Month: July 2023

Permethrin is an insecticide based on something unexpected: chrysanthemum flowers! It’s a common ingredient in insect control products. If you’ve been up scratching at night, you might have one question: Can permethrin kill bed bugs? The answer is yes, it certainly can. Here are some facts you should know:

• Permethrin is an effective insecticide, and it’s effective against bed bugs.
• It works by disrupting the insects’ nervous systems.
• You do need to take important safety precautions when using permethrin in the home.
• There are additional strategies you should be trying even while using permethrin.

Keep reading to learn about permethrin and how it can help you control your bed bug infestation.

Unmasking the Bed Bug Menace: A Lethal Showdown

Bed bugs are experts at hiding, which makes them great at silently infesting a home, hotel, or other place where people congregate and sleep. Often, people don’t even know they have a bed bug problem until there are many of the insects living in their mattresses and other furniture.

There are lots of home remedies that simply don’t work well against an army of these critters. Vinegar, bleach, and rubbing alcohol are all but useless when there’s a large number of bed bugs. Raid and Lysol can kill on contact, but they won’t eliminate a full infestation. Professional extermination is effective, but many find it expensive.

When it comes to taking care of a bed bug problem, though, a multifaceted strategy is going to be the best. That strategy might include permethrin.

The Science Behind Bed Bug Annihilation

Permethrin is synthetic, but it’s derived from a natural insecticide that comes from chrysanthemums. You can buy it in various commercial formulations. It does kill bed bugs on contact, but how does it work?

The official science behind the product is that it lands on the bed bugs or they walk through it, and it attack’s the bug’s nervous system and results in paralysis and death. It can get through their waxy coating, which many substances cannot do.

What permethrin can do that other insecticides sometimes cannot is stick around. Even after the spray has dried and you can no longer smell it, it’s still working in the areas where it was used. While many substances will dry and no longer have much of an effect, this isn’t true for permethrin.

How to Safely Use Permethrin to Kill Bed Bugs

Because permethrin comes in various formulas, there are some made for indoor use and others for outdoor use. In addition, some formulas will be safe for use on your mattress, while others won’t be. So, first and foremost, carefully read the packaging of the products you’re considering to ensure they’re safe to use in and around your bed.

It’s recommended that you use gloves and mask when applying permethrin, even if it’s safe for your bedroom. You don’t want to be inhaling the powder or getting the spray on your skin and hair.

Apply the insecticide as directed. Depending on what type you’re using, you may need to dilute the product. Always read the directions and follow them precisely for safety.

You’ll need to repeat the treatment, as bed bugs aren’t all going to be exterminated in one fell swoop. Consult the packaging to see how often you’ll need to apply it and how many times.

Other Strategies to Defeat Bed Bugs Once and for All

While permethrin is effective against bed bugs, it’s not likely to work if that’s the only method you’re using. Here are some other things you should be doing before, during, and after treatment:

• Clean your home, particularly your bedrooms, very well. Dust and vacuum, paying special attention to the edges of carpet, around furniture legs, in drawers, along molding, and in other hidden areas.
• Pick up clutter as you clean, since bed bugs are all too happy to hide in piles and stacks that you rarely go through.
• Focus on your bed: Vacuum your mattress, and use the nozzle attachment to get all of the seams along the edges, where bugs and their eggs might be hanging out. Do the same for your box spring. If you can, put your mattress and box spring in bed bug-proof cases to keep any stray eggs and insects trapped away from your body.
• Wash bedding in hot water. It’s best to run it through the hottest drying cycle, too. You can use bleach in the wash if you’d like to, but it’s not necessary.
• Make it a point to clean well each day. Vacuuming and dusting should be a daily activity when you have a bed bug infestation.

Remember, if you can’t manage the bed bugs on your own, even with the permethrin, call in the professionals sooner rather than later. It will be money well spent if you’re struggling to rid yourself of the problem. A bed bug infestation can take hold and grow quickly, so the sooner you take charge, the better.

You know that bed bugs are a nuisance. They visit you when you’re sleeping to bite you, and they can leave small messes on your sheets. But can bed bugs make you sick? They can negatively affect your health. Here are a few ways:

• Bed bug bites can lead to allergies.
• Bed bug bites have a small risk of transmitting diseases.
• Bed bug bites can cause serious itching.
• Bed bug bites can lead to infections.

Let’s discover whether bed bugs can make you sick and talk about ways to prevent these maladies from taking hold.

