Bed bug dust (diatomaceous earth) powder is a natural method of getting rid of bed bugs forever. If you are wondering where to buy bed bug dust (Diatomaceous powder), then the answer is: literally any departmental store that stocks home-goods and products (including Home Depot and Walmart) stock it. In this article, we will consider the step by step uses of bed bug dust and also study some dos and don’ts of using DE powder that can effectively eradicate bed bugs from your home.
How to use bed bug dust to treat bed bug infestation?
Bed bug dust alone won’t be enough to treat bed bugs especially in case of very large infestation. It does help in creating a non-toxic all-natural barrier in order to restrict bed bugs so that they do not move to other rooms. The best use of bed bug dust (diatomaceous earth) is combined with vacuuming and steam cleaning. Heat treatment is especially necessary to eradicate bed bugs for good and must be used with the bed bug dust.
Step 1: Declutter
Bed bugs love clutter. Clutter makes it very easy for them to hide in and lay hundreds of eggs. So if you live in a cluttered house, the first step would be to remove the excess stuff. You can pack all books, old clothes, toys, extra furniture pieces, shoes, frames, art work etc in plastic bags. If you plan on discarding these items, it is best to do so outside the house. Mark the items as ‘bed bug infested’ so some poor potential victim won’t take them home.
Step 2: Vacuum and launder
Once your house is cleaned and all the things you need are dusted and packed away in plastic sealable bags- it is time to vacuum the entire house. When I use the word entire- I mean you must be as fastidious as you can in cleaning all of the surfaces. Clean out the carpets, rugs, bed-sheets, mattresses, pillow cases etc. Launder the linen in hot water either professionally or at home in the dryer on highest setting the fabric can safely withstand without being damaged. Vacuum the carpeted floors and wipe hardwood floors with warm water and soap. Clean the tabletops and kitchen counters too. Remove all food, pet bowls, toys etc and clean, clean, clean.
Step 3: Steam clean
If you have a steamer, get everything steam cleaned including the beds, carpets, rugs, pillows, etc. Steam cleaning is the best method to get rid of bed bug eggs. Test the area with a bit of steam first to ensure there is no damage. Place the steamed items in a clean place-do not mistakenly place them in un-steamed places as the bed bugs could come right back to infest them.
Alternatively, use a disinfectant cleaner to clean the zones that cannot withstand steam.
Step 4: Use organic Bed bug spray
The next step, before using bed bug dust (diatomaceous earth) is to use an organic bed bug spray. RestEasy™ is a great example which is available in many places such as Walmart, Home Depot and also Bed Bath And Beyond.Spray all furniture legs, bottom edges of the boxes etc coming in contact with the floors with the RestEasy™. RestEasy™ is a natural organic way of creating a barrier between the bed bugs and all items touching the floor. It has a strong cinnamon aroma which repels bed bugs. It is safe for pets and kids but many dogs do not particularly love the scent. So spray the couch legs, bottom of cushions, edges of the mattresses and pillows or fabrics. (Note that the spray per se does not kill bed bugs but it certainly repels them). You won’t find bed bugs crossing the zones you create using the spray. I recommend several applications of organic bed bug sprays every 3-4 days. The longer you use the spray; the better the natural barrier to make the bed bug dust more effective.
Step 5: Bed bug dust application
Now is the time to use bed bug dust. You can study some of the bed bug dust reviews on Amazon and buy one that best suits your needs. Use any food grade diatomaceous earth powder which is natural and organic and won’t harm your pets. I like to apply the bed bug dust once the spray has dried up on the legs of the couch, bed etc. For furniture and beds, lightly dust the floor, the legs and leg caps that come in contact with the flooring. Bed bugs love to hide in these caps. For closets and baseboards, lightly dust to create a barricading wall like layer. Do not pile on the powder- even a single layer of the dust will suffice. The key lies in getting the bugs to crawl through the dust layer when entering or exiting the zones you create.
Keep the bed bug dust barrier for several days, even weeks, until all bed bugs are gone. Note that bed bug dust is very light and tends to get blown away. So reapply every few days. Do not rub the powder in gentle surfaces like furniture etc as it has sharp molecular structure that can abrade the delicate materials.
Dos and Don’ts when using bed bug dust powder
- Do reapply the powder every 3 days.
- Do not use it on fragile or delicate surfaces
- Do not create a barrier around all items-it is impractical, for example, to create a barrier around things that get moved now and then such as chairs with wheels or other portable objects.
- Do create a barrier around bed bugs favorite hiding places such as box springs, cracks in floor boards, head boards etc. This will encourage the bed bugs to crawl through the dust so that their insides are shredded instantly.
- Do remember that bed bugs will still try and bite you during this treatment period. Do not worry-it does not mean that the treatment is not working. It is actually necessary that the bugs come out to feed and crawl through the dust layer.
- Don’t let furniture touch the walls or other furniture.
- Do not wear shoes around the house when the dust barrier is up. Leave them outdoors to prevent disturbing the layer.
Remember that bed bugs can go without blood meal for up to a year. If you buy new furniture, make sure to treat and fortify it with the bed bug dust. Any bugs that survive the bed bug dust treatment can still lay eggs and give rise to a large infestation. So continue using the spray and powder for getting rid of bugs forever.
