Home Remedies and Treatment for Bed Bug Bites

Check out these home treatment and remedies for bed bug bites. Find out what bed bugs are, what causes bed bugs and what are the symptoms of bed bugs? Included are tips on how to get rid of bed bugs or cimex lectularius.

The cimex lectularius species is the most common bed bugs that are found in homes and public places. They travel through clothes, luggage, shoes and anything that humans wear and use. This is how the bed bugs are transported and then infested in dormitories, hotel rooms, schools, hospital beds and movie theaters.

The bed bugs are parasites and feed on human blood. They do that on other warm blooded animals too such as cats, dogs and rats. When a bug lands on your skin, it inserts its hollow tubes. One of the tubes will suck blood and another will inject a type of chemical and anticoagulant saliva. You won't notice or feel a bite immediately because of the chemical in the saliva.

The common symptoms of bed bug bites are itching, irritation, redness with darker spot in the middle and swollen welt. The symptoms of the bed bugs can last for a few days. Some people who have become immune to the saliva do not show any reaction to bed bug bites.

Home Treatment for Bed Bug Bites

If you were bitten outside your home and do not treat it, the symptoms will go away in less than a fortnight. There is no disease associated with bed bug bites but if you scratch, you can get an infection.

If you notice any of the symptoms, wash the spot with warm water and soap. Apply hydrocortisone cream which will stop and prevent itching as well and inflammation.

Natural and herbal remedies that you can use to stop the itch caused by bed bug bites include tea tree oil, lavender oil and witch hazel extract. If you use pure essential oil, dilute it with carrier oil, vegetable oil or aloe vera gel before applying on your skin.

You can also rub a cut fresh onion or apply a paste made by mixing baking soda with water. Let the paste dry and leave it for an hour before washing it off. Another remedy to treat the bite is to cut a fresh aloe vera stalk and rub the juice.

The Signs of Bed Bugs in Your Home

If your skin itch or you notice redness, start looking for the bugs around your mattress and bed frame. Adult bed bugs are reddish brown in color. The young and immature ones are transparent or colorless and smaller. The eggs are white, oval and only about 1mm long.

If there is some sort of odor or smell at a specific area, it could indicate that there is a large infestation of bed bugs. Another tell-tale sign of the presence of bed bugs are smears or stains on the seams of mattress. The stains are their fecal smears. You may also find blood stains on your sheets. Bed bugs also will leave their skins or nymphs at their hiding places.

Bed bugs not only hide in the cracks and crevices in mattresses. They also hide in holes and cracks in bed frames, behind picture frames, furniture and around doors and window frames. If you want to look for them, search at dark locations, crevices, holes and joints.

If you are certain that your home is infested with bed bugs, you must get rid of them. Otherwise, the bed bugs will keep laying eggs and you would create a major bed bug infestation and also transport them to other places. A female bug can lay from 200 to 500 eggs. Kill the bed bugs and find the eggs and eliminate them.

How to Prevent and Get Rid of Bed Bugs

1. Wash your clothes and beddings in hot water and use heat to kill the eggs. If you have purchased second hand clothes wash them before using. It is best that you check for bugs before buying all second hand goods.
   
   
   
2. If you find bed bugs, spray them with a mixture of 1 part rubbing alcohol and an equal part of water. You can buy bed bug spray which is easily available but get one that is water based and a non-irritant. However, most bed bug sprays will kill the bugs but not the eggs.
   
   
   
3. Remove all your beddings and check every corner of the bed, upholstery, carpets, chairs, sofas, etc. Vacuum your mattress and carpets and for extra treatment steam clean them including your pillows. Sun-dry stuff such as stuffed toys.
   
   
   
4. If you have just moved in a new home, thoroughly check for bed bugs even if the place was left empty for a while. Bed bugs can survive without human blood for up to a year.
   
   
   
5. Look for bed bugs when you check in a hotel room. Otherwise, you will not only get bitten but also carry them home. Bring along a bottle of natural, non-pesticide bed bug travel spray with you especially when you travel. And don't open your luggage on your bed.
   
   
   
6. When buying a new mattress, get a bug proof mattress and that guarantees mite and bed bug free. Or you can buy and use a mattress cover.
   
   
   
7. If it is really necessary and you can afford it, call a bed bug removal company to exterminate and do a thorough home treatment for bed bugs.

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