The Immune Response to Bed Bug Bites and Infestations

When you are bitten by a bed bug (or fire ant or mosquito), you might be allergic to their saliva. The little raised red bumps you see are a histamine reaction, which means your body is reacting to the saliva. For most people, the itchy bumps last about a week, then they go away.

But in some cases, people can develop hives at the site of the bite. This can progress and cause more hives as more bites occur. The itching and discomfort gets worse, and your doctor might advise you to take oral or topical medications to help.

Rarely, people who are allergic to bed bug bites might have an asthma attack and very rarely, it might even progress to anaphylaxis, which is a severe reaction that can include breathing difficulties and shock. In a few cases, this can even be fatal.

Just treating the bites isn’t the answer here; you need to actually eradicate the infestation and prevent the bites from happening in the first place.

Possible Infections Caused by Scratching Bites

Even if your bed bug bites don’t turn into a widespread allergic reaction (which is the most likely scenario), you might experience a lot of itching. This leads to scratching, and scratching can lead to skin infections.

Your fingernails are teeming with bacteria. It’s not nice to think about it, but it’s true. When you scratch at a bite, you create a tiny open wound, and that bacteria can get inside. Many times, the body will fight this off on its own; you might see a tiny bit of clear fluid or pus, then it will go away. Other times, though, you might end up with a skin infection that lingers. In rare cases, particularly if your immune system is compromised for any reason, you might end up with a more serious infection that spreads.

Your doctor will likely give you either oral or topical antibiotics to manage this type of infection, and it should clear up quickly. The only real long-term solution to this, however, is to eliminate the bed bug problem.

The Psychological Impacts of Bed Bug Infestations

Bed bugs are a minor threat to your physical health, since most people don’t become severely allergic to bed bug bites, nor do they develop a serious infection. However, your mental health can become affected by having bed bugs in your home.

First, there’s an anxiety produced by knowing you have bugs in your bed. This can produce a creepy-crawly sensation on your skin even if there are no insects currently on you. It also might increase your itching.

The itching and worry might lead to insomnia, or trouble sleeping. This is a risk factor for feeling anxious or depressed. You also might find yourself more irritable or stressed than usual, which isn’t good for your mental health.

Strategies to Prevent Bed Bug Bites

The best way to prevent bed bug bites is to prevent bed bugs. If you don’t already have bed bugs in your home, here are some tips on discouraging them from entering in the first place:

• Don’t bring used furniture, particularly mattresses or upholstered furniture, in to your home without careful inspection. Bed bugs will often hitch a ride into your home via these types of furnishings, and once they’re in, they’re hard to kick out.
• Be careful with your luggage. Don’t put it on hotel room floors, and check it carefully for signs of bed bugs after checking it or putting it in an overhead compartment on an airplane. Other people’s luggage might be carrying bugs or eggs, and these can transfer over to your luggage easily in these situations.
• Reduce clutter in your home. If one or two bugs make it in but they can’t find somewhere adequate to hide, they just might die off or wander back out again. Piles of clothes on a chair in your bedroom, baskets of dirty laundry sitting around, and dusty books or papers on a night table are all excellent hiding spots for bed bugs.
• Vacuum frequently. Again, this disrupts the game of hide-and-seek that bed bugs are adept at playing – and winning. Pay attention to where the carpet meets the baseboard as well as around furniture legs.
• Consider using peppermint oil as a bug repellant. Bed bugs hate the scent of peppermint oil, so using it (diluted properly, of course!) in your bedroom can help ward off stray critters that manage to make their way in.

Effective Eradication Measures for Bed Bugs

While there are plenty of ways you can help the situation if you find yourself with an active bed bug infestation, chances are excellent that you’ll need to hire an exterminator to cure the problem. Don’t hesitate to call in these bug-killing heroes; they’ll be able to help you get the issue under control more quickly and effectively than you’d be able to do on your own.

In the meantime, you can do things like vacuuming and decluttering, as discussed above. Also, wash your bedding in hot water and put it through the high-heat drying cycle. While that’s washing, add a fully encased mattress cover (and put one on the box spring as well) to trap any bugs in or on the mattress away from your skin. Replace or wash your pillows, too.

If you do need to replace your mattress or other furniture, make sure you mark it in some way so nobody else will take it and spread the problem to their own house.

While bed bugs aren’t likely to transmit any serious diseases or cause major physical problems in most people, those who have immune system deficiencies, babies, and the elderly are going to be more prone to problems. Also, anyone who is prone to anxiety or depression might see their symptoms exacerbated during this time. The best course of action is to get rid of the bed bugs as quickly as you possibly can and to take steps to prevent a recurrence.

