If pest prevention is your mission, you have a great deal of work ahead of you. With effort, you may be able to keep certain pests at bay. But other pests, like bed bugs, are almost impossible to keep away. Learn whether or not certain smells can protect your Lexington, KY home from bed bugs and what you can do to ensure you don't have an infestation on your hands.
The Truth About Bed Bug Prevention
There's only one thing you should know about bed bug prevention - it's practically impossible. If you look online, you can find page after page about the various methods of bed bug prevention. However, most of those methods aren't completely effective. Some of them don't work at all.
In reality, do-it-yourself (DIY) bed bug prevention isn't a possibility. This includes using scents to keep these pests away. While some people might try to convince you to use specific smells to deter bed bugs, you should know that there is no guarantee that any scents will work.
Bed Bugs and Scents
Although scents to counter the bed bugs alone aren't enough to prevent bed bugs, they do have some merit. Whether you use essential oils or natural scents, there's a chance they could be unappealing to bed bugs. Usually, bed bugs have an aversion to the following oils:
- Orange Oil
- Silicone Oil
- Spearmint Oil
- Paraffin Oil
The USDA conducted a study on the effectiveness of essential oils as a bed bug repellent. In the study, researchers examined the way in which bed bugs reacted to essential oils. Out of all the essential oils, blood orange oil was the most effective at killing bed bugs. All of the oils had some type of toxicity towards bugs, but the source and type of oil affected the mortality rates.
If you want to try to use essential oils to keep bed bugs away, orange oil is your best bet. Just know that it won't keep every bed bug away. There's still a chance you could experience an infestation.
What You Can Do To Keep Bed Bugs Out?
While essential oils might not be highly effective at bed bug control, there are a few things you can do to make a difference. For one, be careful when you travel. This is when you're most likely to pick up bed bugs and bring them back into your home. When you stay at a hotel, store your luggage off the ground and away from the wall on a luggage rack.
After you get home from an airport or hotel, wash your clothes in hot water and dry them on high heat. If you have any potentially contaminated items, exposing them to high heat or freezing temperatures potentially will kill them. Bed bugs hate extreme temperatures so this can be used to your advantage.
Finally, check second-hand furniture and clothing for signs of bed bugs. Look for shed skins, feces, or actual bugs. Keep in mind that bed bugs are about the size of apple seeds. They are difficult for the untrained eye to see, and be sure to check all cracks and crevices closely.
What To Do If You Get Bed Bugs
If you find signs of a bed bug infestation on your property, you need to act quickly. Only an experienced professional can handle an infestation. Here at Action Pest Control, we have highly trained technicians. Our team provides an elimination service with a customized approach. When we're done, you can rest easy knowing your home is bed bug-free. Call our pros at Action Pest Control to learn more and to request a free no-obligation inspection.