It is widely known that alcohol is a great disinfectant. When you see a topic like this, what comes to mind is how to get rid of germs. But what does spraying alcohol on your bed really do?
Spraying alcohol on your bed does a lot of good to your bed. We have curated a list of reasons why spraying alcohol on your bed may be beneficial.
What does spraying alcohol on your bed do
Alcohol does not just have an application in germs control. It is used to get rid of bad odors that may be lingering on your mattress.
Getting rid of bugs in your mattress, especially bedbugs, can be very challenging, but alcohol can help with this a little bit.
This is one hack that has been used for years and it is tested and trusted, but like everything in life, it has its own disadvantages and setbacks. Alcohol is a common household item that serves as an amazing disinfectant, and regularly individuals use it to get rid of odors.
Majorly, individuals rub alcohol on their beds to either get rid of bed bugs or disinfect their mattresses and eliminate a lingering smell.
To Get Rid of Bed Bugs
This is one of the few reasons that people spray alcohol on their beds. Bed bugs are certainly one of the most difficult household pests to get rid of completely. These small insects multiply and make their way into the household furniture, every nook, and cranny you can ever imagine.
Bed bugs are extremely hard to get rid of as they hide in furniture, mattresses, carpets, rugs, books, and electronics. They multiply very quickly and are stealthy. Most times they don’t crawl out of their hiding place unless they are ready to feed and is usually nighttime.
Wherever there is a hole, then bed bugs can be found there. They usually come out at night to feed on blood and then retire when they are done.
It is best to get rid of the bugs as soon as they are spotted because waiting would mean multiplication.
They are very resistant to most pesticides, but it would be best to do what you have to do. Your best bet when dealing with bed bugs is prevention. It is important to schedule an inspection early so your home can be examined for infestation.
Does Spraying Alcohol on Mattress Kill Bed Bugs?
Alcohol does not completely get rid of the bugs in your house. It kills them partially but does not completely get rid of them.
Alcohol is a solvent and it can kill insects by dissolving their outer cells and then causing them to die. It kills adult bed bugs well, but it does nothing to the eggs. You’ll have to wait a bit for the eggs to hatch and then use alcohol on them.
Research data showed that half the bed bugs that are sprayed with alcohol remained alive after about five days. What this implies is that it is not the best solution against bed bugs.
Follow the steps below to kill bed bugs with alcohol.
- You can mix your alcohol with water in a spray bottle with the proportions of 90% alcohol and the remaining part water.
- Look for the infected surfaces of the mattress and spray that area until it is completely soaked.
- Blot out the alcohol, wait a few minutes, and take it out for it to dry. Depending on how bad the level of infestation is, you can repeat these steps 2 to 3 times.
- After it is dry and devoid of alcohol smell, you can proceed to sleep on your bed.
Please note that this is not a permanent solution, rather it is a quick fix and you’ll need the help of professionals to get rid of bed bugs in your home.
To Disinfect Mattress
Another way to use alcohol on a mattress is to disinfect it as alcohol is a great disinfectant. It is used to get rid of dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat, germs, and other forms of lingering bacteria that might have clung to your mattress.
It is very important to sleep on a clean mattress to have a good and comfortable sleep, and so alcohol is the best disinfectant to achieve this as it removes all the dirt and bad odor from the mattress.
Follow the steps below to disinfect your mattress:
- Remove all the bed sheets and bedding from your mattress and leave it bare.
- Sprinkle a little bit of baking soda on your mattress and leave for 30 minutes as this would help get rid of the odor and remove excess moisture that had been lingering on the mattress.
- Vacuum the mattress to get rid of dirt, and then mix alcohol and water, spray it on the mattress, and scrub with a sponge.
- After that, your mattress is well-sanitized. Leave to dry and then you can make your bed.
Why Alcohol May Not Be Your Best Choice
Although alcohol may kill germs and also some of the insects in your mattress, it is not always the best choice for a variety of reasons.
It is not completely effective
This has been mentioned when it comes to killing bed bugs. Since alcohol works with direct contact, you would have to spray the bugs directly to kill them, and finding them to spray directly is not easy as they are littered all over your house.
It is highly flammable
Alcohol is very flammable and this is one of the main reasons to avoid using it to disinfect or kill bugs. Sure, alcohol dries up quickly, but it is still very risky as the vapor lingers in the air even after it dries.
The Wrap: What does spraying alcohol on your bed do
Alcohol can kill insects, disinfect your mattress and rid it of smell, it is still not recommended to spray it in your home. If you want to get rid of pests in your home, you should work with professionals.