With so many uses, peppermint oil is a powerhouse when it comes to reducing various physical maladies and cleaning. But does peppermint oil kill bed bugs? Let’s take a look at some of the things you should know:

• Peppermint is a good insect repellant.
• When applied directly, peppermint oil can indeed kill bed bugs.
• It’s important to use vital safety rules when using peppermint.
• There are limitations to what peppermint oil can accomplish.
• Combining peppermint oil with other bed bug-busting strategies might be the best way to get rid of them for good.

Let’s delve into these a bit more deeply!

Creating a Bug-Free Zone With Peppermint Oil

You’ve undoubtedly heard the expression, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you want to prevent bed bugs from settling down and making themselves at home in your bedroom, finding a way to repel the critters in the first place is going to be easier than having to wage a full-out war on them later.

Peppermint oil is a strongly scented substance that can dissuade many types of insects, including bed bugs, from entering the home or getting too comfortable if they do find their way in.

The way bed bugs get established is generally to climb into luggage or bags when you’re out and about. They can also be carried into your home when you buy used furniture from a yard sale or thrift store. If you’re able to use some diluted peppermint oil to treat potentially contaminated items before bringing them in, it’s possible to repel the bugs from the get-go, causing them to abandon their mode of transportation.

You could also treat your bedroom with peppermint oil in an effort to cause any who wandered in to wander right back out again. If they don’t enter the bedroom or other spaces where they can hide and where people spend a lot of time, they might not get very far in terms of starting a full infestation.

Once you have an active infestation, though, you’re past the point of repelling them, since they’re already there. The next consideration is whether peppermint oil will kill existing bugs.

Peppermint Oil’s Lethal Touch on Bed Bugs

Peppermint oil is toxic to many insects, and bed bugs are included in that. Because of its high menthol content, it can seep through their shells and kill them with direct contact.

The main issue, of course, is that you can’t really apply enough peppermint oil to exterminate a large number of bed bugs, and you definitely can’t apply enough in the right places to wipe out all of the eggs that the live bed bugs have laid in various areas of the bedroom and other rooms.

This makes it difficult to eradicate an infestation with peppermint oil alone. With that being said, it does make a good complementary approach to controlling a bed bug population if you keep its limitations in mind.

Understanding the Limitations of Peppermint Oil in Bed Bug Infestations

As already stated, the main limitation of using peppermint oil to get rid of bed bugs is that it simply cannot get into all of the spaces where bed bugs can congregate and lay eggs. Remember, bed bugs nest in the tiniest of spaces, and you won’t be able to get the liquid oil into those spaces most of the time.

The other major limitation is also a caveat: Peppermint oil in general does come with some warnings. It’s common for people to assume that a natural oil would be safer than pesticides, and in many cases, this is correct. However, that doesn’t mean it’s harmless.

Peppermint oil is an essential oil and it can cause skin irritation or even allergic reactions like hives in some people. This is particularly true when it’s used in its undiluted state, which is potentially dangerous. This oil should always be mixed with a neutral carrier oil or water to dilute it. You only need a few drops of peppermint oil mixed with another oil or water to make a difference and create a strong scent.

In addition to skin irritation, peppermint oil can cause eye irritation, and it shouldn’t be taken internally, especially in its undiluted form.

Also, remember that peppermint oil (sometimes called menthol), is toxic to cats and dogs. If you have pets, consider not using this remedy for bed bugs. Instead, choose something pet-safe.

Best Ways to Apply Peppermint Oil for Bed Bug Execution

While you’re not going to be able to eliminate a full infestation of bed bugs with peppermint oil, you can certainly use it in ways that can repel them from the bedroom and also that might kill some bugs that are out in the open.

One way to use peppermint oil to kill bed bugs is to dilute it with carrier oil (usually people use coconut or almond oil, but other oils can also be used) and carefully apply it directly to the areas where the bed bugs are nesting. This might be around cracks and crevices, on the edges of a bed frame, or on the legs of a night table. Always check for potential damage with a small amount of oil in a hidden area first.

Another way to apply to these and other areas is to make a homemade peppermint spray. Just fill a spray bottle with water and add a few drops of peppermint oil. You can spray this wherever you want; since it’s heavily diluted, it should be safe to use where you’ll be, as long as you’re not allergic or sensitive to it. You’ll have to reapply frequently, since the scent will dissipate.

