A bed bug infection can take a toll on your health as well as the wallet. These pesky little pests are brown in color and have oval-shaped bodies. Generally, they live in groups and can infect your house, hiding in your bedding, mattress, box springs, headboards, etc. Once you have gone to bed, these tiny insects crawl out of their hiding spots to feed. As you may already know, these despicable crawlers dine on your blood and can even bite your pets!
They usually enter a household undetected through luggage, clothing, used couches and mattresses and any other item that makes a good hiding place. Once inside the house, these insects can take over your furniture and bedding, making your life increasable miserably as they multiply quickly.
The only way to deal with bed bugs is to take measures to exterminate them. From investing in costly bed bug sprays to hiring a pest exterminator, there are multiple ways to put an end to the bed bug infestation in your house. However, there are some home remedies that you can employ before calling in the experts for help. One of these home remedies is to use alcohol to kill bed bugs. However, the real question is whether this method really works or not. Does alcohol kill bed bugs? Or is it just another baseless myth?
Before you worry about the effectiveness of alcohol as a bug bed killer, first of all, it is important to make sure that you really have bed bugs at your place. Also, don’t confuse bed bugs with fleas! Scroll down to read about some telltale signs of a bed bug infestation.
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Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation
Bed bugs are mainly active at night. Once they have fed, their otherwise inflated bodies swell and they turn red or reddish brown. As they are sneaky by nature and can flee the scene really quickly, it is not always easy to catch them running around in your sheets. However, the following signs are an indication that you are probably dealing with bed bugs.
- You wake up in the morning with new itchy areas that you didn’t have when you went to bed.
- You notice bloodstains on your bedding or pillowcase.
- You notice an unappealing musty smell around the bed or other furniture.
- You find tiny eggshells or shed skins in the areas where bed bugs might be hiding.
- You notice dark spots on your mattress, bedding, and even walls. These stains usually appear due to bed bug excrements.
If you notice these signs in your home, head out to the store because it’s time to buy some wintergreen alcohol for bed bugs!
Does Wintergreen Alcohol for Bed Bugs Work?
The big question – does alcohol kill bed bug? Well, yes it does!
Rubbing alcohol, also known as wintergreen alcohol, is not only toxic for humans but also these pesky pests. However, it works effectively only on contact. It works really well to prevent bed bugs from cooping up inside your home and can even take care of an infestation when it’s only starting. However, keep in mind that since wintergreen alcohol for bed bugs work only on contact, it is not the most ideal option if the bed bug infestation has gone out of hand.
Another important thing to consider is how well alcohol works for the eggs. While it certainly kills bed bugs on contact, can alcohol destroy bed bug eggs as well? Yes! Rubbing alcohol can destroy eggs of bed bugs on contact. It works by attacking the cells in the eggs and eventually dries them out. However, keep in mind that this only happens on contact. So, even if you ward off the bed bugs but their eggs are hidden somewhere in the bed where alcohol didn’t reach, there’s a probable chance that the eggs will hatch and you will have to start all over again.
How to Use Alcohol to Kill Bed Bugs?
So, rubbing alcohol can actually kill bed bugs but you surely can’t start dousing your mattress with alcohol. Here’s how to use alcohol to kill bed bugs.
- Identify the areas where bed bugs congregate in your home. Generally, these pesky pests enjoy hiding under or inside your mattress or any other item of furniture that is placed near your bed.
- Pour rubbing alcohol in a spraying bottle and spray the affected areas.
- Make sure you don’t clean these areas before spraying because any disruption will make the bed bugs flee before you can get chance to hit them with rubbing alcohol.
- Allow the alcohol to dry and refrain from wiping it off.
- Repeat this process the next day.
- After 3 days, wipe the underneath of your mattress with a damp cloth to remove the dead bugs, bug excrement, and eggshells.
How Fast Does Alcohol Kill Bed Bugs?
On contact, rubbing alcohol starts working immediately. However, since bed bugs are good at hiding, it is impossible to get all of them. Some of them are likely to escape and stay hidden until they come out again to feed. Also, don’t forget about the eggs. It is advisable to wait for the eggs to hatch and spray again in order to make sure that you get rid of bed bugs for good. For best results, repeatedly spray the areas until all the bed bugs are gone.
Remember, while it is a good idea to use rubbing alcohol to kill bed bugs, make sure that you are extremely careful in the process because wintergreen alcohol for bed bugs is extremely flammable. Therefore, be very cautious while using it to put an end to bed bug infestation and return to sleeping peacefully at night!