Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
100% Orange oil to kill bed bugs
(4 posts)-
slkrg
newbite
Joined: Jan '11
Posts: 1offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Jan 21 2011 22:31:54
#
Login to Send PM
I live in Alaska and ended up with a bed bug infestation. For 2 years I thought I had allergies because I would wake up with hives on my body. I would end up missing activities because the whole side of my face would be swollen. The way I found out that it was bed bugs is that in the winter in Alaska you NEVER see bugs inside in the winter. About 1 am I woke up and saw what looked like a beetle on the wall, I thought "Hhhmmmm, thats weird". I had the though cross my mind that maybe it was a bed bug, looked it up sure enough it was. I think I got them from the neighbors who had returned from overseas and my dog would vistit and bring them back.
This is how I got rid of them...100% orange oil which is a natural insecticide, it can be found in the hardware or automotive store. I sprayed my mattresses and encased them in a vinyl cover, I sprayed all along the wooden baseboard crack, window trim, tv inlets any place I thought they could hide. I then boxed up all the small stuff in plastic containers and sprayed orange oil on a paper towel and then sealed the containers with tape. The couch we pulled outside, sprayed with orange oil and left it outside for two weeks at below freezing weather. Then two weeks later I sprayed again to make sure that we got any eggs that may have been left behind. I am more than happy to say that we have been bug free for 4 years. Orange oil when sprayed can be overwhelming so you may want to make alternative sleeping arrangements when you treat.If you happen to see the above posted else where it's because I want to spread the word so that people won't suffer like my family did.
-
Beth
account closed
Joined: Jan '10
Posts: 612offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Jan 21 2011 23:33:47
#
Login to Send PM
I was told by a "building biologist" (a person with a PhD in natural building) that orange oil is an attractant to bed bugs, not even a repellant, and will not kill them. Eucalyptus, Palo santo, cedar, yes, as contact only. Cedarcide works on eggs because of its added ingredient, hydrated silica. I don't know if the building biologist was 100% accurate, but it matches my experience. I used orange oil and it did not solve my problem by any means. I also think it is odd you come on here four years after beating a two year old infestation that was handled with tossing a couch in the cold and a bottle of orange oil. Why now? An infestation lasting two years with no sighting of bugs is relatively impossible, and your method of eradication also equally implausible. The only thing I can think other than your attempt to market the oil is that what you had was not bed bugs at all but something similar like carpet beetles which are much easier to rid. I had bed bugs in different apartments and, untreated, after about 3 months you WILL see one. It's cold in Alaska, sure, but you do heat your place, eh?
Glad you won, but orange oil will not cure an infestation, sorry, especially by itself. I don't think anyone on here or whose been in the bed bug trenches would disagree. Even those who tout Murphy's Oil with orange oil for cleaning certain things, use other methods as well like a residual (diatomaceous earth, pyganic dust), caulking, steaming and matress covers, etc.
Amy
-
your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,743offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Jan 22 2011 17:35:31
#
Login to Send PM
If orange oil works, it is a contact killer. Lots of products are contact killers, including 91% isopropyl alcohol, many over the counter sprays, and dry vapor steam.
A contact killer must be directly applied to each and every bed bug directly. For that reason, it's usually difficult to get all of the bed bugs in this way.
By the way, heavyrocker, I deleted your post post about orange oil which was in another poster's success story thread (where it was clearly off-topic). Please do not post off-topic posts like that. Thanks.
-
cilecto
oldtimer
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 3,852offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Jan 22 2011 20:18:32
#
Login to Send PM
What no bugs said. I happen to like citrus solvent as a degreaser and laundry pre treat, but it can mess up painted, plastic or aluminum surfaces. And it does have a lingering odor. Fortunately, many cleaners are contact killers, so choose the one most agreeable to your surface and to you.
We also need to be careful of recommending "one" product to solve a BB problem. Each infestation is different. BB's feeding, hiding and breeding habits, plus their resistance to chemical toxins, means that often, a multi-pronged "integrated" approach is needed. Those of us who've been here a while see "just use this" or "just do that" a lot, especially in reader comments to BB articles in the general web media. The other day, I saw someone write "just get a $$$ foam mattress, bugs can't get inside." What the poster did not know (or pretended not to know) was that BB don't just hide in mattresses.
Reply
You must log in to post.