Finally, you can create a steam treatment if nobody in the house is sensitive to the scent of peppermint and if you don’t have pets who can get into the area where it’s used. You can fill a steam cleaner with water, add a few drops of peppermint oil, and use it on your carpets and furniture. The scent will deter bugs, the oil itself could kill some, and the heat will also be a helpful factor.

Combining Peppermint Oil With Other Bed Bug Control Strategies

If you’re seeing signs of bed bugs, chances are good that you have an infestation on your hands. In that case, you’ll want to hire a professional to take care of the problem quickly. That being said, you can still use peppermint oil as a complementary measure to boost the efficacy of the treatments they’ll be using.

You can steam-clean your carpets or otherwise use peppermint oil scents in your home to help repel the bed bugs. Ask the exterminator if you can use peppermint spray; you don’t want it to interfere with the chemicals they’re using.

Peppermint oil can be helpful in your war against bed bugs, and it will certainly help deter them from making themselves at home. Your house will smell nice and fresh, too. Just be sure to use other measures, too, so you can eliminate the problem promptly.

Bed bugs are one of those things nobody wants to deal with, in part because the treatment is known to be pretty intensive. As an alternative, you might be considering using vinegar. Does vinegar kill bed bugs, though? Here are some considerations to think about:

• Vinegar has certain properties that could make them an effective bed bug-killer.
• Other properties of vinegar make it difficult to use as a comprehensive extermination strategy.
• Learning about bed bug nesting and feeding behaviors will help you understand why vinegar isn’t a recommended solution.
• There are some DIY home solutions that could help control an infestation.
• For complete treatment, professional help will most likely be needed.

Why Might Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?

If you think back to when you were in middle school, you learned that there are acids and bases. Vinegar is an acid, specifically acetic acid. People use it as a cleaning and rinsing agent, a food preservative, and in a wide range of natural remedies. One benefit is that vinegar is safe to use on household surfaces and around food. In fact, it’s edible! So you don’t have to worry about harmful fumes or contamination of surfaces.

The acid in vinegar can dry out bed bugs and kill them if you spray them and make direct contact. So, if you were to come upon some of the insects on your bed or elsewhere in your bedroom, you could spray them with undiluted vinegar to kill them, then remove them with a paper towel. The smell would dissipate quickly, and you’d be able to sleep without concern for your safety from having vinegar on your mattress.

That’s the good news.

Why Are Bed Bugs Able to Avoid Vinegar?

The bad news, though, is that bed bugs love to hide. They hide in places you might not even see, so you wouldn’t be able to reliably get vinegar into those spaces. They might be under your carpets or between the carpet and the baseboard. They could squeeze into a tiny crack between the baseboard and the wall. They may be along the edges of your bed frame or inside of your mattress or box spring.

Aside from being in and around your bed, these critters can also reliably hide in any type of furniture or clutter you have in the room. They might be underneath the drawer of your night table, for example, or on an upholstered chair where you leave your clean laundry before putting it away. And don’t forget: Bed bugs aren’t limited to the bedrooms: They can live and lay their eggs anywhere in the home.

Since you aren’t going to be able to saturate every nook, cranny, and crevice of your home with vinegar, it’s unlikely this will be a good solution to an infestation.

Can Vinegar Help You Repel Bed Bugs From Your Home?

Vinegar has another quality that makes it unattractive to bugs, and that’s its strong smell. If you’ve ever cleaned with vinegar or made a German potato salad, you know the smell. It’s very pungent… for a short time.

Yes, spraying vinegar in an area could persuade bed bugs to scurry because they hate the smell. If you’ve used it to clean a window or a bathroom, though, you know that the smell fades pretty quickly. So, while it can be used as a bug repellent, those effects won’t last, unfortunately. Within several minutes, the smell will fade, and within an hour, there will be no traces of vinegar left where you sprayed it.

DIY Methods to Reduce the Number of Bed Bugs

Vinegar does have its place in bed bug control. Cleaning up any clutter and dusting well can minimize potential hiding places for these tiny insects. Vinegar is great for wiping down surfaces, since it doesn’t streak, evaporates quickly, and leaves no scent behind.

Other DIY methods can include:

• Washing all of your bedding in hot water and drying it on the high heat cycle. This can kill bugs and eggs that are in your bedding.
• Vacuuming your mattress well, then putting it in a bug-proof encasement. You should do the same with your box spring, if you have one. This will trap any bugs or eggs that are left inside of the mattress and won’t let them come out and bite/feed, leading to their eventual death.
• You could try chemical options such as Lysol or Raid to kill bugs on contact. Do be aware, however, that this is a temporary measure and won’t treat a full infestation.
• It’s best to avoid DIY measures like baking soda, bleach, or rubbing alcohol. These won’t really work and will just take up time that you could be using to get in touch with a professional.

