Probably one of the questions that I get asked the most is – what do I need to kill bed bugs?  In this post I am going to try to answer this question and give you the places where you can get these supplies.

Get Instant Relief

There’s always one thing that I start with when I try to help anyone get rid of these bugs.  It’s a simple way that allows you to get instant relief from the nightly stress and bites of the bed bug.

You can do this by making your bed your fortress.  Make it impossible for these bugs to get to you.

You want to make your bed a bug free zone where these nasty little bugs can’t get at you.

To accomplish this you are going to need several things.

They are:

• a bed bug proof bed enclosure
• diatomaceous earth
• a contact spray,
• and bed bug risers for your bed

All these are available at Bed Bug Supply and some can even be found at your local stores.

Bed Bug Mattress Enclosure

This is basically a large bag that securely encloses and seals your mattress and box springs.

Bed bugs like to hide along the seams or in small rips and tears in your mattress and box springs.

Many people try to get rid of the bugs by trashing their mattresses  But this can be costly and ineffective. Simply because any new mattress that you bring in could quickly become reinfested.

It’s far better to use a bedbug proof mattress protector.  This seals the bugs inside where they can’t get at you and will die over time.

You just need to make sure that the label says “Bed Bug Proof”.  It also needs to be the right size for your mattress.  You can sometimes find these at your local Walmart.  But the sizes are limited so I would recommend that you order them on-line at Bed Bug Supply.

Diatomaceous Earth

This product is one of my main tools for getting rid of an infestation.  You simply puff some of the powder in areas around your bed.  Anywhere you think the bugs would try to get to you.

What happens is that when the bugs crawl through the powder it rips open their abdomens and dries them out.  It takes a little time but is highly effective.

Make sure that you get food grade diatomaceous earth.  This is safe for you, your family, and your pets.  I’ve found this at Home Depot sometimes.  But again the easiest way to make sure that it is the right product is by getting it through Bed Bug Supply.

Contact Spray

A contact spray is designed to kill the bugs that you can see on contact.  Use this along the bed frame and head boards to kill as many of the bugs as possible.  Use this carefully and read the full instructions.  This is something that you won’t want you or your pets to get on their skin.

Bed Bug Risers

Another cool tool that will make your bed into a bed bug free zone.  These bugs get from place to place by crawling around.  Using these risers on the feet of your bed makes it impossible for them to crawl up the legs.

There are several different designs.  Bbut the basic idea is to have a slick surface between the bugs and the bed legs that the bugs are unable to climb.

I’ve never seen these in stores but you can find them on-line at Bed Bug Supply .  Or try to make do with heavy glasses that can bear the weight of your bed.

These are the main thing that I would use to make you bed into a safe zone. Then you can work on the other areas of your home.

Treating Other Areas Of Your Home

So, first get your bed safe from the bugs.  Then you can start to treat the other areas of your home.

Remember that bed bugs like hiding in places that are close to where you and your family sleep.  Or in chairs or furniture where you stay still for long periods of time.  For this reason you usually aren’t going to find them in the kitchen or bathroom.

You start your extermination efforts by looking first on and around your bed and in the chairs and sofas.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

Anythwhere that might come into contact with my skin I use a sprinkling of diatomaceous earth.  I make sure that I puff some under and around seat cushions on chairs and sofas.

If there is a large infestation.  I puff some of the diatomaceous earth around the corner edges of the carpet as well.

Contact Sprays and Foggers

Contact sprays don’t work as well in sofas and chairs.  And I don’t like to use them where they could come into contact with my skin or in eating areas.

Foggers have their pros and cons.  They aren’t very effective at killing the bugs.  This is unless they are the commercial variety that only exterminators can get access.  But for a large infestation I am convinced that they can act as a deterrent and kill some bugs.

Anytime that you use contacts sprays or foggers make sure that you carefully read the instructions.  You want to insure that you are using the products safely.

Never, ever use outdoor products inside your home.  This is extremely dangerous.

Conclusion to What Do I Need To Kill Bed Bugs

In case you haven’t picked it up I prefer to use natural products and methods.  Using harsh chemicals can be a danger to me, my family, and my pets.

But that being said, in many cases the natural products can take a bit longer than chemicals.  So I totally understand that when you have an infestation you just want them GONE!

Just make sure that you use any product that you get safely and read the instructions.

You may have also noticed that I refer to Bed Bug Supply a lot as my source for many of the supplies.  I am an affiliate with them.

But they are also one of the most complete sources of supplies to kill bed bugs that I have found.

So if you want to know –  what do I need to kill bed bugs – start there to get the supplies that you need.