13 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Without Using Chemicals

by DailyHealthPost Editorial

how to get rid of bed bugs

Adult bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed, but their eggs can be as small as a speck of dust. This, along with their brownish color, makes them hard to spot on wooden furniture and dark sheets.

Since they purely feed on blood and are active at night, bedbugs prefer hiding inside and around beds. These bites turn into little itchy welts sometimes accompanied by dried blood. The welts typically appear on areas of skin exposed while sleeping (1). Although they are annoying and itchy, bedbug bites do not transmit any diseases. But if you get them, you’ll want to know how to get rid of bed bugs for good–and fast!

How to Know you Have Bed Bugs

If you have crisp white sheets, you should be able to see bed bugs while changing your sheets. Adult bedbugs will be easier to spot, but nymphs and eggs can be almost invisible to the naked eye.

According to WedMD, other signs that you have bedbugs include(2):

  • Blood stains on your sheets or pillowcases
  • Dark or rusty spots of bedbug excrement on sheets and mattresses, bed clothes, and walls
  • Bedbug fecal spots, egg shells, or shed skins in areas where bedbugs hide
  • An offensive, musty odor from the bugs’ scent glands

While adult bedbugs can be relatively easy to kill, their eggs are a whole other story (3).

how to remove bed bugs

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can live just about anywhere, even in clean homes. When it comes to bed bug infestations, you’re definitely not alone. Learn how to get rid of bed bugs fast with the all-natural solutions below.

1. Check for Bedbugs

If you suspect that you have an infestation, but you aren’t quite sure, all you need is a mirror and a flashlight.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. In the middle of the night, grab your flashlight and quickly sweep light across and under your pillows.
  2. You should see tiny bugs scrambling back into their hiding places.
  3. In the morning, use a mirror to check behind your headboard and under the mattress to see if you can spot any bugs.
  4. If you can’t find any, check cracks, holes, or drawers.
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