Professional Help to Treat an Infestation

If you’re noticing the signs of a bed bug infestation, it’s time to call in the pros. Yes, you can try self-help measures, and they can buy you some time, but time is really of the essence. Remember that a bed bug infestation can take hold quickly and spiral out of control, particularly if you have a home with several people sleeping in different bedrooms. If you live in multi-family housing, getting the problem under control is even more vital, as it will spread to other units quickly.

If you’re not sure, the signs of a bed bug infestation include:

• Bites that are itchy and usually form in lines or clusters.
• Tiny rust-colored dots on your sheets.
• Small pieces of the bugs’ exoskeletons, which are thin, translucent, and brittle.
• Seeing live bugs (check mattress seams, between the mattress and box spring, and other small hiding spots).

Professional exterminators will use methods like heat and chemicals to kill the bed bugs. Treatment isn’t a one-and-done visit; you’ll have several visits to make sure the problem is completely taken care of. This can be inconvenient, but it’s much less convenient to have a spreading infestation, so it’s best to get this addressed as soon as possible once you notice any bed bug signs.

Final Thoughts: Does Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?

While vinegar can kill bed bugs on contact and is safe for household use, it’s not a good solution to a budding or complete infestation. It can act as a stop-gap measure if you’re waiting on the professional exterminator to arrive, but we wouldn’t recommend this to be used in the long term at all, as it’s not going to be effective.

Does Raid kill bed bugs? After all, it makes quick work of ants, cockroaches, and other household pests. It’s a common question and one that has a multifaceted response. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

• Raid will, indeed, kill bed bugs on contact.
• Raid will not, in most cases, be enough to control a true infestation of bed bugs.
• The way you apply Raid can make a difference in how many bed bugs you’re able to kill.
• Unfortunately, there are some limitations when it comes to whether Raid will kill the specific bed bugs that are bothering you.
• There are effective alternatives to Raid that can get your infestation under wraps.

Keep reading to learn more about the question of whether Raid is a good match against bed bugs.

Bugging Out: Demystifying the World of Bed Bug Infestations

Often, people might not understand why they have bed bugs in the first place. After all, if you keep your home clean, you should feel secure that you’re not likely to attract any six-legged critters… right?

That’s not the case, particularly when it comes to bed bugs. These creepy crawlies don’t discriminate, and they will happily infest dirty homes and pristine luxury hotels with equal joy. They want to eat, and what they eat is human (and occasionally other mammalian) blood. If there are humans in your home, you’re prone to a bed bug infestation.

Bed bugs come into your home by hitching a ride on something or someone. Usually, that something is a used mattress, a secondhand couch, or the luggage you set on the floor of a hotel. Sometimes, they’ll cling to your clothes or the clothes of a visitor to your home and establish themselves that way.

Once they move in, though, they’ll start procreatin. They’ll find small crevices to hide in, and that’s where they’ll make their home.

Raid Unleashed: A Bed Bug Warrior Enters the Fray

If you see one bed bug, it’s natural to reach for a can of Raid, spray it, smash it with your shoe, and call it a done deal. Since bed bugs generally live in a large group, though, this isn’t likely to have much of an effect.

Raid will, in fact, kill bed bugs on contact. This includes the regular Raid spray and foaming bed bug spray.

But can it manage an infestation? It probably won’t cure the problem, but using the Raid correctly can boost the chances that it will kill more bugs and eggs.

Precision Matters: Where to Apply the Raid

There are several types of Raid bed bug spray, and there’s also regular Raid that you’d use for any other kind of insect. To control a bed bug infestation, you need to not only kill the live bugs (which are all very good at hide and seek) but also the eggs. Otherwise, those eggs will hatch into new bed bugs, starting the problem over again.

To kill eggs, you need to spray where the eggs are. Raid products can help minimize infestations for a number of weeks, but not if you don’t spray correctly.

Some places where live bugs and eggs might hide include:

• The creases of mattresses and box springs
• Inside of mattresses and box springs
• In crevices of the bed frame, such as where the mattress sits or where it screws into the headboard
• The seams of your bedding (pillowcases, sheets, and comforters)
• Luggage, suitcases, and purses
• Clothing left in the bedroom (either in drawers or tossed over a chair or even on the floor)
• The edges of the carpeting where it meets the baseboards
• Behind or in wall art and picture frames

As you can see, it would be difficult to spray in all of these areas, along with other tiny areas that you might have in your home.

