Will alcohol remove eggs from surfaces? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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Will alcohol remove eggs from surfaces?

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Started 1 year ago by AshamedandScratching
Latest reply from Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
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AshamedandScratching

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Sep 12 2011 18:14:59
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I've been re-reading various forum posts and FAQs to keep myself careful in my excitement and realized I've seen a different answers.

I ask because I've been wiping off spots on objects and considering it clear once I remove said spot. I've assumed that would also remove an egg. (Note I've seen none so far that I am sure of in the things I've inspected.)
BuggerBeater

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Sep 12 2011 18:32:12
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From what I understand, 91% alcohol will kill nymphs and eggs on contact but it needs to be direct contact. Alcohol vapour near an egg won't kill it nor will a born nymph walking on it later.

You'd have to be extremely thorough with spraying alcohol in every crevice, nook and cranny in your place to ensure you got all the eggs but that comes with a danger of igniting all that alcohol which is extremely flammable. You risk burning down your home.
AshamedandScratching

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Sep 12 2011 18:46:50
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I've been soaking a paper towel and wiping the objects down. Basically: I'm eyeballing the object. Tehn wiping it down with 91% alcohol. It cleans off any dust/debris and then really scrubbing at anything that remains.

Nothing jumped out at me as an egg, but I felt unworried because of the amount of alcohol directly applied. I thought as you that alcohol killed the eggs, but today when I was re-reading I saw conflicting explanations. Some said it did not kill the eggs on contact. Which is true?
BugsMustDie

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Sep 12 2011 19:25:43
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I'm not sure it kills the eggs...in fact I'm pretty sure it doesn't....Experts - chime in
buggyinsocal

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Sep 12 2011 22:27:02
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AshamedandScratching wrote:

I've assumed that would also remove an egg.

I don't think that's true.

BuggerBeater wrote:

From what I understand, 91% alcohol will kill nymphs and eggs on contact but it needs to be direct contact.

I don't think that's true either.

Unless there's new information that I've missed (which is possible since work is crazy busy right now), eggs can only be killed with heat. There is one chemical pesticide (available in several formulations) that kills *some* eggs, but not all.

Obviously, if done correctly, Vikane kills all eggs. However, Vikane is not commercially available to consumers.

DDVP when used properly may kill eggs also, but given that it cannot be used in occupied structures, it's not an option for most people.

My understanding is that it's the difficulty of killing eggs that is one of the big challenges in the war against bed bugs. If rubbing alcohol detached them or killed them, I think our battles would be easier.

That said, I'm not as up on chemical stuff, and I'll gladly admit being wrong if one of the pros steps in to correct me.
AshamedandScratching

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Posted 1 year ago
Mon Sep 12 2011 23:29:57
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If you're right, Buggy, that's just as reassuring. I haven't had anything stick to the surface after the rubdown. Anything I question I've packtited.

And I plan in repeating this process in the new apartment. God help me.

It would be good if one of the experts could say yea or nay.
cilecto

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Posted 1 year ago
Tue Sep 13 2011 7:29:14
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AFAIK, alcohol will not kill eggs. I don't know of it'll unglue eggs from a surface. Also, nite that like alcohol, strong detergents and soaps will also kill bed bugs on contact, but may be more appropriate for some of your things. There are now a host of "green, designer" bed bug sprays, that are essentially detergents (3-4% concentrations of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate).
cupadhya

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Sep 16 2011 18:55:24
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I have personally used the 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (bought from Walmart), and it DOES NOT work.
The bed bug seems fainted for couple minutes....and then they again start walking.
I litterly sprayed a lot .. but it simply dont kill them.

I am still in search for other non-toxic method to kill the bed bugs.
cilecto

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Posted 1 year ago
Fri Sep 16 2011 21:27:34
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CupHadya, is it possible that your 91% alcohol had lost potency due to age or evaporation?

For other methods, note what I write above about contact killers, but for a more comprehensive approach, read the FAQ and a guide like this one. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Bed_Bug_Manual_v1_full_reduce_326605_7.pdf
AshamedandScratching

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Sep 17 2011 0:17:27
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I decided that if nothin' else I really sanitized my bath products.

(probably why I'm not totally freaked out. )
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

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Posted 1 year ago
Sat Sep 17 2011 0:24:36
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Iirc the one bug I observed after spraying with isopropyl alcohol seemed to perk up and walk around for a few minutes and then die.