Bed bugs cause harm to you and your family. In this article, we will discuss what scent keeps bed bugs away and work well for your bedroom.
Bed bugs are pesky little critters that find their way into your home, particularly your bedroom. Harmful chemicals and pesticides can keep them away, but essential oils work well too. If you don’t find a way to keep bed bugs out, they will multiply and infest your home.
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Bed Bugs – What Are They?
These bugs are small, oval-shaped insects that feed on human blood and skin. Bed bugs feast on you at night, when you sleep. There are two species of bed bugs. The Cimex lectularius is the common bed bug and the Cimex Hemipterus is a bed bug found more in the tropics.
These bugs can survive without eating for 70 days. Adult bed bugs have flat bodies and when they feed on flesh and blood, their bodies swell and become a red color. They move quickly on floors, walls, and ceilings.
What Happens If You Have Bed Bugs?
Bed bug bites can affect your health. Skin rashes, psychological effects, and other allergic reactions can come from bed bug bites. Redness and blisters are the most common symptom of a bed bug bite. Some people may even feel tired or get a fever as a reaction to a bite. Symptoms appear between minutes and days of a bite. Exposed areas of the body are affected. Additionally, bed bug bites can transmit infectious diseases.
What Is the Cause of Bed Bugs?
Infestation is not usually due to poor hygiene and is slightly unknown. Second-hand furniture can be the cause for bringing bed bugs into a home. Resistance to pesticides can cause an infestation. High populations in small areas also attract bed bug infestation.
How Can You Tell If You Have Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are visible on cloth. Feeding begins within 24 hours of hatching; they multiply quickly. If you look closely at bedding or mattresses, they may be visible. Red or brown stains show on a mattress from dried blood where bed bugs have bitten or have been crushed. Small bites on your body are also a tell-tale sign of bed bugs.
Can You Smell Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs have a strong odor. All parasites give off pheromones. Some people report a smell like coriander when bed bugs are in the home.
How Do Bed Bugs Spread?
Bed bugs crawl from surface to surface, they cannot fly. High-density areas with more people in smaller spaces tend to attract them. Hidden and dark locations like mattress seams or cracks in a wall attract bed bugs, which is why infestations are common. Bed bugs also cling to clothing from public places.
Personal Bed Bug Treatment
Treatment for bed bugs depends on the reaction to a bite. Each symptom is treated differently. Some bites require topical prescribed medical ointment. Sometimes, bites will go away on their own, but sometimes people require assistance. Natural remedies include coconut oil, tea tree oil, and aloe vera to soothe itchy and inflamed skin. Consult your doctor if you think you have bed bug bites on your body.
In-Home Bed Bug Treatment
If your home is infested by bed bugs, you need to get it treated. Treatments include:
- Use heat of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit
- Vacuum frequently
- Wash clothing at very high temperatures
- Use pesticides
Bed Bug Prevention
No one wants bed bugs in their home. Using scents to keep bed bugs away is the best way to prevent them from entering your home. Bed bugs do not like strong-smelling scents. Rather than using harmful chemicals, consider natural, non-intrusive scents.
What Scent Keeps Bed Bugs Away?
Bed bugs are a problem you can solve by natural and non-intrusive measures. Here’s an overview of scents that keep bed bugs away.
Essential Oils
Use essential oils as bug prevention in your home. Essential oils are used on the skin as a repellent, as a spray, and directly on clothing and fabric to help ward away bed bugs.
Hot Pepper
- Guaranteed to be 1,000,000 Scoville Units
- Certified by HPLC A.O.A.C.
- Add it by the drop to any recipe or for kicking up the heat of your Buffalo Wings
Bed bugs hate the smell of hot pepper. Hot pepper scent also prevents adult bugs from laying eggs. Be cautious with sprays and oils as they will irritate eyes and skin.
Peppermint
- 100% Pure & Natural Peppermint Essential Oil - What sets Artizen Essential Oils apart are their unparalleled purity and concentration. Natural, with...
- Don't Fall Victim To Cheap Diluted Peppermint Oil - Most of the competition dilute their oil with a cheap carrier oil or even other potentially...
- Most 4 Ounce Peppermint Oils Contain Less Than 1/3 Of Natural Oil - Unfortunately, there's a lot of misrepresentation of the term 100% oil, however...
Peppermint plant or oil gives off a strong scent and works to keep bed bugs away. This scent is very effective at making bed bugs leave permanently. Peppermint gives a pleasant scent to your home. Crush peppermint leaves and sprinkle them around your home to eliminate infestations.
