| How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Posted: 04 Jun 2020 01:00 AM PDT Discovering you have bed bugs can be a scary experience. It may be hard to get a good night's sleep with the knowledge that there are tiny pests crawling all over the place. While they're certainly a pain to get rid of, bed bugs are relatively harmless in the grand scheme of things. They don't spread diseases like ticks or mosquitoes and unless you're allergic, they aren't dangerous.[1] While they're certainly gross, take solace in the fact that bed bugs won't harm you and there are steps you can take to get rid of them. [Edit]Taking the First Steps - Alert your landlord or property manager if you don't own your home. If you own your home, skip this step. Otherwise, call your landlord or property manager right now. Depending on where you live, they may be required to pay or assist with treatment. Even if they aren't, it's important to let them know what's going on with their building.[2]
- It's not super common, but bed bugs can travel to other floors. If you own a condo, contact the head of your condo association to let them know what's going on.
- Leave your furniture where it is and don't do anything hasty. If you start taking things out of the infested room to get them away from you, you're only going to spread the infestation. The odds are high you'll be able to salvage all of your furniture.[3]
- Keep any pets crated far from your bedroom for the near future. If you have a cat or dog and haven't noticed them scratching a lot, they probably haven't been attacked and are not infested (bed bugs prefer humans and rarely go after pets). While you're treating your mattress, the bed bugs may go after your furry friend instead. Leave your dog or cat in a crate for the night on the opposite side of your home to keep them safe.[4]
- You only need to do this until you can handle the problem. You may have to deal with a few nights of a whining pet, but it's better than letting bugs jump all over them!
- Get quotes from exterminators to see if you can get the bugs professionally removed. Depending on the scope of the problem, professional bed bug removal will cost $1,000-2,500. You can certainly remove the bugs on your own, but it's much easier to have a professional do it. Get at least 4-5 different quotes to see who has the best price in your area.[5]
- If you do hire an exterminator, they'll show up, inspect the infestation, and treat your home for you. You'll likely need to stay somewhere else for a night or two, though.
- This is the only real solution if an entire property is infested. It's really unrealistic for a non-professional to treat an entire home. Luckily, bed bug infestations are usually only found in the bedroom.
[Edit]Treating Your Mattress and Fabrics - Seal your sheets, blankets, and infested clothes in airtight garbage bags. Grab some garbage bags with tightening handles. Stuff your sheets, blankets, and any dirty clothes inside and tie the bag off. Use multiple bags if you need to. Take these bags to your laundry room or local laundromat.[6]
- You don't need to worry about spreading bed bugs at a laundromat so long as your bags are sealed, you don't dump the clothes on any surfaces, and you place the clothes directly in the washing machine.[7]
- You can probably leave any clean clothes you have hanging up. You definitely need to wash whatever is in your drawers, but you can handle that later since these bugs and eggs aren't the main concern right now.
- In an average infestation, roughly 70% of the bed bugs will be in your mattress. If you can't get an exterminator out today or you're still weighing your options, at least treat your mattress before going to bed to get a good night's sleep.[8]
- Wash and dry your clothing, sheets, and blankets on high heat. Take the bag to your washing machine and place your blankets, sheets, and dirty clothes in the washer. Wash them with laundry detergent on high heat. When they're done, dry them on high heat. Use as many loads as necessary. This will kill any bed bugs and eggs in your clothes, blankets, and sheets.[9]
- Repeat this process for all of the clothes in your drawers over the course of the next 1-3 days.
- Freeze un-washable fabric items in a plastic bag for 4-12 days. If you have any delicates you can't wash or fabric-lined items, place them in an airtight plastic bag. Set the plastic bags in the freezer and set your freezer to the coldest setting available. Keep these objects and smaller items in the freezer. If you can get the temperature to , leave the bags for 4 days. Otherwise, leave them for 8-12 days.[10]
- This applies to teddy bears, hacky sacks, trinkets, hats, or any small fabric item that can't be placed in a washer.
