Bed bugs are best treated by an experienced professional. Let me say that again… If you have bed bugs, and you can hire a professional who knows what they’re doing, then do it. It can save you much grief and lost sleep. Now that I’ve said that, let me address those who, for whatever reason, must fight bed bugs without professional help. If professional service is not in the cards for you right now, you have some options. First consider the approach outlined in my fact sheet on do-it-yourself bed bug control. Much of this approach is based on non-chemical tactics; however, to completely eliminate bed bugs you will usually need to use at least some form of insecticide. Fortunately, a new study by Narinderpal Singh and others from Rutgers University has identified two low-toxicity products that are surprisingly effective against both bed bugs and their eggs. EcoRaider™ and Bed Bug Patrol™ are essential oil-based insecticides available over the counter and via the Internet.
Both of these products were the most effective of 11 plant oil- or detergent-based insecticides tested. When sprayed directly on bed bugs in two trials, these products were the only ones that provided greater than 90% control of bed bug nymphs. EcoRaider™ caused 100 percent mortality after 10 days in two trials. Bed Bug Patrol™ caused 91-92 percent mortality after 10 days in two trials. Though these essential oil products were slower than the professional insecticide Temprid® SC, they provided equal control after 10 days. The toughest life stage of bed bugs to kill is the egg stage. In direct spray tests only EcoRaider™ caused high mortality (86%). All other products, including the professional standards, provided less than 17% control. Ideally with an insecticide you want a product that will not only kill on direct contact, but one that will leave a residue that continues to kill insects, and not repel them, after it dries. Singh and colleagues tested their two top plant oil-based insecticides against two professional products, Temprid® SC and Demand® CS.
Bugs were confined on one-day old residues on cotton fabric for five minutes and then put in a clean dish and watched for mortality. After ten days, 93% of bugs exposed to EcoRaider™ and Bed Bug Patrol™ residues died. This was impressive, even though the residues were only one day old. Even more surprising was that these products were equivalent to Temprid® SC, and were significantly better than Demand® CS after even only one day of spraying. However when bed bugs were allowed to choose between resting on treated or untreated surfaces, the two professional products were significantly better. This suggests that bed bugs might avoid surfaces treated with the plant oil based products when given a choice. If you are reading this and thinking you’ve now found the solution to bed bugs at your home, think again. The authors of the study emphasize that all spray exposures were done under ideal conditions. It is likely that results in the field, where bed bugs are usually protected in cracks and crevices of furniture and bedding, will not be as good.
Also, professional products like Temprid® SC and others are designed to continue to kill for more than one day after spraying. Our plant-based residues in this test were not aged more than one day, and given the volatility of plant oils I would not expect them to last very long. That said, if you are looking for an insecticide to kill bed bugs on contact, I would carefully look at one of these two, based on this research. I would not waste my time on rubbing alcohol (flammable) or bleach or other common home remedies. Other insecticides evaluated in this study included “Bed Bug 911, Eradicator, Bed Bug Bully, Bed Bug Fix, Ecoexempt IC2, Essentria, Rest Assured, Green Rest Easy, and Stop Bugging Me”. Not addressed in the Rutgers’ study are the dessicant dusts, like diatomaceous earth and silica aerogels. Dessicants will also kill bed bugs when properly applied, and are good low-cost, low-risk treatment options. But more about those in another posting. Remember that DIY insecticides alone are not likely to rid your home of bed bugs, especially products that do not keep killing after they dry.
If you cannot afford, or can’t find, an experienced professional, read through the recommendations in my fact sheet. Please note that mentions of trade names in this article does not imply endorsement of a products, but are included for educational purposes only. How to Make a Hotel Bed, Fluffy sheets, oodles of pillows -- if we could sleep in hotel beds all the time, we totally would. So we did a little digging, and it turns out t...Hi, my name is Caroline and I would like to offer you a “dreamy” welcome to my website. Well, I say dreamy but if you’re in the same situation I was some months ago, the chances are you’re feeling anything but! Just to give you a bit of background information on why you see this creation before you today, I was in a pretty bad place some time ago and if this is the same with you, I am happy to let you know that a good mattress can really turn your world around. It could be that you’re the same as I was and you’re fed-up with those aches and pains that bug you every morning when you wake-up.
