Does Cinnamon Repel Bed Bugs?
Everyone hates bed bugs. They’re dirty, disgusting, and they make your home less than inviting. They’re not like other pests where you can see them coming. Bed bugs are sneaky and difficult to get rid of once they’ve made their way into your home.
Cinnamon and other natural oils and spices have been shown for centuries to help repel bugs of all kinds. Cinnamon has been shown in studies to deter bed bugs, meaning that it might be an effective way to prevent these tiny invaders from making their home in your house or apartment.
While cinnamon may be a deterrent for bed bugs, you should call a pest control professional to deal with a full-fledged infestation.
Does Cinnamon Kill or Repel Bed Bugs?
Cinnamon does not kill bed bugs. It repels them by making the area that it is located unpleasant to them. This spice has a strong smell that bed bugs seem to find unpleasant. Cinnamon might not kill bed bugs, but it can make them very unhappy if they try to make their home near it.
In a 2021 Study, researchers tested five types of repellents-cinnamon oil, DEET, icaridin, margosa extract, and permethrin. They found that one of the most effective in terms of protection was cinnamon oil. Cinnamon essential oil showed at least 99% repellency of bed bugs after 24 hours.
This means that cinnamon can be a good replacement for harmful chemicals and pesticides if you are trying to prevent bed bugs from living in your home. Most people find the smell of cinnamon pleasant, and it is cost-effective and easy to apply.
There are not many other repellents for insects that smell as good as cinnamon. Keeping bed bugs away with a product that does not smell strongly can be a big benefit to many homeowners or owners of rental properties.
What Insects Does Cinnamon Repel?
Cinnamon will not only make bed bugs want to move out of your home. It can also be quite effective against many other common pests that can make your home less comfortable and inviting than you might want.
Cinnamon will also repel mosquitoes, wasps, earwigs, fruit flies, spiders, silverfish, ants, and even mice! Cinnamon is one of the best natural options for keeping your house pest-free and avoiding harsh chemicals or pesticides.
How to Use Cinnamon to Repel Bed Bugs
Cinnamon has to be used in your home in conjunction with proper prevention and cleaning techniques. Bed bugs and other insects will not move out just because of the presence of cinnamon. You will have to make sure to clean up your home and keep things spotless as well if you want to keep bugs away for good.
Make sure to vacuum and dust every few days, as well as making sure to replace a mattress that has been infected with bed bugs. When you get your new mattress, create a cinnamon essential oil bed bug spray with water, and spray around the edges of your bed and box spring.
Cinnamon can also come in powder form and can be sprinkled onto surfaces that will not be affected by its powdery presence. Sachets, cinnamon sticks, and potpourri with cinnamon are the most common ways that people use cinnamon to deter bed bugs.
Other Natural Bed Bug Repellents
If cinnamon is not going to work for use in your home, there are other natural ways to prevent and deter bed bugs from moving in.
Essential oils are a common deterrent for bed bugs as most strong scents bother them. A 2019 study found that thyme, lemongrass oil, and clove oil were most effective when applied directly to bed bugs.
Whatever natural remedy repellents you use, you will need to pair them with good cleaning and sanitizing practices, or you will not be able to keep bed bugs from coming back to your home. Stay away from using things like dryer sheets to repel bed bugs; they are not effective.
Conclusion
While you might have to get a professional to help you get rid of a bad bed bug infestation, you should never ignore early signs of bed bugs in your home. These pests are bad for your health and can ruin your home in no time.
Use these natural solutions to prevent bed bugs in your home before finding that you have a major infestation to deal with. If your bed bug problem is out of control and you are covered in bed bug bites your should get in touch with a pest control professional as soon as possible.
Sources:
https://swap.stanford.edu/20151015072440/https://www2.epa.gov/bedbugs
https://swap.stanford.edu/20151016075101
https://www2.epa.gov/bedbugs/how-find-bed-bugs https://entomologytoday.org/2021/01/26/bed-bug-repellent-tests-behavior-harborage-barrier/