- The bugs will freeze to death and any eggs that are trapped in the item won't hatch.
- Do this in batches if you don't have a particularly big freezer. Open up as much space as you can by dumping the ice out and eating whatever frozen meals you have left.
- This is really only important for things near or on your bed. If you have fabric items on your desk or something, they're probably okay.
- Vacuum your mattress, bed frame, box spring, and carpet to remove any bugs. Clean your vacuum bag out. Then, get a thin hose attachment and vacuum everything. Go over each section of your mattress 2-3 times. Vacuum the sides and base of your bed frame. Then, vacuum the floor. Go over carpeted areas 2-3 times. This will remove any adults that are hanging out around your bed.[11]
- If possible, use a HEPA vacuum or vacuum bag. The bed bugs won't be able to climb out of these bags after you suck them up.
- Encase your mattress in a protective cover before you sleep. After you've vacuumed everything, get a plastic mattress cover designed to keep bed bugs out and wrap your mattress in it. Seal it and put a new set of sheets on. Rest easy knowing the odds are now extremely low you'll get bit up tonight. A few new bed bugs may get through, but you shouldn't wake up with tons of bites.[12]
- Get a second mattress cover to encase your box spring if you use one.[13]
- Set anything you clean or wash aside into a clean part of your home where you're positive there aren't any bed bugs to keep these items quarantined.
- Place bed bug traps along the base of your bed to keep stragglers off. Bed bug traps, known as interceptors, will draw bed bugs in and keep them from moving around. Pick up 4-8 interceptors and place them around the legs of your bed frame. This will keep any bugs from climbing up the bed frame while you sleep. When you wake up, inspect the traps to see just how many bugs you're dealing with and throw the traps out in an outdoor bin.[14]
- This should give you an idea of how bad the infestation is. The more bugs you see in the traps, the more serious the problem is.
- Repeat this process on the day you're going to remove the bugs entirely. All of this will keep the bugs off of your bed, but you aren't done yet. Once you're ready to get to do your final extermination, repeat all of these steps. Vacuum everything, wash your dirty clothes, and freeze anything you forgot about. This will make it much easier to eradicate the rest of the bugs.[15]
- The only thing you don't need to repeat is the mattress and box spring wrapping. Once those items are encased, leave them. There's no need to take your mattress out and re-vacuum it.
- If you completed all of these steps and haven't spent a night resting or waiting for an exterminator, there's no need to do them again.
- Steam-clean your walls, furniture, and carpets at . On the day you're going to eradicate the bugs, get a steamer and load it with water. Turn it to the highest heat setting available and run the steamer along your bed frame, floors, baseboards, carpets, and crown molding. This will kill any bed bugs that come in contact with the steam.[16]
- Steaming high-risk surfaces will kill any bugs and eggs that come in contact with the steamer.
[Edit]Eradicating the Bed Bugs - Pick up some silica aerogel or diatomaceous earth to kill bed bugs. There are two safe options when it comes to bed bug pesticides you can apply yourself. Silica aerogel is a pesticide that will coat any bugs that come in contact with it and suffocate them. The more popular option is diatomaceous earth, which is a powder that will poison any bugs that touch it. Both are safe to use in your home.[17]
- Organic or "natural" remedies like tea tree oil or homemade sprays are not effective at combatting bed bugs.[18]
- Foggers and bug bombs are generally not recommended for bed bugs. These all-at-once treatment options are tempting, but bed bugs are pretty good at tucking into nooks and crannies where the aerosol or gaseous insecticide won't reach.[19]
- Apply the pesticide to every crack, baseboard, drawer, and carpet. Snip off the top of the nozzle on your pesticide. Squirt a quick puff under your baseboards, around your bed frame, inside your drawers, and around the corners of your home. If there are any cracks in your walls, squirt the powder inside. Treat every hidden and hard to reach area and let the powder do its job.[20]
- You may be tempted to just completely coat your home in this stuff. This isn't any more effective than just applying it to the targeted areas where the bed bugs are hanging out.