Safety First: Navigating Bed Bug Treatment With Raid

Raid is an insecticide, and it’s not healthy for humans to be exposed to wet spray. Make sure you’re using it in a ventilated area; turn on fans and have the windows open, if at all possible. Also, keep children and pets out of the room until the spray dries.

While applying, you should also wear gloves and a mask to reduce your own exposure. Wash your hands well after use, and if you’ve gotten any on your clothes, change into something clean.

While the Raid Bed Bug Foaming Spray says it can be used on mattresses, the website also warns users to remove and wash contaminated clothing before reuse, so this seems that it might apply to mattresses as well.

Beyond Raid: Exploring Effective Alternatives

There are lots of alternatives that might be more effective than using Raid to kill bed bugs.

First, there are plenty of DIY methods that don’t really work and probably shouldn’t be tried. These include Lysol, vinegar, bleach, and baking soda.

There are some cleaning strategies you can use to help reduce the number of bed bugs, but these won’t be enough to stop an infestation. They include vacuuming well, dusting, washing your bedding in hot water, and putting them through the dryer on a high heat cycle.

Once you wash your bedding and vacuum your mattress and box spring well, you might want to encase your bed with bug-proof encasements. This will at least keep them from burrowing into the mattress. Also, any that were left in the mattress will be unable to get out of the cases to bite you.

Decluttering is also a good idea since bugs can hide in all types of clutter on bedside tables, in seating areas, and in clutter piled on the floor.

Professional exterminators can use methods like insecticides and heat treatments to eliminate both bugs and eggs. They have products that are safe for use in your bedroom.

Does Raid Kill Bed Bugs? Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a solution to your bed bug situation, you could do worse than Raid. It’s a good temporary measure to kill live bugs that you can see and maybe also eggs, if you’re spraying it around your bedframe and any crevices in your walls or floors. It’s best when combined with thorough vacuuming, decluttering, and encasing your mattress and box spring.

For lasting results, though, you should arrange for professional extermination as quickly as possible to avoid having a small bed bug infestation spiral out of control.

If you see one bed bug, chances are good that your house is on the verge of an infestation, if it’s not already infested. The question has been asked: Does Lysol kill bed bugs? Let’s take a look at some of the facts:

• It’s vital to address a bed bug problem promptly, and Lysol can, in fact, kill these insects on contact.
• Understanding how bed bugs hide, feed, and procreate is paramount to knowing how to eliminate them.
• Lysol is not adequate for tackling an infestation, and it’s important to understand why.
• Health concerns surrounding using large amounts of Lysol should be considered.
• A professional exterminator is going to be your best bet when it comes to dealing with bed bugs.

Read on to learn about how Lysol might play a part in the bed bug extermination process.

Lysol’s Knockout Punch: Bed Bugs Beware!

The good news: Lysol can kill not only germs and viruses but also various types of insects and creepy-crawlies, including bed bugs. So yes, if you spray Lysol directly on live bed bugs or their eggs, it will indeed kill them on contact. Bed bugs have a hard exoskeleton, but Lysol is strong enough to penetrate that tough outer shell. If you see these creatures in your home, you can certainly try spraying them; it will likely kill any the spray contacts. Similarly, if you spray in the areas where eggs are located, you will kill most, if not all, of the eggs. So, if you were to have only a couple of bed bugs in your home in the first place, the question of “Does Lysol kill bed bugs?” could be answered with a “yes.” However…

Beyond a Spray: Lysol vs. Bed Bug Infestations

Unless you’ve just transported one or two bed bugs into your home on your luggage or clothing, seeing one bed bug is almost certainly a guarantee that you have many bed bugs you’re not seeing. While using Lysol spray to kill a few bed bugs might seem like you’re making a dent, it’s likely you’re not. Unfortunately, a topical solution like Lysol isn’t going to be enough to kill all of the bugs. And since female bed bugs can lay eggs each day, leaving even just a few behind will probably result in a re-infestation pretty quickly.

