Bed Bug Sprays - Are They Safe Or Effective?
Anyone who has ever had an insect problem has probably ran right to the home aisle of their closest store, picked up a big can of bug spray and liberally sprayed it all over their problem area.
The thing is, most of the time these sprays are for outdoor use or for areas of your home where people don't linger like under the sink, in the basement or around the floorboards.
Insect sprays usually come in a few varieties like wasp, roach, and "kill em all" but have you ever seen a bed bug spray? Probably not.
This isn't because there isn't a high demand for them, it's simply because the physiology of certain insects are more or less susceptible to various chemicals.
The chemicals that might work well for bed bugs are often the same chemicals you absolutely do NOT want to be spraying in your bed or on your furniture.
It can give you a rash, smell horrible and can lead to you throwing your items away.
This is exactly what you want to avoid when doing any type of bed bug treatment.
You don't want to lose your stuff.
Let's check out some alternative products that might work for your situation.
Prevention If you haven't actually seen any bed bugs yet, it sure couldn't hurt to prepare, especially if your neighbors have picked some up on.
A good prevention method is to use a product like Bed Defense or an all natural repellent.
These are usually placed in strategic places like under couches or under your mattress.
Low-Infestation Just noticed one or two bed bugs on that new couch you brought home? Prevention products should still work fine here but you might want to actively pull your couch apart looking for any insects that shouldn't be there.
This is where an all natural spray used in combination with a prevention product can work wonders.
Always throw all your cushions and anything you can remove into the washer and dryer on high heat as well.
High-Infestation This is when you really need to ask yourself how much you need that piece of furniture.
In some cases if you end up with a dozen or more bed bugs you can see easily, it's more cost-effective to simply toss the questionable item.
It's easier and cheaper to replace an old chair or mattress then to suffer many bed bug bites and further infestation.
If you're a home owner, this could lead to severe problems in the future so it's time to act.
Get rid of the furniture, set out multiple prevention products, use sprays, steam clean your entire floor and disinfect everything possible immediately.
This routine will need to be followed for at least a week before re-evalutating your situation and taking further action.
The thing is, most of the time these sprays are for outdoor use or for areas of your home where people don't linger like under the sink, in the basement or around the floorboards.
Insect sprays usually come in a few varieties like wasp, roach, and "kill em all" but have you ever seen a bed bug spray? Probably not.
This isn't because there isn't a high demand for them, it's simply because the physiology of certain insects are more or less susceptible to various chemicals.
The chemicals that might work well for bed bugs are often the same chemicals you absolutely do NOT want to be spraying in your bed or on your furniture.
It can give you a rash, smell horrible and can lead to you throwing your items away.
This is exactly what you want to avoid when doing any type of bed bug treatment.
You don't want to lose your stuff.
Let's check out some alternative products that might work for your situation.
Prevention If you haven't actually seen any bed bugs yet, it sure couldn't hurt to prepare, especially if your neighbors have picked some up on.
A good prevention method is to use a product like Bed Defense or an all natural repellent.
These are usually placed in strategic places like under couches or under your mattress.
Low-Infestation Just noticed one or two bed bugs on that new couch you brought home? Prevention products should still work fine here but you might want to actively pull your couch apart looking for any insects that shouldn't be there.
This is where an all natural spray used in combination with a prevention product can work wonders.
Always throw all your cushions and anything you can remove into the washer and dryer on high heat as well.
High-Infestation This is when you really need to ask yourself how much you need that piece of furniture.
In some cases if you end up with a dozen or more bed bugs you can see easily, it's more cost-effective to simply toss the questionable item.
It's easier and cheaper to replace an old chair or mattress then to suffer many bed bug bites and further infestation.
If you're a home owner, this could lead to severe problems in the future so it's time to act.
Get rid of the furniture, set out multiple prevention products, use sprays, steam clean your entire floor and disinfect everything possible immediately.
This routine will need to be followed for at least a week before re-evalutating your situation and taking further action.
