A quick online search will reveal endless options about how to eliminate a bed bug problem using DIY solutions. Ideas range from wiping furniture down with dryer sheets to mixing essential oils with rubbing alcohol. People even search for options like 'does baby powder kill bed bugs?' Fast, quick and seemingly inexpensive treatments abound, but it doesn’t mean they work or that they’re safe methods. The only proven solution for bed bug treatment is professional pest control, though there are steps you can take to safeguard your space.
Dual Purpose Baby Powder?
When thinking of baby powder, bed bugs may not be the first association you make, but there are some claims that baby powder kills bed bugs using two methods. The first is by sprinkling baby powder on a mattress, other furniture or flooring. Upon contact, the exoskeletons on bed bugs will supposedly dry out, ultimately leading to their death by dehydration.
The second popular method is to use baby powder in a trap, such as a cup or bowl, to make the interior slippery enough that bed bugs can’t escape. They’ll be able to climb in, but the composition of talc makes it nearly impossible for them to get out.
I live with a lady that got bed bug in house from pile of clothes in baskets bed bugs at medical facility in st. Charles mo its possible brought here to the point where nasty clothes clothes in basket in son room closet basket etc. Marr lane st charles habilitation center then. Its this old nasty dog max. Rubbing alcohol can kill only up to 60% of adult bed bugs. In comparison, Command Pest Control kills up to 100% of bed bugs using contact killers (pesticides and whatnot). Heat; Heat is a good tool to use to kill bed bugs, but you have to expose them to a very high temperature without burning down your house.
The Results of Combining Baby Powder and Bed Bugs
While the thought behind sprinkling baby powder to kill bed bugs is similar to the reasoning for using diatomaceous earth, there’s simply no evidence that talc is effective nor are these material comparable. If left undisturbed, diatomaceous earth can work mechanically, not chemically, as its properties are abrasive enough to pierce the hard shell of a bed bug. Baby powder, which is normally reserved for babies and kids, is an entirely different material that does not have sharp texture that is required for effective bed bug control. Plus, in terms of effectiveness, these pests have been known to evade baby powder on a mattress or carpet by just walking around any traces.
When baby powder is used in bed bug traps, it’s possible that baby powder may help kill them by keeping them confined inside the trap. It’s non-toxic, but it can make the surface of the trap more difficult for the bed bugs to escape. Though this may help trap and kill a few bed bugs, this is not a long-lasting solution against an infestation.
Kill Bugs In Home
Any efforts to kill bed bugs using baby powder may do nothing more than irritate the pests or cover up their musty scent. Not only will you likely be disappointed in the results, but you could make matters worse.
For a guaranteed bed bug treatment that quickly and effectively eliminates the pests, contact a Terminix® pest control professional.
Bed bugs are some of the worst pests you can get in your home. They’re disgusting, give painful bites, and they’re very difficult to get rid of. And worse still, a bed bug infestation feels like an invasion of privacy – they attack you at your most vulnerable. When tackling a bed bug infestation, it’s good to use a variety of methods to cover all your bases. UVC light can be one of these methods, though it may not be enough on its own. This post has all the information you need on how to use UVC as part of your best bug treatment plan.
How does UVC light kill bed bugs?
UVC is the highest energy ultraviolet radiation. It is a wavelength of light that is invisible to the human eye, but has a strong effect on living cells. This is because the high-energy waves can degrade the genetic material in cells, which makes them incapable of functioning and reproducing. This is why UVC is used in hospitals and laboratories to disinfect equipment and surfaces.
However, it’s not just single-cell organisms that UVC can harm. It’s very dangerous for animals as well. When humans are exposed to UVC, it acts like supercharged sunlight, causing similar health effects as long-term sun exposure. These include skin burns, eye injuries, and a greater risk of skin cancer.
Insects also don’t respond well to UVC light. In fact, insects can be affected by lower wavelengths of light as well that would not be as harmful to humans. A study published in Scientific Reportsexamined the effect of short wavelength visible light (blue light) on fruit flies and found that it can kill eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. This is preliminary research, so it hasn’t seen many commercial applications yet. However, the major plus side of using blue light instead of UVC is that it’s much less harmful to humans.
Using UVC for Bed Bugs
UVC will kill bed bugs, however there are some complications involved that mean that UVC should be a part of a larger pest control strategy rather than the primary method.
Contact Fight And Kill Bed Bugs In House
First, the danger UVC poses to humans meant that I should only be used in controlled environment in short bursts. However, these short exposures of UVC can do the job in the right context. For example: entomology labs that need to operate in quarantine (usually those working on invasive pests or disease vectors) will use UVC light as a barrier to keep insects from escaping quarantine. This works well because the scientists only have to be exposed for short periods of time. It’s also a great way to kill pests in stored products, since these applications also involve little human exposure to the light.
Second, UVC can only kill organisms that are exposed to the light. This makes it difficult to use it to kill bed bugs because they are excellent at hiding. During the day, bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices in the home, which makes it really difficult to find and kill all bed bugs with a UVC light. For a effective solution a industrial level UVC solution with sufficient power and build in safety measures should be used, as the UV Photons VX One mobile unit.
Contact Fight And Kill Bed Bugs Bite
Overall, UVC can be part of your arsenal for bed bugs. Since bed bugs are so difficult to eradicate, the more tools you have, the better.