Do Bed Bugs Make Your House Smell?
WouterWhen bed bugs invade your home, they often leave behind an unpleasant smell that is unique to them. This smell helps you identify the area in which you suspect you have bed bugs and can help you target treatment. The odor will be stronger if the bugs are in large numbers and the infestation is very severe.
The odor is caused by pheromones that bed bugs release. They can also leave behind an odor when they’re disturbed, which they do frequently. Those pheromones will be sweet or musty and may also come from bedbug feces. If you think you’ve spotted a bed bug, you should keep a piece of the insect in a pill bottle for identification.
In addition to using a vacuum cleaner, you should also wash all your bedding in hot water. When you dry your linens, make sure to use the highest setting possible. If you’ve noticed that your bed is full of bedbug eggs, you should use a stiff brush to remove them. Then, vacuum the bed and the surrounding area regularly. Also, check for any cracks in the plaster surrounding the bed.
Luckily, there are natural remedies for killing bed bugs that don’t require chemicals. A few examples of home remedies include cinnamon oil. This is an effective repellent for bed bugs. Likewise, you can use rubbing alcohol, which will kill over half of the population and prevent the eggs from hatching. Another natural option is diatomaceous earth, a substance made from fossilized algae. Diatomaceous earth can kill off a bedbug’s exoskeleton.
