How To Kill Bed Bugs; Insecticides (DIY Products. Part 1)
Bedbugs are tough to kill, and it usually takes a combination of multiple methods to obliterate an infestation. Only a thoroughly trained professional with expertise on bedbug infestation can determine the best treatment option after inspecting your home thoroughly. Bed bugs can hide in the tiniest creak or crevice making very difficult to exterminate them without expert help.
However, if you still want to do it by yourself, there are some products available in Hong Kong that may temporarily help ease the situation. Some of them can even eradicate completely the infestation if apply correctly. While a product like ChinChex completely eradicates an entire infestation, others, don’t . Here are some such products – their advantages and limitations:
Borates (Brand name: DustMitex, Bora-Care, and Tim-bor Professional…). Borates are safe around humans and pets and can be applied anywhere. Since it is safe, residents and pets do not have to be relocated when it is used during the de-infestation of bedbugs.
Limitations: It has been found that while borates effectively eradicate cockroaches and ants, they do not eradicate bedbugs because bedbugs do not feed on borates, and to be effective, borate must be ingested.
Diatomaceous Earth or DE (Brand name: Debugx100, MotherEarth D, Grandpa’s DE, and JT Eaton’s Bed Bug Spray…). This product is safe around humans and pets. Diatomaceous earth is made up of small particles that seem smooth to us, but to a bedbug, they are razor sharp. As they walk across the DE, it cuts their abdomens. This causes them to become dehydrated and eventually die. It is very slow-acting. If applied correctly, DE is quite effective to control a bed bug infestation but not to eradicate a bed bug infestation. By itself, DE will not work.
Limitations: While DE is a viable option, it provides only a 65% mortality rate, also DE takes up to 2 weeks to kill them and although usually for a bed bug application the amount used should not be that high, some studies show that DE may cause silicosis.
In conclusion, to be more effective, DE must be used along with other products.
Silica Gel (Brand name: ChinChex). Silica gel is safe on humans and pets and kills bedbugs by desiccation; they act fast and kill the bugs before they have a chance to reproduce. Silica dust is safe, odorless, and will not leave a stain. ChinChex is by far the safest and the most effective solution against bed bugs.
Limitations: Some discomfort when applying. Need to vacate the room after applying for an hour or so.
- In conclusion, DE and Silica gel are the best treatment options when talking about insecticides, with silica gel proving to be far more effective than DE. Here is a table to show the efficacy of both DE and silica gel.
