As a pest control expert with years of experience dealing with bed bug infestations, I can confidently say that bed bugs are one of the most persistent and frustrating pests to tackle in homes and businesses alike. These tiny, nocturnal creatures feed on human blood, leaving behind itchy, red welts on the skin of their victims.
What makes them such a problem is how well they can hide, and even if you think you got them — you probably didn’t.
One remedy that has gained attention is using vinegar. However, as a professional in the field, I feel it is my duty to provide accurate information about the effectiveness of vinegar in treating bed bug problems.
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How Does Vinegar Affect Bed Bugs?
Yes, vinegar is effective against bed bugs and can have a significant impact on bed bug populations.
Here’s why:
Vinegar Acidity
Vinegar is basically an aqueous solution composed of water and acetic acid. Vinegar, as an end product, has already undergone both alcohol and acid fermentation.
The content of acetic acid in vinegar makes it an acidic compound. In most types of vinegar, the pH level is 2.5. Vinegar, especially the white-distilled type, is commonly used as a cleaning agent in homes on various surfaces. It also has antimicrobial properties.
The acidity of vinegar is potent enough to disrupt the insect’s nervous system and kill it. Vinegar is often used as a contact type insecticide, which means that you need to spray it directly unto the spotted bed bug to make it effective.
Vinegar offers short-term and limited effects on your fight against bed bugs. It is not as effective as a stand-alone treatment against serious cases of infestation. Furthermore, vinegar won’t be able to penetrate the hard casings protecting bed bug eggs.
How Long Does it Take for Vinegar to Kill Bed Bugs?
As soon as you spray vinegar on the bed bugs, they will start to die and be fully dead within a few minutes. The only problem is that vinegar doesn’t address the root problem unless you spray down your entire room, and that’s not a logical solution.
How to Kill Bed Bugs with Vinegar
If you’re dealing with a bed bug infestation and looking for a DIY solution, you might have heard that vinegar can be effective. As a pest control expert, I’ve seen many people try to use vinegar to kill bed bugs. While it can be a helpful tool in your bed bug eradication arsenal, it’s important to understand its limitations and use it correctly.
Use White Distilled Vinegar
When it comes to using vinegar to kill bed bugs, not all types are created equal. White distilled vinegar, with its higher acidity level (usually around 5%), is the most effective option. Apple cider vinegar, while still acidic, has a lower acidity level and may not be as potent against bed bugs. Stick with white distilled vinegar for the best results.
Protect Your Eyes and Skin
Before you start spraying vinegar, it’s crucial to protect yourself. Vinegar is acidic and can cause irritation to your eyes and skin. Wear protective goggles and gloves to avoid any discomfort or harm. If you have sensitive skin, consider wearing long sleeves and pants to minimize exposure.
Spray Affected Areas
To use vinegar effectively against bed bugs, you’ll need to spray it directly onto the bugs and their hiding spots. This includes crevices in furniture, seams of mattresses, and any other areas where you suspect bed bugs may be lurking.
Use a spray bottle to apply the vinegar, making sure to saturate the area thoroughly. Don’t forget to test a small, inconspicuous area first to make sure the vinegar won’t damage any fabrics or surfaces.
Treat and Retreat
While vinegar can kill bed bugs on contact, it’s not a one-and-done solution. Bed bugs are notorious for their ability to hide and survive, so you’ll need to be persistent in your treatment. Spray affected areas once a day for at least a week, or until you no longer see any signs of bed bugs.
Keep in mind that vinegar won’t kill bed bug eggs, so you may need to use additional methods, such as vacuuming or heat treatment, to provide complete eradication.
Does Vinegar Repel Bed Bugs?
Vinegar only provides a limited and short-term effect on bed bugs. Although vinegar can kill bed bugs upon contact, it is not advisable to be used as a single treatment for an entire infestation.
You can kill bed bugs with it one at a time, but it is not capable of repeling the pests out of your property. Besides, overdoing the vinegar spray option will mean soaking your entire bedroom with the liquid’s pungent corrosive smell.
You can, however, use vinegar as a supplement to other bed bug treatment solutions. You can use essential oils such as lavender, lemongrass, cinnamon, clove, peppermint, and tea tree to repel bed bugs.
Read More: Click here to learn more about lemongrass.
Does Vinegar Actually Kill Bed Bugs?
As discussed earlier, vinegar, particularly white-distilled, can kill bed bugs because of its powerful acetic acid content. However, the chemical only becomes a possible bed bug killer if it comes in direct contact with the said pest.
However, using vinegar as a bed bug killer also comes with a set of advantages and setbacks. Vinegar is cheaper and easier to apply compared to other types of bed bug treatments. On the other hand, it is only good as a contact insecticide with short-term effects and is incapable of stopping the eggs.
Baking soda is another option for bed bug problems. I recommend using this if you’re washing your clothes or doing a heat treatment.
What Else Should You Consider Besides Vinegar For Bed Bugs?
Fortunately, your remedy for bed bug infestation is not limited to a professional exterminator and a bottle of vinegar. In fact, there’s a spectrum of alternatives that can be used effectively in getting rid of bed bugs.
DA or diatomaceous earth is one of the most commonly used alternative solutions against bed bug infestation. It is a chemical-free solution popularly used against a variety of bugs or household pests.
Diatomaceous earth absorbs the moisture in the exoskeleton of bugs leading to dehydration. The sand-like material is composed of crushed remains of fossilized diatoms with sharp edges that can inflict damage on the insect’s skin.
But in the case of bed bugs, diatomaceous earth is not as effective as a single treatment for bed bug infestation.
Vacuuming is an ingenious way of eliminating both live bed bugs and their eggs. Make sure that you use a vacuum cleaner with high suction power and a crevice tool so that you can reach all hard-to-reach corners and hiding places of bed bugs.
For serious infestation cases, it is best to vacuum your home at least twice a week. Dispose of the vacuum bag outside the property and keep it sealed.
A steam cleaning system also works fine alongside your vacuum cleaner in cases of bed bug infestation. A steam cleaner shoots high-temperature steam directly towards targeted surfaces such as mattresses, carpets, and curtains.
Steam from these devices ranges between 150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Bed bugs are known to die easily when exposed to high heat of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Essential oils are nature’s gift to us.
These oils offers a lot of health benefits from improving one’s mood to enhancing hair growth and providing support to our circulatory and nervous systems.
These oils are also known killers and repellents on a wide variety of household pests. And among them are bed bugs.
But not all essential oils work effectively against bed bugs. Oils that can kill and repel bed bugs at the same time are lavender, cinnamon, lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus, clove, and tea tree.
Final Thoughts
Alright, so vinegar seems like an effective home remedy for bed bug infestations because you can get it just about anywhere and it’s natural. But, it’s not the most reliable solution.
I advice against using it as the primary method of addressing a bed bug problem because it has to come in direct contact with the pests to kill them.
Hiring a professional pest control service is the only way to be 100% certain you got rid of these pesky insects.
Think you might need professional help with your bed bug infestation? Use the form below to connect with local pest control pros:
