Tea Tree Oil For Bed Bugs And How Does It Work

Keeping the hygiene of your bed and other furnishing intact can sound daunting if you get infested by bed bugs. These seemingly small insects can create havoc and leave one sleepless. Especially, if you are living in areas with high humidity like Florida or California, bed bugs seem to keep coming back.

While chemical based bed bugs solutions are more concrete and full proof, sometimes natural alternatives can also be helpful. Tea tree oil is one such essential oil. While some people swear by tea tree oil to help remove bed bugs, let’s look at what Science and research has to say about it. 

In this article, we will dive into tea tree oil for bed bugs and understand if it actually works and how. For those of you who aren’t familiar with tea tree oil, here’s a TL;DR.

Getting To Know Tea Tree Oil

Natural essential oils like tea tree oil can help with bed bugs in numerous ways. Tea tree oil is a steam distilled essential oil from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia. It is revered for its anti-bacterial and over all antimicrobial properties. That is the reason why you will find it in numerous anti-acne products and cleansing soap bars. 

Tea tree oil is that holy grail ingredient that has stood the test of time for all things ant-bacterial. From being a favorite essential oil for soap making to being an active ingredient in natural disinfectants - tea tree oil finds its uses and applications everywhere. 

Depending on the extraction method, tea tree oil can be of two types: Tea tree essential oil and tea tree co2 extract. 

The aroma of tea tree oil is sharp, slightly medicinal and refreshing at the same time. It instantly reminds of a spa vacation and leaves you energized. 

Component Breakdown

Tea tree oil has a diverse active compound profile including Terpinen-4-ol, eucalyptol, limonene and more. While  these compounds are well researched for their individual benefits, they get even more powerful when they work in synergy with one another. 

Let’s see how tea tree oil helps keep bed bugs away. 

Decoding Tea Tree Oil vs Bed Bugs 

In the fight of tea tree oil vs bed bugs, tea tree oil can often shine bright as a winner. However, bed bugs are also smart and often hide themselves in difficult-to-reach areas. This makes it difficult for tea tree oil to directly come in contact with bed bugs. The caveat is that tea tree oil can only kill bed bugs on direct contact. So if the bed bugs are hidden and do not come in direct contact with tea tree oil, they will still continue to live. 

This is one of the biggest shortcomings of using tea tree oil for bed bugs. 

Also learn about tea tree oil for fleas in this detailed guide. 

Does Tea Tree OIl Kill Bed Bugs? 

Yes, tea tree oil can kill bed bugs by attacking their outer layer and making it difficult to sustain them. The strong and herbal scent of tea tree oil is disliked by bed bugs. This means they try to run as further away from tea tree oil as possible. This also means that bed bugs might go and hide in other areas of the house. That is why it is important to follow a strategic approach while using tea tree oil to kill bed bugs. 

How To Use Tea Tree Oil For Bed Bugs?

Find below simple steps to use tea tree oil for bed bugs in a safe way. 

• Take an amber glass bottle with a spray nozzle. 
• Fill it with 100-150 ml (3.3 fl oz) of water. 
• Add no more than 30 drops of 100% natural and pure tea tree essential oil. 
• Make sure you do not use tea tree fragrance oil as it won’t give any results. 
• Now remove the bed sheets and covers and spray this blend on mattress and other affected areas. 
• On a cotton ball, add to 2-3 drops of tea tree oil and place them near bed legs, head board and other regions. Let it rest for a few hours. 
• Vacuum the bed completely after use. 

Safety Tips To Follow

• Keep children and pets away when using tea tree oil. 
• Licking or directly coming in contact with undiluted tea tree oil could be toxic. 
• Keep doors and windows open for optimum ventilation. 
• You can follow up by using tea tree oil in a diffuser for a few days. 
• Use on a small patch first to check for potential discoloration or stain. 

Other Natural Essential Oils For Bed Bugs

If using tea tree oil seems difficult at the moment, here are some other essential oils that you can use to remove bed bugs. Feel free to use them single or create essential oil blend for bed bugs. 

Citronella Essential Oil

The active compounds in citronella essential oil are not just mosquito repelling but also keep bed bugs away. You can mix it with tea tree oil in the blend and spray the bed. 

Lavender Essential Oil

This floral and calming essential oil also offers some insect repelling properties. Lavender essential oil contains linalool that is known to keep bed bugs away. 

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Who doesn’t like the spa-like aroma of eucalyptus essential oil? But did you know that eucalyptus oil contains eucalyptol that has strong bed bug killing properties? 

Sourcing Pure Tea Tree Oil For Bed Bugs

To ensure effective results on using tea tree oil to kill bed bugs, it is important to ensure you source pure tea tree oil only. Aromachology Oils is a wholesale essential oil supplier that offers GCMS tested pure tea tree oil for all needs. You can shop high grade tea tree oil and other wholesale essential oils from Aromachology’s online store and get door step delivery. Our tea tree oil is undiluted, vegan and cruelty-free. Along with using it for bed bugs and insects, you can also use our tea tree essential oil for candle making, soap making, 

Concluding Thoughts 

While chemical based solutions are more effective strong bed bug infestation, sometimes light quantities of bed bugs can be handled by natural alternatives like tea tree oil. Being an anti-bacterial agent, tea tree oil can kill bed bugs to some extent and help get rid of them.

Certain compounds like Terpinen-4-ol, eucalyptol, limonene in tea tree oil destroy the outer layer of bed bugs and make it difficult for them to find humans. Make sure to follow proper dilution ratio and safety tips for a seamless experience. Don’t forget to buy tea tree oil from a top wholesale essential oil supplier - Aromachology Oils!