How to Make Homemade Bed Bug Spray with Alcohol

The thought of bed bug infestation creeps many people. No one wants to think of it until you notice these unpleasant guests in your house. And the bad thing is bed bugs have many ways to get to even a sparkling clean home.

If you’re lucky to spot an infestation early, you can try several homemade solutions before you report the apartment complex to the health department. Here is how you can make a homemade bed bug spray with alcohol.

What you’ll need:

• 70% of higher concentration Rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol)
•  Water
• Funnel
• Spray bottle

Steps:

1.  Mix a considerable amount of rubbing alcohol with lower amounts of water into a spray bottle. The more alcohol concentration in the mix, the better, but you need water to lower the flammability of alcohol.
2. Clean your room first and remove anything that could block entry of your homemade alcohol solution in bed bug dens. Remember, alcohol will only kill the bugs if it makes direct contact.
3. Spray your alcohol concentration directly to visible bed bugs and into places they could be hiding.

How To Make DIY Bed Bug Spray With Essential Oils

Essential oils are plant-based compounds with a long history of use as insect repellents and killers, antibacterials, and antiseptics. Several studies have shown that certain essential oils in varying amounts can effectively kill and repel bed bugs. Here is how to make a bed bug spray with essential oils.

You need:

• 5 drops thyme 
• 5 drops of lavender essential oil 
• 5 drops clove
• 5 drops lemongrass
• One tablespoon of rubbing alcohol (90%) 
• Enough distilled water

Steps:

1. Mix everything thoroughly in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the mixture on all surfaces where bed bugs could be hiding. Be careful not to ingest or spray the mixture on your eyes and face as it could irritate.

How To Remove Bed Bugs From Home Permanently

Removing bed bugs from home requires a combination of elimination methods like applying insecticides, heat treatment, and do-it-yourself strategies. Use the following ways to eliminate bed bugs at home:

What you’ll need:

•  Insecticide spray or homemade bed bug spray
• Spray bottle
• Laundry washing and drying machines
• Vacuum cleaner

Steps:

1. Wash and dry infested clothes in temperatures above 120⁰ F
2. Vacuum the house, couches, mattresses, carpets, and other difficult-to-wash things to suck up bed bugs and dispose of the residue appropriately
3. Spray everything and every place that is safe to spray and where bed bugs could hide
4. Freeze items like books, pictures, and electronics with no LCD screens
5. Track the progress and effectiveness of your bed bug elimination efforts often. If the infestation doesn’t subside as you put more effort, it’s advisable to get help from professional pest managers.

How To Remove Bed Bugs From Wood Furniture

Removing bed bugs from wood furniture requires a mixture of cleaning, vacuuming, steaming, and spraying with an insecticide. Once you have all the things you need, here are the steps to follow:

1. Gather all the washable stuff on your furniture and clean with hot water, and dry on high heat
2. Vacuum everything else that cannot go into the washer and dispose of the residue in a sealed plastic bag. Ensure you vacuum every surface, aperture, and underside of your furniture.
3. Use a steamer with temperatures above 120⁰ F on the already vacuumed cushions and furniture frames. The steam will kill all remaining bugs and their eggs.
4. Add a layer of protection by spraying a residual insecticide on your wood furniture.
5. Finally, install plastic insect interceptors on the legs of your furniture.

How To Remove Bed Bugs From Clothes

Cleaning with hot water and drying in 120⁰ F or higher temperatures is the key to completely removing bed bugs from clothes. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Sort the laundry into washable clothes and those to be dry-cleaned, and keep each pile in a sealed plastic bag.
2. Wash and dry the clothes with the highest temperature settings the fabrics can handle for at least 30 minutes. Be careful when emptying the bags into the washer and dryer so as not to spread the bugs. 
3. Fold the clothes as soon as possible and store them in a bug-free place or in new plastic bags.

How To Remove Bed Bugs From Mattress

Follow these steps to remove bed bugs from a mattress.

1. Gather all the linens and washable things like mattress covers, pillowcases, and sheets. Clean and dry in temperatures above 120⁰ F.
2. Repeatedly vacuum your mattress, focusing more on areas where bugs could hide, like crevices and seams.
3. Clean and vacuum your bed too as thoroughly as possible. You can also use a safe insecticide on your bed frames and mattress.
4. Consider buying a specialized cover for your mattress that will help kill any remaining bugs by starvation.

How To Remove Bed Bugs From Couch

To effectively remove bed bugs from a couch, ensure you focus on potential dens like crevices and the underside. A steamer can do the job quickly and easily, but it can be costly. Even so, with the steps below, you can apply insecticides or use a vacuum to remove bed bugs from your couch.

1. Start by cleaning and drying cushions and covers at temperatures above 120⁰ F for at least 30 minutes.
2. Then use a vacuum with good suction power on your couch, focusing more on areas where bugs could be hiding.
3. Spray the vacuumed couch with an insecticide or a natural bed bug spray to kill the remaining bugs and eggs.

Do Bed Bugs Stay On Clothes?

Yes, bed bugs can stay on clothes stored or packed away. They can survive up to three months without food, waiting for a chance to feed on you when you wear infested clothing. Surprisingly, a single bed bug can spread the infestation to the whole closet.

Do Bed Bugs Like Perfume?

No, bed bugs hate perfumes. The main reason is most perfumes contain a plant-produced compound called linalool, which is also commercially used to make pesticides. Technically, bed bugs run away from perfumes because they think it’s a chemical meant to eradicate them.

Do Bed Bugs Cause Disease?

According to a report by CDC, bed bugs have not been shown to cause diseases but can increase the chances of secondary infections. Their itchy bites have been known to cause severe allergic reactions or secondary skin infections like impetigo. Also, mental health problems like anxiety, systemic reactions, and insomnia are common in people living in infested homes.

Do Bed Bugs Die In Water?

Yes, bed bugs can die in water, but how fast or their survival rates depend on the water temperatures. If the water is at average temperature, bed bugs can survive for up to 24 hours before drowning. However, they will die faster when put in water with temperatures above 115⁰ F.

Do Bed Bugs Have A Smell?

Like other bug species, bed bugs release a musty and unpleasant smell called alarm pheromones. They will mainly remove the odor when disturbed or sense danger. Even so, it takes a large infestation to produce a detectable smell or several bugs very close to your nose.

Final word

Nobody wishes to have a bed bug infestation, but you must deal with the problem as soon as you find it. Combine elimination methods like cleaning with hot water, homemade bed bug sprays, insecticide sprays, steaming, and vacuuming. But if the infestation is severe, seek help from professional exterminators.