If you have ever had bed bugs before, you may have nightmares or at least some discomfort thinking about them. They are a nasty crossbreed of tick and cockroach that sustains itself on blood and can go without food for months. How on earth are you supposed to get rid of them once they've established their home inside of yours? With the following three tips, you will be able to keep your home free of these creepy crawlies without the use of harsh chemicals or environmentally harmful solutions.

Do Not Fear, Help is Here!

Photo byPriscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦onUnsplash

Bed Bugs are little hitchhikers who like to travel via deep, dark materials. Once they've entered your home, they spread by drinking blood from a host and propagating. Bed Bugs can go a whole year without eating, so these little squatters can last a very long time if nothing is done about them.

Most people don't have much of a reaction to a bed bug bite, aside from a raised red bump. Some have an allergic reaction that can be scary, depending on how allergic you are. The key word here is prevention.

Bed Bugs and Ground Coral!

So many products out there claim to work instantly with no chemical odor but we can agree it just isn't true. So how do you combat these home invaders? Two ways, diatomaceous earth, and heat. Best of all, both of these methods are safe around kids and pets, without harming the environment around your home!

Diatomaceous Earth is ground-up coral and sea salt. A bed bug, like so many little critters, has an oily exoskeleton to keep them hydrated and protected. The ground-up coral cuts and scrapes their exoskeletons, causing them to dry up and die from dehydration. You can expect to see results within hours but it may take longer for bigger infestations that have had time to lay eggs. Make sure to reapply the diatomaceous earth every week for the best results.

Heat will also kill them quite quickly but there is a trick to it. You must seal the infested items in a black trash bag and tie the entire opening in a knot. Using the drawstrings alone will not be enough to trap them inside. Once the bag is tied off, put it in the most sunny part of your yard and wait a day. Those little critters will overheat and be easier to clean up after 24 to 48 hours. The process may be tedious but your home and family will feel much better once they're gone.

Prevention of Bed Bugs in Your Home.

I love a good deal as much as the next person but it's never worth the effort these critters cause. So those nice couches and bed mattresses on the side of the road are never a good idea. If you need to, put the items in your driveway and give them a thorough inspection before bringing them back into your house or even your garage. It's just not worth taking the risk.

If infestation is present, use the diatomaceous earth on all surfaces and material and let it set for a while. Depending on how many are present, you may need to quarantine the item for a week or more, to make sure the adults and larvae have been exposed. The beautiful thing about it, you can choose how much you use and how long you let it set. It will not destroy your furniture if you decide to leave it there for months. Simply wipe or vacuum it up at your leisure.

For More Amazing Content

Total Apex is an all-encompassing content producer. We provide heavily detailed articles every day on entertainment, gaming, sports, and so much more! Check out all our great sports content Total Apex Sports. Check us out on X @TotalApexEandG and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.