Lemon
- Juice of 8 Lemons!
- Dream Foods International
- Volcano Burst
Bugs do not like lemon. By applying lemon juice to the affected areas of your home, you can work to eliminate these harmful bugs without using irritating chemicals and keeping your home smelling fresh.
Lavender
- 100% PURE & NATURAL LAVENDER OIL - NaturoBliss Essential oils are exactly that! Many oils being sold online make that claim but are in fact made of...
- PREMIUM THERAPEUTIC GRADE & PREMIUM QUALITY – All NaturoBliss Essential Oils are tested by an independent lab to test the efficacy of each oil. Each...
- HIGH QUALITY GLASS BOTTLE AND DROPPER – Our essential oil comes in an amber glass bottle to keep out UV rays and protect the oil against sunlight....
Although people love the smell of lavender, bed bugs do not. Apply lavender oil around your home to ward off bugs and calm you at the same time.
Rubbing Alcohol
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This option is a bit stronger than other essential oils or natural scents but kills bugs instantly. Apply rubbing alcohol to the corners of your mattress if you think you have bed bugs. You will not get the same calming scent, but you will be free of bugs.
Neem
- 100% Cold Pressed & Unrefined - All natural with absolutely no chemicals or additives included to ensure that the neem oil retains its original...
- Cosmetic grade - The oil is high in antioxidant compounds that soothe the skin
- Organic gardening uses - used in organic gardening to keep plants looking healthy
Neem oil comes from the neem tree. Irritating bugs hate neem oil. The scent is strong and wards off bed bugs.
Diatomaceous Earth
- Natural Product - Composed of 4lbs of 100% ground freshwater diatomaceous earth with absolutely no additives or fillers.
- OMRI Listed - Listed with the Organic Minerals Research Institute, a non-profit organization that reviews products against organic standards.
- Powder Duster Included - Powder duster in the bag for easy and efficient application of diatomaceous earth on animal feed
Applying diatomaceous earth is abrasive. The elimination process involves absorbing water-protecting fats and oils to make bed bugs lose moisture. Bed bugs then die of dehydration. This is considered a natural pesticide. Apply diatomaceous earth in a powder form to cracks and crevices and trap those pesky critters.
Cinnamon
- ORGANIC CEYLON CINNAMON - Nothing but pure, organic, ground Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum). No GMOs. No ETO (considered carcinogenic by the EPA)....
- DELICIOUS AND VERSATILE - You want "true cinnamon"? This is it. You’ll know Ceylon by its complex yet nuanced flavor. Ours is spicy in the true...
- PURE AND POTENT FLAVOR - Simply Organic believes in pure and potent flavor grown at the source. Our rigorous standards mean that we know precisely...
Cinnamon is sprinkled around affected areas to keep bed bugs away and prevent them from laying new eggs. It is known to last for a long time, keeping your home smelling great and free of bugs.
Tea Tree Oil
- 100% PURE & NATURAL TEA TREE OIL - Handcraft Blends oils are exactly that! Many oils being sold make that claim but are in fact made of natural...
- PREMIUM THERAPEUTIC GRADE & PREMIUM QUALITY – All Handcraft Blends Essential Oils are tested by an independent lab to test the efficacy of each oil....
- HIGH QUALITY GLASS BOTTLE AND DROPPER – Our essential oil comes in an amber glass bottle to keep out UV rays and protect the oil against sunlight....
Tea tree oil has a strong scent that keeps insects out of your home. Bugs will not be killed by using tea tree oil but it will repel them from coming in. Wash your clothes and bedding with tea tree oil for extra protection.
Blood Orange
- Botanical Name - Citrus sinensis
- Uses: Aromatherapy, Custom Massage and Body Oils, Vaporizer, Diffusion, Oil Burner, Inhalation, Compress, Perfume, Blends, Spa and Home Care, Cleaning...
- Amber Glass Bottle with Euro Dropper Cap
Blood orange oil smells very strong and repels bugs from your home, leaving a fresh scent behind.
What Scent Keeps Bed Bugs Away – Conclusion
Use scents to keep away bed bugs. This is a natural method where you do not bring harmful chemicals into your home. Since bed bugs are mostly found in beds, you need to make sure you are using gentle options to prevent them from getting into your home. Some of the scented options even leave behind a calming and pleasurable scent in your home.
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