Bed Bugs Unmasked: Masters of Hide-and-Seek

So, why can’t you just spray Lysol on all of the bed bugs? One reason is that these insects are excellent at hiding. Remember, despite their name, bed bugs aren’t limited to the bed… or even the bedroom. It’s likely you have bugs not only in and around your bed, but also around the rest of your bedroom. They might also be hanging out in the living room and in other rooms where humans spend time. They’ll enjoy their meals anywhere they can get them. Bed bugs will hide in the tiniest of crevices. One popular spot is along the seams of your mattress. Another is in the carpet right up against the baseboards. If there are any nooks and crannies in your headboard, walls, or elsewhere in your bedroom, you can count on bed bugs hiding there during an infestation. They’ll also hide in piles of clutter, including clothing, papers, books, and various personal belongings. Since you’re not likely to be able to spray inside of every crevice, using Lysol isn’t going to be enough to rid your home of a large number of bed bugs.

Health and Safety: A Disinfectant Dilemma

While Lysol is safe to use around the home to kill germs, the amount you’d need to use to battle bed bugs would be more than a quick spritz, like you’d use on hard surfaces. You’d also need to use it on pillows, on your mattress, and on your sheets and blankets. This isn’t necessarily safe, particularly if you’re doing this regularly in an effort to prevent or fight an infestation. Here are a few potential hazards of using Lysol to kill bed bugs by spraying it on the soft surfaces you’ll be sleeping on:

• Respiratory irritation. Inhaling fumes, particularly over a long period of time (such as overnight), isn’t good for your lungs. It could result in coughing, a sore throat, or even exacerbation of wheezing or asthma.
• Skin irritation. Lysol isn’t meant to be used on the skin. Wetting down your sheets or pillowcases with the disinfectant could result in skin irritation when it transfers to your face and body.
• Eye irritation. Spraying your pillow and pillowcase could transfer the spray to your eyes, causing redness, watering, itching, and burning.
• Pet health concerns. If you sleep with your pets, they could be affected by getting Lysol on their fur or skin. Remember, pets often lick their fur; if they ingest even a small amount of Lysol, this could lead to mouth burns or digestive issues.

In addition to health concerns from using Lysol to kill bed bugs, you might also discolor your bedding or weaken the fabric. Keep this in mind when using this type of spray on fabrics.

Calling in the Pros: When You Need an Extermination Expert

If you happen to have just a few bed bugs in your home and no female bugs have laid eggs yet, you can probably use Lysol to kill them. Also, if you happen to know where any eggs are laid and you can manage to coat them all with Lysol, you can kill them that way. Most of the time, though, the question of “does Lysol kill bed bugs” isn’t going to be answered in the affirmative. Since bed bugs spread quickly and can cause a heavy infestation in a relatively short period of time, DIY methods aren’t likely to work very well. And the longer you wait to properly address the problem, the greater your chances of having a large infestation on your hands. When you see insects or see signs of bed bugs, it’s best to call in a professional exterminator promptly. They’ll be able to use chemicals that are safe for your bedroom and effective at killing both the live bugs and their eggs.

Final Thoughts: Does Lysol Kill Bed Bugs?

The final answer to “Does Lysol kill bed bugs?” is “yes, but….” Yes, you can use it to kill bed bugs that you see walking around. No, you probably cannot use it to safely contain and eliminate an infestation. In short, if you have bed bugs, the best course of action is to contact an exterminator to remove them quickly and without harming health or property.

Many people have the misconception that a dirty home is what attracts bed bugs, but this isn’t the case. There are several factors to keep in mind when it comes to making your home less hospitable.

• Bed bugs tend to come into the home by hitching a ride on items you’re willingly carrying inside.
• Knowing the signs of bed bugs can help you catch an infestation quickly.
• Bed bugs feed off of human (and sometimes other mammalian) blood, so simply living in your home is what feeds them.
• You can take steps to make your home less attractive to bed bugs, but if you do see them, you’ll probably need to call an exterminator.

Check out this guide to learn how these unwanted guests enter your home in the first place and how you can give them the boot.

Bed Bug Infestations: How Do They Happen in the First Place?

While clutter can provide a hospitable environment after bed bugs have arrived (more on that later), these critters are opportunistic party-crashers. If there’s something soft and cozy going into your home and they’re in the area, they’ll become stowaways to infiltrate the new surroundings.

The main “vehicles” for them to hitch a ride on include items like a suitcase that’s been mingling with infested luggage on an airplane, a used chair you found for a steal at a secondhand shop, or even your clothing after you’ve unwittingly been hanging out with bedbugs in a hotel room or a friend’s home. You could have the cleanest luggage on the whole plane, and that thrift store might be upscale; that won’t stop them from hitching a ride. 

