Bedbug Treatments - More Scary than the Bedbugs
Last week the CDC released a report about the dangers of bedbug pesticides. The CDC released a study reporting on 111 cases of pesticide-illness from 7 states. Contributing factors to insecticide-related illness were: failure to wash or change pesticide-treated bedding, not notifying workers or occupants that pesticides had been applied, and excessive insecticide application. The following article presents the argument that the risks of pesticides, even at low-level exposure, are underestimated.
Newspapers reported the tragic story of the death of a woman who was in such a panic to rid herself of bedbugs that she liberally doused herself and her home with pesticides. The unfortunate story can be found here.
The CDC reports that bedbugs are becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides. Therefore our focus is on prevention.Here are 5 tips to help you stay bedbug free as you travel (Note commenter #11). Melaleuca customers who travel report that using Sol-U-Mel keeps the bedbugs away. The suggestion is to lightly spray diluted Sol-U-Mel on the headboard and the area around the bed.
So while we are deep asleep, how do bedbugs find us? Bedbugs are insects, like lice or mosquitoes, with antennae that help them sense the presence of carbon dioxide in our breath. Bedbugs are also drawn by our body heat. Some insecticides such as Deet do not kill insects on contact but act as repellents. They seem to mask the scent of humans. In a previous newsletter we had a reference to a study that showed that Melaleuca oil and lavender oil worked as repellents for lice. Since bedbugs, as well as mosquitoes and lice, have the insect-smelling or sensing system, perhapsSol-U-Mel, which is rich in Melaleuca Oil, helps to mask our presence. For more pictures and tips visit this education website.
If you do find that you have brought bedbugs home, take calm action to avoid an infestation. The Melaleuca Wellness Guide suggests that you pull the bed and headboard away from the wall. Smear the bed frame legs with petroleum jelly. Buy extra vacuum bags. Do a daily thorough vacuum of the seams in the mattress, the box spring, the headboard, baseboard, and floor. After each vacuuming, seal the used vacuum bag in plastic and discard. Launder bedding and clothing in hot water, and dry on the hottest setting. Spray the mattress and surrounding with Sol-U-Guard Botanical orSol-U-Mel. Be vigilant because bedbugs hatch in 6 to 17 days.
Conclusion
Always carefully follow direction on any product used for any purpose. Don't panic. When it comes to remedies, just because the recommended amount is good, even if it is a "natural product," more does not necessarily make it better. There is a reason excess use is called "over-kill."
~ Richard M Barry
Bedbug Success Stories
The people below will receive a free Melaleuca Wellness Guide for submitting their stories.
Bedbugs! What bedbugs? We spray our rooms and sheets with Sol-U-Mel on a regular basis and we don't have problems with bedbugs, spiders, ticks, fleas, etc. We love MELALEUCA for the "preventive" qualities. :)
~ Julie
I stayed at a thought-to-be-convenient motel nearby the convention this past August, and unfortunately brought back some bedbugs with me. I didn't really pay attention to the bites for a couple of days because they were so unobtrusive, on my lower legs. When I finally realized what was going on, I changed my sheets and sprayed the area with regular diluted Sol-U-Mel for three days in a row, about half a bottle each day--to make sure. After that, everything has been fine.
~ Ted
A few years ago I was privileged to attend one of Lewis Rasmussen's Product Workshops. He shared with us that as a Vice President with Melaleuca, he travels extensively and always carries a bottle of Sol-U-Mel spray to treat his overnight accommodations for bedbug prevention. In all his years of travel he reported that he has never had an encounter with bedbugs. He told the story of one of his colleagues who, at the time, didn't believe bedbugs were such a problem (Mind you this was years ago). His friend would laugh at Lewis' precautions. Lewis grinned as he told us that one night while his colleague was staying at a very nice hotel, he was awakened with bedbugs biting him. He called the front desk, only to be told that there were no other rooms available, and that the best they could do was to provide a cot. That made him a believer!
~ Gloria
Bed bugs can happen in the cleanest of homes. We have a spare bedroom that we had to take action with regarding bedbugs. It is important to thoroughly vacuum down the room, vacuum the mattress very well. Spray the whole mattress (and pillows) down with Sol-U-Mel. Run a humidifier with 10 drops of oil or so and a few capfuls of Sol-U-Mel in the room for a day. Be sure all of the sheets and pillow cases have been changed out as well. Wash them in MelaPower with a few capfuls of Sol-U-Mel. Good night - Sleep tight - No bedbugs to bite!
~ Trixie
The Melaleuca Wellness Guide
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