- Leave the pesticide for at least 10 days before vacuuming it up. At a minimum, let the pesticide sit for 10 days, which is how long it takes for the eggs to hatch. However, the longer you can leave it, the better. When you're convinced they're gone, vacuum up all of the pesticide, put your clothes back in your drawers, and take solace in the fact that the problem is gone.[21]
- If you do find new bites or spot new bugs, you'll need to repeat this entire process. It may take 2-3 attempts to get rid of bed bugs.
- If the bed bugs keep returning no matter how many times you fight them off, you may need to bite the bullet and hire an exterminator.
- Bed bugs are pretty gross, but that's basically all they are. They don't pose a significant health risk, so don't worry about getting sick in your sleep.[22]
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Garbage bags
- Washer
- Dryer
- Airtight plastic bags
- Pesticide
- Bed bug interceptors
- Gloves
- Dust mask
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Care for a Bruise Naturally Posted: 03 Jun 2020 05:00 PM PDT Bruises form on your body as a response to an injury or blow. Most bruises aren't serious, so don't worry! However, the associated pain and swelling might be uncomfortable for a few days. If you want to get rid of your bruise naturally, there are several easy treatments you can try at home to reduce swelling and speed up healing time. If your bruise covers a significant portion of a limb or doesn't fade on its own within 2 weeks, it's best to get checked out by a doctor to make sure everything is okay. [Edit]Using Natural Remedies - Apply topical arnica to the bruise 2-3 times daily for possible relief. Arnica is commonly used in homeopathic medicine and some scientific evidence supports claims that it can reduce pain and swelling.[1] If you're interested in homeopathic remedies, you can try using an arnica gel or ointment on the affected area a few times every day. You should only apply arnica topically if the skin isn't broken—it can be toxic if too much is absorbed.[2] Arnica should be avoided if you are:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Taking blood-thinning medication
- Allergic to sunflowers, marigolds, or ragweed
- Getting surgery in the next 2 weeks[3]
- Add more vitamin C to your diet or try a supplement to heal faster. A diet that is high in vitamin C may help your body absorb iron better and speed up the healing process.[4] Eat plenty of foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, red peppers, or broccoli. You can also take vitamin C oral supplements, which are available at most grocery and health stores.
- The recommended dose of vitamin C is 65-90 mg a day.
- Do not exceed 2,000 mg a day or you may experience side effects like vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps.[5]
- Apply vitamin K cream to the bruise twice daily to speed up healing. Scientific studies show that vitamin K cream can be effective in accelerating the healing process for bruises. Gently rub the cream into the bruised area twice daily for 2 weeks or until the bruise disappears.[6]
- Use a cream with a low concentration of vitamin K, like 0.1%, to prevent any side effects.[7]
- Use vitamin K with caution if you take blood-thinning medications like Warfarin.
- You can also try consuming more vitamin K by eating foods like spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce, blueberries, and figs.[8]
- Spread aloe vera gel on the affected area to ease pain and swelling. Studies show that aloe vera gel can reduce pain and swelling associated with bruises. It may also speed up healing. You can apply the aloe vera gel generously to the affected area throughout the day, as needed, for relief.[9]
- Aloe vera gel helps with swelling and healing by improving blood circulation. The cool and soothing feeling of the gel on the skin can ease pain. Also, it's easy to make.[10]
[Edit]Easing Pain and Swelling - Rest the injured area as much as possible to control swelling. Small bruises aren't usually a big deal, but if your bruise is large or hurting a lot, it's best to avoid putting any pressure or weight on it. Avoid exercising or playing sports for a few days until the pain and swelling subside.[11]
- If the bruise is on a leg and you can't avoid moving around, consider getting a pair of crutches.
