites and help prevent secondary infections making the skin worse. Tea tree oil contains powerful antimicrobial compounds as well as properties that help to reduce inflammation and itching.

One of the benefits of using tea tree oil to quickly treat bed bug bites is that it helps soothe allergic skin reactions. For example, the British Journal of Dermatology reported on a study into the antihistamine effect of tea tree oil. Histamine is released by the body as a response to allergens. It was found that applying tea tree oil to skin inflammation helped to soothe the allergic response fast.12

How to use:

You can use tea tree oil as a spot treatment on one or two bed bug bites or you can mix a couple of drops of tea tree oil with coconut oil to apply to clusters of bed bug bites. This is what you should do:

For large clusters of bed bug bites, you can get relief by adding 2-3 drops of tea tree oil to a tablespoon of coconut oil. Apply 2-3 times a day to help your skin heal and treat any bed bug bite blisters that have formed.

You can also use tea tree oil to make a natural spray for bed bug eradication.

There are many other natural ways to get rid of the visible signs of bed bug bites. Here are some more ways.

Witch hazel is a natural astringent that quickly soothes itchy skin and reduces redness. Witch hazel is perfect for treating bed bug bites and can be applied whenever your bite marks start itching.

Apple cider vinegar, when it is diluted with water in equal proportions, helps to reduce itching and kill germs in bed bug bites. Just apply diluted apple cider vinegar to the affected area to stop itching fast.

Cucumbers have an amazing soothing effect on the skin and will give you instant relief from itching and irritation. All you have to do is apply slices of cool cucumber to your bite marks.

For more information on these natural bed bug bite remedies and to find out some more effective ways to treat bed bug bite signs at home, please read my article on natural ways to make bed bug bites heal faster.

Of course, preventing an infestation of bed bugs is much easier than having to deal with the discomfort bed bug bites cause.

The CDC says that one of the best ways to prevent bed bug bites is to regularly check your bed, mattress, and bed linen for signs of bed bug activity. This can help you get rid of bed bugs before they become a major problem.3

Also, you should be careful of buying second-hand furniture. The National Health Services warns to avoid buying second-hand mattresses and if you do buy used furniture, carefully inspect it for bed bugs.5 Remember, that in the right conditions, bed bugs can live for many months without feeding!

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What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like (And How To Get Rid of ...