What Can I Put on My Sheets to Repel Bedbugs?
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, parasitic insects that commonly infest mattresses, sofas and clothing. They survive by feeding off the blood of humans or other warm-blooded animals. Their bites cause mild skin irritation but are generally harmless. Though almost totally eradicated in the 1940s, bedbugs have experienced a resurgence in recent decades.
Biology & Habitat
The ubiquitous common bedbug is the species best adapted to infesting human environments. An adult bedbug is roughly 5mm long and 3mm wide, flat and oval-shaped, with a reddish-brown coloring. Usually most active just before dawn, a bedbug bites its victims using two tubes, one that injects saliva containing anesthetic and another to draw blood. The victim does not usually feel the initial bite and only realizes it as a result of the bite's itchy nature, which occurs due to an allergic reaction to the bedbug's anesthetic.
A mattress is an ideal location for a bedbug infestation because of its folds and dark areas, as well as its proximity to humans. Bedbugs are easily spread by people sleeping in different beds and transporting them on clothing or bedding. For this reason hotel or motel rooms are particularly good places for bedbug infestation.
Steam
Many home steam cleaners can be used to remove bedbugs, but it is important to make sure that a "dry steam" function is available to avoid soaking the mattress, which in the long run could encourage the proliferation of bedbugs. When dry steaming a mattress, pay particular attention to folds or flaps where bedbugs are more likely to live. It may take multiple treatments of steam to completely remove an infestation.
Herbal Remedies
Treatments with lavender, thyme, tea tree and eucalyptus oils have all been used to attempt to kill bedbugs in a natural way without harsh chemicals. While it is not proven that these oils work, many people report that they have seen a reduction in the number of bites they receive after applying an essential oil to their mattress. A common way of applying these oils is to dilute a small amount of each in water oil before spraying it onto the infested mattress. Using essential oils undiluted has been known to cause skin irritation, so it is important that it is used sparingly.
Professional Cleaning
The most effective way of removing bedbugs is by consulting a professional fumigation company. They will be professionally trained and have access to treatments not available to the public. When selecting a fumigator you should check to make sure they have adequate liability insurance and ask that they guarantee the success of their work. Even with professional treatment it often takes more than one application to completely remove a bedbug infestation.
Prevention
There are some day-to-day precautions you can take to reduce the chance of bedbugs being spread to your home. If you are staying in a hotel where you suspect there may be bedbugs (it's always worth checking the mattress before you bed down), keep clothes off the bed. Any clothes that are left on an infested bed risk picking up bedbugs. Secondly, keep suitcases closed when they are in the hotel room, as bedbugs are able to climb inside open suitcases. Finally, in the event you are bitten, inform the hotel management so they can move you to a new room and treat the room.
Tags: bedbug infestation, completely remove, make sure, Repel Bedbugs, Sheets Repel, Sheets Repel Bedbugs