Because bed bugs are tiny and because they are adept at hiding in the slimmest of spaces (think about the crevices near your headboard or along the seam of your mattress), they can be happily eating and procreating for quite some time before being detected. This allows their numbers to grow rapidly, leading to an infestation.

Identifying the Unwelcome Guests: What Are the Signs of Bed Bugs?

When it comes to an infestation of some insects, like ants or silverfish, you’ll generally see them before you notice any potential damage or other signs. With bed bugs, this isn’t usually the case. It’s helpful to know what bed bugs look like, but in reality, you’re going to have other signs of these bloodsuckers before you’re likely to notice any live ones.

One of the most common signs you may have bed bugs is that you’re waking up with itchy, red bites. Bed bugs come out at night and feast while you sleep, so the evidence often begins with the bites they leave behind. The bites are often in lines or clusters. Not everyone reacts to bed bug bites, however, so a lack of bites doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have bed bugs.

Tiny brown or rust-colored stains on the sheets are another indication you may have unwanted houseguests. When the bed bugs feed, they’re drinking blood. If you roll over and crush them, that blood inside will make a little dark spot on your sheets.

Bed bug exoskeletons are another telltale sign you may have an infestation. The empty shells resemble tiny pieces of popcorn kernel shells. If you aren’t eating popcorn in bed and you see this type of material, it’s worth looking into sooner rather than later.

A large population of bed bugs could result in a musty odor. If you’re noticing any of the above signs and you also smell something sweet and musty, you might have a rather big problem when it comes to these critters.

Feeding Bed Bugs: What Do They Eat?

For bed bugs to want to stick around in your home, they’ll need to be assured of a steady supply of food. To put it plainly, bed bugs feast on blood. They prefer human blood, but if you or your human housemates aren’t available, they’ll get what they need from your cat, dog, rabbit, or other warm-blooded furry friend. 

They find you by being aware of carbon dioxide and heat, both of which you give off all of the time, but especially when you’re in one spot under the covers, sleeping peacefully. This is when they’ll make your move. They’ll take a little bite and drink their fill for several minutes. Once a bed bug is full, it will want to eat about once per week, but it can actually live for several weeks before feeding again. This means that even if you go on a three-week cruise and don’t leave any pets in the home, you can still come back to a live infestation.

Common Human Habits: What Behaviors Encourage Bed Bed Bugs to Come and Stay?

Once your hitchhiking bed bug has made it into your home and has found food, it’s likely to want to stay a while. But could you have prevented them from coming in in the first place? And what factors can persuade bed bugs to really get comfortable, have large families, and make it very difficult to get rid of them? Here are some ways your behaviors could encourage an infestation:

• Not taking care with luggage. It’s a tale as old as time: You go on vacation, check your luggage on the plane, then take it into the hotel room and plop it on the floor. If there are bed bugs present, they’re happily infiltrating the clothing, shoes, and suitcases you’ll be carrying into your own house. Take steps to keep your luggage safe and to inspect it for potential bugs before you bring it in the house.
• Using pre-owned furniture. Yes, thrift stores and yard sales are amazing places to get great deals. Unfortunately, they’re also amazing places to get not-so-great bed bugs. Really think about it before you bring upholstered used furniture into your home, and inspect it carefully for signs of infestation.
• Living in a cluttered environment. While clutter isn’t what attracts bed bugs in the first place, it can definitely impact whether they find some nice, dark places to hide. Clean up clutter in your bedroom. This could consist of clothing that isn’t hung up, papers, books, or just about anything stacked on a nightstand or on the floor.
• A lack of regular cleaning. While mess or even dirt won’t attract these bugs, regular tasks like vacuuming and dusting can remove potential hiding spots and make it less likely for them to establish a colony. Keep your home not only tidy but also clean to help cut down on the risk of an infestation.

Seeking Professional Help: When Is It Time to Call an Exterminator?

While there are a lot of “recipes” out there for DIY bed bug extermination, the reality is that you really need to call in a professional as soon as you see the signs of an infestation. Household items like bleach, rubbing alcohol, and baking soda may seem convenient, but they will not rid you of your unwanted houseguests. Really, the only way to be sure you’re getting all of them is with a combination of manual cleaning (some of which you can do), chemicals, and, in some cases, heat treatments. The latter two really need to be done by an expert.

By being aware of what attracts bed bugs to your home as well as what encourages them to stick around long-term, you can minimize their impact. Once you experience bed bug bites or see the other signs they’ve moved in, though, it’s time to call in the big guns to get your home back to its normal, bug-free state.