Bed bugs have invaded homes and beds for centuries, bringing a plague of itchy red bites. Even if they didn’t bite, anyone would still want to rid themselves of these repulsive little insects. And while there are a variety of insecticides that can kill the little beasts, no one wants toxic chemical sprays in their beds. 

 

You’ve heard that essential oils can get rid of bugs, but which ones? Does lavender oil kill bed bugs, and if so, how do you use it? For the answers and more, keep reading to find out more about the magic that lavender oil can bring into your home. 

 

Is Lavender Oil Effective Against Bed Bugs? 

There’s a natural way of getting rid of bed bugs? Sounds better than insecticides. Poisons inside the pesticides aren’t safe to use around children or pets, and you also don’t want poison soaking into your mattress. You’re also concerned about how the overuse of insecticides has affected the environment, so what’s the best solution? 

 

Lavender has a myriad of uses. It’s an effective bug repellent for most pests, bed bugs included. If you spray it on them, its lethal — many people have found that lavender oil kills bed bug eggs. 

 

How Do I Use It? 

There dozens of lavender species, some of the most common are Dutch Lavender, English Lavender, French Lavender, and the Spanish Lavender. These oils should have their botanical names on the labels; if they don’t, there’s a high chance that it’s a blend or is synthetic. 

 

English lavender is used in skincare products, and its botanical name is L. Angustifolia. This is also the species best used to kill or repel bed bugs. To get rid of your bed bug infestation, only purchase pure L. Angustifolia oil to use against the wretched abominations. 

 

Commercial lavender essential oil is very potent in its concentrated form, as it is made through steam distillation. You can make a gentler oil at home by infusion. 

 

Make a Repellent Spray

Because commercial lavender oil is so strong, experts recommend using a diluted spray. You can do so by preparing a spray using the proportion of one drop of commercial lavender oil to one ounce of water. You can spray this mixture on your mattress — be meticulous, and get the spray deep in ever welt and seam. 

 

You can also spray it on your bedding, nightclothes, and nearby carpeting. Just let it dry before going to bed. You can use your infused lavender oil in your bed bug spray, but be sure to add up to 30 drops per ounce of water. People have also seen success by adding lavender oil to the final rinse when they launder their bedding. Using a lavender-based body lotion will help keep any bed bugs from attacking you. 

 

Using Lavender Oil As a Repellent 

Many essential oils can effectively kill or repel bed bugs and other insects. Lavender is preferred to other oils by many users because of its pleasing fragrance. If you steam iron your clothes, put a drop of lavender oil in the iron to add a very light scent to your clothes. This will help to repel bed bugs from you. 

 

If you have a severe infestation, prepare a stronger solution, and spray it in cracks and crevices. Be careful to get the spray where the moisture can cause damage. If you think you need something stronger, you can always resort to insecticides if there are no other options. However, natural is still the best way to go.