- If you can't move a bruised and swollen joint at all, it's best to head to the emergency room to make sure you don't have a broken bone.[12]
- Elevate your injury to reduce swelling and prevent blood from pooling. Use a few soft pillows to prop up your injured area. Try to keep the bruised area elevated higher than chest level to control the amount of blood that pools in the bruised tissue. The more blood that pools, the darker the bruise will be and the more the area will swell up.[13]
- For example, if you bruised your shin, lie down and place a few pillows under the lower part of your leg so that your shin is elevated above chest level.
- Apply an ice pack in 15-minute intervals to ease pain and swelling. Try to get some ice on your bruise as soon as possible to control swelling and help with the pain. Wrap the ice pack in a clean cloth hold and it over the injured area for 15 minutes at a time. You can do this as often as once per hour for the first 48 hours after the injury.[14]
- Avoiding placing ice directly against your skin to prevent ice burns and skin irritation.
- You can also use a bag of frozen vegetables if you don't have access to an ice pack![15]
- Switch to a heating pad after 48 hours or when the swelling reduces. Heat can increase swelling, so don't apply a heating pad until your swelling goes down. You can apply a heating pad or a cloth soaked with warm water for 10-15 minutes at a time. It's safe to do this several times per day for pain relief and to help with flexibility.[16]
- For example, place a cloth soaked in warm water over your bruised knee for pain relief.
- Wrap the area with a compression bandage if the swelling is bad. If you're dealing with a serious bruise and a lot of swelling, try loosely wrapping your injury with a compression or elastic bandage. This limits blood leakage in the injured tissue and helps with swelling. Make sure you don't apply the pressure bandage too tightly![17]
- For example, you could wrap a bruised shin or thigh.
- Generally, you don't need to compress minor bruises.
[Edit]When to Seek Medical Treatment - See your doctor if your bruise is unusually painful or swollen. Most bruises improve quickly at home with rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). However, if your bruised area is extremely painful, very swollen, or covers a significant portion of a limb, it's best to get checked out by a doctor to make sure you're okay. These symptoms may indicate a more serious injury, such as a fractured or broken bone.[18]
- You should also call your doctor if the bruised area is still painful after 3 days, especially if the injury seemed relatively minor.
- Go in for a checkup if a lump forms over the bruise. A lump that forms over a bruise is called a hematoma. If your bruise was caused by an injury, a hematoma might not be a big deal, but your doctor still needs to check it out. If your bruise appeared without an apparent cause and then a lump developed on top of it, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to figure out the cause.[19]
- Contact your doctor if your bruise doesn't heal within 2 weeks. Most bruises heal up or improve within 1-2 weeks. If your bruise hasn't significantly improved in that time, call your doctor. They can examine the bruise and determine if there's a more serious underlying issue.[20]
- A bruise that doesn't heal may indicate a more serious problem, such as a blood clotting disorder.
- Get emergency medical attention for vision problems after a black eye. If you get a bruise around your eye, watch out for severe symptoms such as blurred or double vision or severe pain in or around your eye. Additionally, look out for bleeding in your eye or from your nose. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical care immediately.[21]
- You should also see a doctor if you notice the bruising spreading to your other eye.
