We Have Bedbugs!

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Been a crazy week trying to clean for company visit this weekend. To make things incredibly more interesting, we have been trying to kill a mouse that knows how to eat off traps. We then found out that the best way to get rid of mice is a mouser cat, and even better are ratter dogs, as a cat will play with what it catches, whereas dogs simply catch and kill which is much more humane.

Then, we found bedbugs last weekend. I threw out all of my natural, eco-friendly, zero-waste, plastic-free ways out of the window and called the exterminator. Why? Well, they weren't just biting my poor husband and I. They took up residence in UG3's cosleeper as well as UG1's bed.

This meant war, nuclear war. So, they sprayed four treatments.  I waded in extra laundry to double wash and dry on high heat. Not a great way to keep me on task to get prepared for company.

Later on, I learned how to prevent and eliminate bedbugs naturally and oh so much cheaper. If I had to do it over again, I would use the following procedures, especially as bedbugs are becoming more resistant to extermination treatments.

First, buy bed bug-proof mattress encasements for all mattresses and box springs in your home. These can reduce dust mites too and are a worthwhile investment for healthy sleep and the life of your mattress.

Second, eliminate clutter under and around beds to help cut down on their hiding places.  Be sure to treat these items (using one of the following methods).

Third, wash everything that can be washed, including stuffed animals, pillows, blankets, and sheets. Launder and dry on a hot cycle. High heat will kill the bedbugs and any eggs.  Freeze anything that can't be washed, as extreme cold can also kill bedbugs and eggs.

Fourth, vacuum the mattress top and bottom, bed frame, carpet, both sides of the headboard, all of the baseboards, folds of curtains, seams of chairs and couches, behind wall hangings, edges of electrical outlets and window frames, and any cracks or crevices of every room in your house. Do this daily if you’re treating for bed bugs with the most powerful suction attachment you have. Make sure to seal and throw away the vacuum bag immediately (outside of your home).

Fifth, sprinkle mattresses, bed frames, carpet, and all cracks and crevices found in step 2 with diatomaceous earth (wear a dust mask for this step).

Sixth,  mix tea tree oil with water in a spray bottle and lightly mist the areas you are treating daily.  Vacuum up the excess diatomaceous earth before sleeping.

Seventh, fill all cracks and joints in headboards, bed frames, baseboards, floorboards, etc. with caulk or sealant, cutting off bed bug hiding places.

Eighth, install bed bug traps under the legs of all of your furniture, including beds, couches, chairs. This solution is cheap, easy, and one of the most effective ways to detect and stop bed bugs. Routinely inspect traps and squish any bedbugs.

That's how to kill and keep bedbugs away naturally and cheaply. Learn from our mistakes!

Here's to a bug-free and debt-free journey,
Little Urban Greenie