Don't Waste Your Time And Money Trying This Pest Control Method On Bed Bugs

While bed bugs don't carry diseases and are generally not dangerous, they can infest homes and force people to lose sleep and deal with itchy bites. Getting rid of bed bugs is extremely difficult sometimes, and certain at-home solutions aren't all they're cracked up to be. Ultrasonic pest-repelling devices, for example, seem like a good option for easily ridding your home of bugs and rodents, but, unfortunately, they're useless against bed bugs.

These electronic repellents emit a sound that has a frequency too high to be heard by humans, cats, or dogs but is supposedly devastating for pests. Companies that manufacture ultrasonic machines claim the high-pitched noise is excruciating for insects and causes them to flee, but these devices are often ineffective even against the pests they assert they can repel. Though these electronic pest control options aren't outrageously expensive (this six-pack from Amazon is $22), ultimately, they're not worth the money because they won't eradicate bed bugs from your home.

Ultrasonic pest repellers are simple to use but because bed bugs use pheromones to communicate rather than sound, they have no effect on the insects. A study published by the Journal of Economic Entomology discovered that female bed bugs don't leave an area when high-frequency sounds are present. "Our results confirm that commercial devices producing ultrasound are not a promising tool for repelling bed bugs," the study's abstract concluded.

In 2015, the University of Arizona put out research showing ultrasonic pest repellers to be ineffective against several types of insects that the manufacturers claimed the devices deterred. Ants, cockroaches, and bed bugs were all unaffected by the sounds, and mosquitoes seemed attracted to the repellers. Even when the devices seemed to work at first, the insects eventually became unbothered and remained in the area with the noise.

While ultrasonic devices may prove useless against pests, there are other ways to eliminate bed bugs from your home. If you're dealing with a serious infestation, skipping home remedies and calling a pest control agency is the best option. For those trying to save money while eradicating bed bugs, though, heat is extremely helpful for killing these insects. Washing sheets, clothes, towels, or other fabrics in hot water and drying with hot air should kill bed bugs and their eggs. Once you know an item is no longer infested, sealing it in a plastic storage bag or container will keep bed bugs out and make eliminating the rest easier.

For larger items, like furniture, the washing machine and dryer aren't an option, but you can still use heat against these pests. Steamers, even ones that are handheld, are effective at killing bed bugs because of the high temperatures. Apply steam to hard-to-reach areas, such as crevices between your mattress and bed frame, on furniture, or anywhere else you suspect the insects are hiding. Repeat this process every couple of days until the bed bugs are gone.