Native American Remedy for Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened bugs that feed on the blood of animals. They have been a nuisance to mankind for thousands of years. The options for eliminating the pests range from natural remedies to industrial chemicals.

Mint Leaves

• Mint is a natural repellent of bed bugs.

  Mint is a natural repellent of bed bugs that was employed by Native Americans. It would be crushed and sprinkled around the bed or dried and kept in satchels underneath the sleeping area. Mint oil can even be rubbed on the skin to deter bites.

Extreme Temperatures

• Placing bedding in the cold will kill bed bugs.

  Exposure to extreme heat or cold will kill bed bugs. Placing blankets outside during the winter was one method Native Americans used to kill bed bugs. During the summer, leaving fabrics out to heat in the sun for the day would have the same results.

Cedar

• Like mint leaves, cedar wood and oil provide a natural remedy for bed bugs. It is a deterrent on contact, and the oil can be rubbed into the wood posts of a bed.