Can you use tea tree oil spray for bed bugs? Let’s find out.

Tea tree oil has been credited with many benefits ranging from pest repellent, sanitizer, antiseptic, natural deodorant, and helping with fungal treatment.

This list of uses and benefits is quite much. As such, we’ll be focusing on one of its uses; pest control. What pests does tea tree oil repel?

Tea Tree Oil For Bed Bugs

Does it have any repellent and exterminating effect on bed bugs? This is the focus of our discussion. Bed bug problems are among the most difficult to resolve.

Many natural DIY treatments have proven ineffective for many users.

This is why a lot of people try out all types of solutions.

Can I Kill Or Repel Bed bugs With Tea Tree Oil?

You absolutely can use tea tree oil both as a bed bug repellent and killer. Like most essential oils for bed bugs, this oil has a strong scent that interferes with normal feeding behavior.

Also, these pests hate its scent. More importantly, tea tree oil will kill bed bugs on contact.

So, when using this essential oil, you must find the hideouts of these bugs and spray your tea tree oil pesticide on them.

However, such treatment involves a painstaking process that requires you to identify all bed bug hideouts to spray this pesticide on them.

If you’d rather have bed bugs repelled by tea tree oil, simply spray around infested areas as often as necessary.

Such treatment may have to be repeated until there’s a significant and noticeable improvement.

How Tea Tree Oil Works

Having affirmed the efficacy of tea tree oil as a bed bug repellent and killer, we’ll have to explain how it works. Tea tree oil provides an organic solution that helps mask the scent of carbon dioxide released during respiration.

Now, it’s common knowledge that bed bugs follow carbon dioxide trails to find their host.

Tea tree oil masks such scents, thus repelling them from you while you rest. These bugs also hate the smell of tea tree oil and will keep as far off as possible.

In the case of its exterminating effect, tea tree oil will kill bed bugs on contact.

It’s likely to penetrate their exoskeletons and suffocate them. These are mostly conjectures that haven’t been fully proven.

How To Use Tea Tree Oil For Bed Bugs

Tea tree oil can be used in several ways to repel and exterminate bed bugs.

These methods involve the application of this essential oil in many ways. Wonder how to tea tree oil can be put to good use?

Let’s have a look at the different ways.

  • Method 1: Making Tea Tree Oil Pesticide

Pretty much all the methods involved include the use of tea tree oil as a pesticide.

You’ll need to add about 20 drops of tea tree oil to half a cup of water poured into a spray bottle for this method.

Now, spray this solution around affected areas including bed sheets.

  • Method 2: Using Undiluted Tea Tree Oil

The efficacy of diluted tea tree oil on bed bugs tends to be minimal. In other words, this essential oil when diluted tends to have a dulled-out effect as it does little to repel or kill these bugs.

With pure or undiluted tea tree oil, spray or sprinkle around infested areas.

You can also apply to cotton balls and place them around strategic points or rub them around your bed frame. The problem with this type of treatment is that it is harmful to humans.

Is Tea Tree Oil Reliable Enough for Bed Bug Treatment?

Unlike most types of pest problems, bed bugs tend to be more difficult to treat. These pests are more resilient to a lot of treatments especially DIY-related treatments.

Tea tree oil use isn’t any different as most people have no idea of bed bug behavior. Plus, treatment may be improperly done or carried out.

A lot of variables are involved when it comes to DIY bed bug treatments using tea tree oil and other natural remedies. With such limitations, your best bet is to find what works.

The use of inefficient treatment methods for bed bug extermination will only result in a resurgence of the problem.

Seek Professional Help

To have a real chance of eliminating bed bugs, it’s best to go with professional treatment. This isn’t to negate the effects of tea tree oil. Instead, it’s a more reliable method of bed bug extermination.

Pest control technicians are mostly well equipped to handle all sorts of pest issues.

Plus, they’re experienced and understand bed bug behavior.

By understanding bed bug behavior, they know where to look, what treatments to apply, in addition to providing repeat treatments when the problem persists.

By and large, professional bed bug treatments are more comprehensive compared to any.

Other Essential Oils that Can Serve in Place of Tea Tree Oil

If you aren’t comfortable using tea tree oil for some reason, there are several other essential oils to try out. These are equally effective or even better at repelling and killing bed bugs.

They include lavender, lemon oil, peppermint, citronella, eucalyptus, and clove.

Other essential oils to try out include thyme, clove, frankincense, and neem.

When mixed with a carrier oil of your choice, bed bugs are flushed out from their hiding places as they hate the smell given off by these oils.

You Can Mix these Oils

Tea tree oil can be mixed with other bed bug repellent essential oils for better results.

You may want to mix it with another to achieve a better scent for your home. However, it’s important to note that tea tree oil shouldn’t be mixed with more than two other essential oils.

When mixed, simply add about 20 drops of this (tea tree oil) oil to your preferred carrier oil and spray around targeted areas.

There is no guarantee that you’ll eliminate bed bugs using tea tree oil either alone or in combination with other essential oils.

As stated earlier, comprehensive treatment is best performed by a professional pest technician.

Conclusion

Tea tree oil needs to come in direct contact with bed bugs to be most effective. But this has its downside.

Some people have a negative reaction when their skin comes in contact with it. Otherwise, this should be sprayed on these pests directly. It kills them in no time.

All cracks should be targeted too.

We are concerned about its toxicity. Therefore, we recommend using safer alternatives. One of these is the use of diatomaceous earth among several other methods.

But if you insist on using tea tree oil, consider putting on gloves as well as nose masks.

Tea tree oil can repel and kill bed bugs. However, it’s not as reliable as professional treatments. In other words, it won’t completely resolve your pest issues.

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