It could also be that you’re just looking for a new mattress and have already done a whole load of research on the internet, or have been to your local store and still can’t find a mattress that will suit your needs. Either way, I happen to be an avid lover of memory foam and I also believe that you don’t have to take out a second mortgage so you can pay for it. So, in the following pages you won’t just find reviews on what I think are some of the best brands of foam mattresses on the market right now, but also a good smattering of other pages that are there for information alone. In fact, I like to think of my website as a place where you can find all the information you need in one place. If you already know what type of mattress you would like, or you don’t have the time to navigate through my website until you find the right one, I have added a comparison table for you. In this table you will be met with straight to the point facts about model, type, size and a whole host of other easy to see facts on the foam mattresses I have here.
At the end, if you do have time for that cup of coffee I have also added a link so you can read the full review on the product you’re interested in.I have plenty of informational pages that will help you understand how to choose a memory foam mattress, what type might suit you best and much more. Below is a list of what I have included and you’re more than welcome to click on the link if you would like more information. If you’ve managed to wade through all of the information above without falling asleep, I now move onto my best picks for memory foam mattresses. Best Memory Foam Mattress Overall For my best overall I choose the Sleep Innovations SureTemp because it’s a high quality mattress for a very fair price. In the review you will find three different depths: the 12 inch, 10 inch and 8 inch model, but the reason I chose this model isn’t just because the sizes will suit a wide range of people, it also comes with a 20 year warranty – something that’s not very common in this price range.
Best High-End Quality Foam Mattress OK, so this isn’t the cheapest model I have in my selection of reviews, but the Ultimate Dreams 13” Gel Foam mattress has got pretty much everything. It includes a cooling layer, is available in no less than six sizes and really will help to keep those night-time aches and pains away. In fact, it has been compared to some of the large and expensive brand names out there but comes at a fraction of the price. Best Mattress for the Money I know many people who have spent well in excess of $1500 on a memory foam mattress, and even more than that in some cases. The models I have reviewed here will not cost you anywhere near that much, yet you still have the benefit of memory foam technology. Even 12 Inch of that if you want, but you can also choose for 6 or 8 Inch and save even more! Best Therapeutic Foam Mattress You may recall that I have mentioned my aches and pains which hardly ever bother me anymore, and I’m a firm believer that it’s because I switched to the DynastyMattress Therapeutic Deluxe.
This is why it earns a place as my best therapeutic mattress, although I will say this is for those of you who prefer a firm mattress. That aside, in my opinion this mattress has been my savior this past few months! Best 10-Inch Budget Memory Foam If you get time to go through my website, you will notice that I constantly mention the fact that people complain about becoming overheated when sleeping on a memory foam mattress (especially those in the lower price range). The LUCID by LinenSpa gets my vote for the best 10″ budget mattress because I think the manufacturer has done an excellent job at using technology that will keep you cool all night long. Best Kids Memory Foam Mattress I couldn’t forget the children could I? After all, we have to remember that growing bones and joints need to be protected and that’s why I have chosen the Sleep Master 6 inch as my best kids mattress. Apart from offering the best overnight support for a little body, this model also comes with an easy zip-off Jacquard cover (for those little accidents), and it won’t break the bank!
You thought I had forgotten didn’t you! Well, my website wouldn’t be complete without reviews on mattress toppers as well, and you can find the whole selection here. However, my favorite is the Density Visco 4lb which is 3 inches thick. If you can’t afford a completely new mattress right now, this is the answer! I also happen to think this topper is a great idea if you’re considering moving to memory foam for the first time and just want to give it a try. Unlike a traditional mattress, a memory foam mattress will need to be cared for slightly differently, and surprisingly maintenance in general can differ from brand to brand. However, there are some basic rules to follow, and you will find out what they are on this page. You can also take a look at this video page I’ve added which shows you how to steam clean a mattress. For those of you who are considering a memory foam mattress for the first time, and would like to know what the differences are between certain types, I have also added these pages for you:
And if you’re someone who likes to know how the finished product eventually arrives at your door, you can also take a look at this great video I found that details how latex and memory foam mattresses are made. It doesn’t stop there on the information front! You can also find out more about the different types of foam (and there are quite a few to consider) or the considerations for side-, back- and stomach sleepers. This last one is probably the most important to at least have a quick look through. The reason for this is the position you sleep in has a lot to do with the type of foam mattress you should consider looking into, and the last thing I want is for you to come away from my website with the wrong product! Gaining the perfect level of comfort does have an awful lot to do with the type of mattress you have, but here are other things to remember that will help you finally get that uninterrupted night’s sleep you’ve been “day-dreaming” about. For one thing, your pillow could be the source of some of the discomfort you experience, and I have added another video with tips on finding the right pillow.