The fact is a bed bug infestation can be hard to deal with. Upon discovering bed bugs in your home, you’ll think of a number of options and one of them will be trying out bleach. But does bleach kill bed bugs and their eggs? Find out in this article how you can get rid of bed bugs and their eggs with bleach.
Bleach is one of the first and home product that we tend to use other than cleaning to get rid of pests such as bed bugs, fleas, flies, ants etc. Bleach is potent but is it the safest option for bed bug treatment? Does this actually work?
Bed bugs are hard to kill and getting rid of them personally can be overwhelming. How do you go about bed bugs while you have bleach as probably the only option? Read more.
What is in Clorox Bleach?
Before using bleach to kill bed bugs, first try to understand what bleach is made up of. Bleach or commonly known as Clorox has the following as its ingredients:
Sodium Hypochlorite – this is main active ingredient in bleach that removes stain, whiten your clothes and kill germs
Sodium Chloride – this is the common table salt used in detergents, liquid laundry soaps, and hand dish soaps
Sodium Carbonate – one of the ingredient added to the mixture to help remove grease stains and to soften water that is used in cleaning
Sodium Chlorate – this is another ingredient that is majorly a breakdown of sodium hypochlorite
Sodium Hydroxide– to adjust the pH, this ingredient has to be included basically for adjusting the pH of the water and helps in removing stains from the clothes
Sodium Polyacrylate – included to help stop soil from being reabsorbed into fabrics after being washed.
Water – is one of the main component where all the other ingredients dissolve to come up with one final product
Are Bed Bugs Attracted to Bleach?
Absolutely No! Bed bugs are not attracted to bleach. The smell of bleach will make them run immediately. As soon as place spray bleach on the beddings or any surface, the bed bugs will run.
Bed bugs are evasive in nature. This mean if you apply bleach on the surface, they will avoid coming into contact with surface and shift their hiding place. It is a fact that you can use bleach to repel bed bugs especially if you are dealing with a severe infestation.
If the bed bugs detect the bleach, they tend to burrow into the mattress to avoid the bleaching touching their skin. But if use bleach on the mattress, it will no longer be safe to use. You can instead use diluted bleach as the only safe means to get rid of the bed bugs in your home.
If the bleach doesn’t produce desirable results, you can combine other more effective methods such as steaming the mattress and furniture. Bed bugs can be hard to deal with only method. These pest tend to come out at night to feed. They are also known to hide in difficult places to access such as cracks and crevices.
Are Bed Bugs Resistant to Bleach?
Dealing with bed bugs can be a daunting task. These insects only come out at night to feed. They are good at hiding in hard to reach places such as tight crevices and cracks. So, getting rid of bed bugs with bleach may sound easy but it requires more effort.
Using bleach on your beddings isn’t a good idea. Bleach is potent and can cause respiratory issues if inhaled and to skin irritation.
Are bed bugs resistant to bleach? Absolutely No! Bed bugs aren’t resistant to bleach but dealing with a large infestation by yourself is a huge challenge. These insects can be hard to get rid of even with the harshest chemicals.
Use diluted bleach to eliminate the bed bugs. Although undiluted bleach will kill the bed bugs more effectively. If the bleach is not dilute, the damage on the mattress, bedding, and clothing will be irreversible.
While using bleach to get rid of the bed bugs, cover your nose with face mask otherwise inhaling bleach poses respiratory health complications.
Does Bleach Kill Bed Bugs and Their Eggs?
As mentioned earlier in the post. Undiluted bleach is effective in killing bed bugs. If you apply directly on the bed bugs, the damage on the bed bug skin is lethal. You can also use diluted bleach to kill bed bugs and their eggs, though diluted bleach may not be as effective as the undiluted bleach since its potency has been reduced.
Bleach is safe to use on the surfaces where the bed bugs are likely to crawl over. If you want to effectively kill the bed bugs try incorporating other methods such as steaming, use extreme hot or cold treatments.
If you feel overwhelmed, you can seek the help of professional exterminator especially in severe infestation.
How does Bleach Kill Bed Bugs?
Bleach does kill bed bugs effectively. In fact, bleach is one of the harshest chemicals that is used at home to wash garments. We have mentioned hypochlorous as the active ingredient in bleach.
When bed bugs are exposed to bleach, they begin to suffocate. Bleach has a strong scent that suffocate the bed bugs bodies by disrupting their respiratory system. It may take a couple of hours but the bed bugs will begin to die slowly.
Bleach has the same effect has heat. When bed bugs are exposed to bleach, their bodies being protein they begin to burn or denatured.
Tips for Using Bleach to Kill Bed Bugs
Here are some tips for using bleach to kill bed bugs:
- Remove clutter from the infested area. This include items just idling there that have no use. The aim to expose and flash the bed bugs from their hiding place
- Separate items that can be washed from those that cannot be washed
- Vacuum the place the place thoroughly before you apply bleach treatment. A combination of bleach and heat treatment is lethal that can kill most bed bugs effectively. This also helps to get rid of bed bugs eggs, nymphs and adult bed bugs.
- Mix bleach and hot water in equal proportions. Put in a spray bottle and spray in the infested area. Avoid spraying directly on the mattress. But if you have to, avoid using the mattress for a couple of weeks. Remember to use gloves and a face mask.
- Soak a washcloth in a diluted bleach and wipe the surfaces where bed bugs are likely to crawl over
- Spray in hard to reach places where the bed bugs are likely to hide, such places include crevices and cracks.
How to Treat Bed bugs with Bleach
To effectively get rid of bed bugs with bleach, make sure the infested area is accessible. Declutter the place. Clothing should be washed in hot washer. Vacuum the place to remove dirt and possibly bed bug eggs.
Here is how to treat the bed bugs with bleach:
- Mix (hot) water and bleach in equal amounts
- Put the mixture in a spray bottle
- Spray the infested area
- Repeat this procedure twice for a couple of weeks until all the bed bugs are gone
Does Bleach and Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?
Bleach is considered as one of the best household cleaning agent. The thought of using bleach to get rid of bed bugs is a good idea. If is a simple and fast home remedy to think of anytime you have an infestation of bed bugs.
Bleach and vinegar combination sounds like a perfect way to get rid of the bed bugs. It may work if you apply it directly on the bed bugs. But spraying this remedy has its problems. It may only work if the infestation is not severe.
Using bleach can ruin you carpet and furniture. Be careful while using this remedy to get rid of the bed bugs. Using vinegar and bleach is therefore not a long term solution for bed bugs
How to Make and Use a Homemade Bleach & Vinegar Bed Bug Spray
Here is how to make a homemade bleach and vinegar bed bug spray;
- Fill an empty spray bottle with vinegar and water
- Add bleach in equal amounts
- Spray the infested area with solution, including cracks and crevices in the walls and tight spaces especially in between and underneath furniture
- Spray directly onto the bed bugs to scatter them
- Repeat this procedure several times in a week until all the bed bugs are gone
Note: mixing vinegar with bleach can harm your health. Always cover your face and nose with a face mask. Wear gloves to prevent irritation on your skin in case the mixture drops onto your skin.
Will Bleach Kill Bed Bugs in Washer?
Bleach is one of the harshest chemicals that is used in households to kill germs and sanitize garments. Bleach is used as a disinfectant to remove viruses and dirt. To get rid of bed bugs, it may take a couple of hours to completely get rid of bed bugs.
Yes, bleach will bed bugs in washer. It has hypochlorous as the active ingredient which produces the same effect as heat on proteins. When bleach is used in laundry, the bed bugs are exposed to hypochlorous. In the long run, the bed bugs bodies are denatured thus they slowly die.