- Talk to your doctor if you have frequent or unexplained bruises. If you bruise easily, your bruises tend to be very large or painful, or you develop bruises for no obvious reason, it's time to get checked out by your doctor. They can determine if there is an underlying condition that may be causing the problem.[22]
- Let your doctor know about any medications or supplements you're taking, and tell them if you have a family history of blood clotting disorders or easy bruising.[23]
- Keep in mind that blood-thinning medications like Warfarin, Coumadin, aspirin, and Heparin can cause you to bruise more easily.[24]
- Always see a doctor if a bruise covers a large portion of your body or limb.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Make Disinfectant Wipes Posted: 03 Jun 2020 09:00 AM PDT Disposable disinfecting wipes offer a quick and convenient way to keep your home and hands clean and free of germs and viruses. However, with news of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic dominating the headlines, these basic cleaning supplies are flying off the shelves. If you go to your local grocery store or pharmacy and find that all the disinfecting wipes are out of stock, don't panic! You can easily make your own disinfecting wipes for home surfaces with a few basic household supplies. While doctors recommend washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer, you can also make disinfectant hand wipes if you don't have access to anything better. [Edit]Creating Surface Disinfecting Wipes - Make an x-shaped slit in the lid of a cylindrical plastic food-storage tub. Get a plastic food-storage tub that's the right width to hold a section of a paper towel roll. Use a box cutter, a precision knife, or another sharp blade to cut an x-shaped opening in the lid. You'll be using this opening to pull the wipes up out of the container when you're ready to use them.[1]
- Be very careful when cutting through the lid! Place it on a firm surface that won't be damaged if you scrape it with your blade, such as a workbench or cutting board, and keep your fingers out of the way.
- Cut a paper towel roll into sections that will fit in your plastic tub. Lay a sturdy roll of paper towels down on its side and slice through it width-wise with a sharp knife. Make a section that will fit into your plastic storage tub standing upright.[2]
- It can be very difficult to cut through a paper towel roll with an ordinary serrated kitchen knife. To make an easier, cleaner cut, try using a band saw if you have one.[3]
- Place one of the paper towel sections inside the plastic container. Set the cut section of the paper towel roll upright in the container. Try putting the lid on to make sure that the roll is short enough to fit with the container closed.[4]
- You'll need to be able to close the container tightly to prevent the wipes from drying out once you add your disinfectant.
- Pour of an EPA-approved disinfecting solution over the paper towels. In order for your wipes to actually disinfect the surfaces you want to use them on, you'll need to use a solution that can effectively kill germs and bacteria.[5] Use a product such as 60-90% isopropyl alcohol, Lysol Multi-Surface Cleaner, or Clorox Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner.[6]
- Allow the paper towels to soak in the solution overnight. Put the lid on the container and set it aside. Let the paper towels sit for 12 hours, or overnight, so that the cleaning solution can soak into the paper thoroughly.[7]
- The wipes need to be thoroughly saturated in order to disinfect properly, since you'll need to apply a fairly heavy layer of the cleaning solution to the surface you're cleaning.
- Pull the cardboard tube out of the center of the roll. Once the paper towels have soaked up all the cleaning solution, the cardboard tube in the center will become damp and soft. Grab the end of the tube and carefully slide it out of the roll, then throw it away.[8]
- This will make it easier to access the end of the roll so that you can pull the paper towels through the hole in the lid.
- Thread the inner end of the paper towel roll through the slit in the lid. When you pull the cardboard tube out of the roll, the middle part of the paper towel roll will likely come up along with it. Grab the end of the center part of the roll and carefully pull it through the x-shaped slit you cut in the lid of your plastic tub. Then, close the lid tightly with the end of the roll sticking out.[9]
- Now you can easily pull your paper towel wipes out a few at a time whenever you need them! At the same time, the rest of the paper towels should stay moist inside the container.
- Use enough wipes so that the surface remains wet for 3-5 minutes. In order to use disinfecting wipes properly, you need to get the surface you're disinfecting nice and wet. Wipe down the surface until it's visibly wet, then let the disinfecting solution stand for 3-5 minutes before wiping or rinsing it away. This will allow it plenty of time to kill any viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms on the surface.[10]
- Some disinfectants take longer to work than others. Read the information on the original bottle carefully to ensure that you're letting it sit for the correct amount of time.
- Discard any wipes immediately after using them. Reusing a wipe can spread germs and viruses around to other surfaces instead of killing them. As soon as you're done using a wipe on one surface, throw it away in a lined trash can. Grab another wipe if you still need to do more cleaning.[11]
- If you're wearing gloves, throw them away when you're done (or disinfect them, if they're reusable).
