How I got rid of Bed bugs with Kerosene

Posted by Felix Okoli on Saturday October 3, 2015 at 9:27:59:

When it comes to dealing with bed bugs in Africa, there are not many readily available over the counter tools people can use to fight them and most Africans tend to go for affordable options such as by sun drying, washing, ironing or just using Kerosene.

For the sake of your security, experts actually advise you not to use Kerosene to fight bed bugs because of the fact that it's a combustible liquid but that doesn't mean it's not effective at killing bed bugs. Actually, Kerosene is not flammable like petrol and so would not easily get (ignited)catch fire at room temperature unless the temperature reaches as high as 300 degrees Centigrade.

It's really effective when using it to fight bed bugs but you don't have to use too much and you also have to avoid using it in places with a lot of heat or presence of fire. It's reported to only ignite at about 295 Degrees Centigrade and so safer than most fuels. The key to safely using it however is to avoid using it where there is no fire or presence of heating element. If using it in a room, it would be wise to just switch off your electronics like the electric fan and fridge if you have any.

I've had a problem of bed bugs for a while but I thank God I was finally able to get rid of it by using some tricks along with Kerosene. The reason why I had bed bugs was not because of my fault really but that of the previous person living there and the old mattress I didn't change. If you are moving into a new apartment or room, it's always best to come with your own new mattress as that would help prevent you from having bed bugs by a wide margin. So, because I didn't change the mattress, I had to later find out that it was infested with a lot of bed bugs.

Steps I took:
1. First thing I did was to get a new mattress cover. You can choose to get a new mattress cover that comes with a zipper or you can just buy a new mattress. Most bed bugs stay on the mattress and some enter so deep into it to lay eggs that they become almost impossible to eliminate. A mattress cover will at least eliminate all the bed bugs on the mattress and the next focus will be on the bed structure and the room itself

2. Next thing I did was to sun dry the mattress. They say that heat kills bed bugs and by sun drying your bed, you can reduce their population. However, this was not that effective.

3. The next thing I decided to do was to use Kerosene. I first purchased a liquid sprayer at Shoprite and then put some Kerosene into it before using it. I then sprayed Kerosene on the wooden edges of my bed and also any other place around the room like corners of the wall and wooden structures where bed bugs might be or have their eggs. While doing this, you should use a nose mask so as to prevent inhalation and also close the Windows and doors just as you normally do when spraying insecticides.

I locked the room and close all ventilation to ensure that the Kerosene got to the entire room. I later opened the room after about 6 hrs and opened the windows to allow for ventilation. I slept well that night without feeling any creeping or biting effects from bed bugs.

What I learnt about bed bugs
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- Bed bugs hate kerosene and it kills them instantly more than insecticides which are only mild on them.

- Water kills bed bugs and so you should frequently change and wash your bed sheets if you have slight cases of bed bugs. You may also soak your mattress in water to kill bed bugs. It's an affordable option

- Heat kills bed bugs and so you can kill them by sun drying your mattress and bed. You can also use a steamer to kill them and their eggs. A steamer helps to get heat at difficult areas of your home such as bed or cushion.

- You may need to keep using your bed bug killer from time to time such as weekly or monthly to keep them at bay or prevent them from coming back.

Why did I use Kerosene?
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I guess because it was faster, cheaper and readily available. I first checked some local supermarkets for any specific bed bug eliminator and there were not much I found. I only found a powdery chemical which was not that effective like Kerosene despite the price tag.

Just ensure that when using Kerosene, it should be in a well controlled environment that should be locked for hours and kept free from fire or smoking. Also use a sprayer if possible so that only small Kerosene may actually be sprayed per area as that would allow it to be effective while also easily evaporating without starting a fire.