[Edit]Making DIY Hand Wipes - Use soap and water or commercial hand sanitizer if you can. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way to clean your hands is to wash them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you don't have soap and water, using a gel hand sanitizer that's at least 60% alcohol is your best bet.[12] Don't try to make your own hand sanitizer unless you have absolutely no choice, since it's very difficult to create a product that's both effective against germs and safe for your skin.[13]
- Most alcohol that you can buy in a drug store or department store will probably not be concentrated enough to easily make a 60% alcohol solution when you mix it with other ingredients, such as aloe gel.
- Be aware that regularly using highly concentrated alcohol can eventually damage your skin and make it easier to absorb toxins and other contaminants through the damaged skin barrier.[14]
- Combine of 99% rubbing alcohol and aloe vera gel. Aside from soap and warm water, hand sanitizers that are at least 60% alcohol are your best option for killing germs and viruses on your hands.[15] Add a little pure aloe vera gel to the mix to make the combination less drying on your skin. A combination of 2 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol and 1 part aloe gel will give you an effective concentration of alcohol.[16]
- You can buy isopropyl alcohol in most drug stores or grocery stores, but you may have trouble finding the concentration you need. If you can't find 99% alcohol in stores near you, you can purchase it online.[17]
- Aloe vera gel is available from most drug stores or grocery stores. You can also squeeze it directly out of an aloe leaf.
- If you absolutely can't find isopropyl alcohol, ethanol (the kind of alcohol that's in alcoholic beverages) will also work. However, you'll need to find alcohol that's 180 proof or higher—your average vodka won't be strong enough.
- Pour the mixture into a clean plastic container. Put your DIY hand sanitizer in an empty soap dispenser or another plastic container. Close the lid tightly to prevent it from evaporating.[18]
- If the container has been used before, wash it thoroughly with soap and hot water before adding the disinfectant.
- Squeeze the mixture onto a paper towel or tissue. When you're ready to use your sanitizer to disinfect your hands or another surface, simply squeeze or pump a little of it onto a clean piece of paper towel, tissue, or gauze. Use enough to thoroughly dampen your wipe.[19]
- Wipe your hands thoroughly and discard the wipe. Wipe all surfaces of your hands, including the backs of your hands, your wrists, and the spaces between your fingers. Inspect your hands to make sure they're visibly clean. Allow your hands to air dry instead of wiping or rinsing them off.[20]
- Rinsing your hands or wiping away the hand sanitizer too soon may prevent it from completely disinfecting your hands.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Creating Disinfecting Surface Wipes - Cylindrical plastic food-storage tub with a lid
- Box cutter or precision knife
- Roll of paper towels
- Sharp kitchen knife or band saw
- EPA-approved disinfectant solution, such as isopropyl alcohol, Lysol, or Clorox
[Edit]Making DIY Hand Wipes - 99% isopropyl alcohol
- 100% aloe vera gel
- Clean plastic container, such as an empty soap dispenser
- Paper towels or tissue
- Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the CDC has recommended that people frequently clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, tables, and chairs, to prevent the virus from spreading.[21]
- The best way to clean your hands is by washing them in warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, especially if your hands are visibly dirty or greasy. If you don't have access to soap and water, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or disinfecting wipe is a good alternative.[22]
[Edit]Warnings - Don't try to make your own hand sanitizer unless you don't have access to soap and water or commercial hand sanitizer! It's very difficult to create a product that will kill germs and viruses effectively without hurting your skin.[23]
- Baby wipes, anti-bacterial wipes that aren't alcohol-based, and botanical or essential-oil based wipes are not effective for killing the coronavirus.[24] Stick to alcohol-based sanitizers for cleaning your skin, or use one of the other cleansers on the EPA's list of approved disinfectants for the coronavirus.[25]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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