Summer sun might be calling your name but get out of the house and you’ll find bugs and dirt are just as likely to find you.
There will be stains on your walls as the season marches on, both from your children’s dirt-covered hands and your own discovery of flies and moths.
After swatting them, only to end up with bug residue on what had once been a perfectly white surface. It is estimated that 20% of households in the US suffer from bed bug infestations.
You will notice blood or feces stains on your walls or other surfaces if you are dealing with an infestation of bed bugs. Walls that have been stained by bed bugs can be removed in several ways.
You can identify bed bug stains on your walls by their reddish-brown color. If your walls are stained, you can clean them with dish soap and water, rubbing alcohol, Oxalic Acid, baking soda, or a stain remover.
Let’s take a look at how bed bugs create stains. We will then suggest effective ways to clean your walls.
Common Signs of Wall Damage
It is common for bed bugs to feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals at night. When they have a blood meal at night, they digest and eliminate the substance.
As these bugs defecate on walls, baseboards, mattresses, and other surfaces of the home, they may leave behind small black, red, or brown spots.
When the pests are in large numbers, substantial staining can result. Despite successfully spraying for and eliminating the pests, fecal spots may still need to be cleaned up by the homeowner.
An adult bed bug usually spends the day congregating with its brethren after consuming a blood meal during the night.
A lot of the time, the bugs collect along baseboards, behind headboards, near electrical outlets, under wallpaper, or at the bottom of walls beside the floor.
The skin casings, dead eggs, and stains left by the bed bugs will remain even after the live bed bugs are killed. A sweet, musty smell emanates from walls stained with fecal staining.
After bed bugs have been eliminated, walls that have been stained by fecal matter may need to be cleaned and repaired.
Ways To Remove The Bed Bug Stains From Your Walls
Your reddish-brown bed bug stains can be removed from the walls in a few different ways. This can be done with items that you already have in your home, and the methods are easy to follow.
It is important to use caution when cleaning your walls. Concrete is a hardy surface that can withstand aggressive scrubbing, while painted and wallpapered walls require more care.
1. Stain Remover
In order to get rid of bed bug spots, you may need to use a commercial stain remover. Some stain removers may not work as well on walls.
If you plan to purchase stain remover from your local hardware store, be sure to do your research first.
The following steps will help you clean your walls once you have the necessary product.
- Use a spray bottle to spray water on your wall.
- You should apply your stain remover to the bed bug spots.
- You should test a small section of your wall before fully committing. There is a possibility that the stain remover will bleach the wall, leaving unsightly discolorations.
- The bed bug stains can be removed with the stain remover as long as it does not cause bleach spots.
- Dry the stain remover naturally.
2. Oxalic Acid
In terms of household products, Oxalic Acid is an excellent all-rounder. You can use it to remove bed bug stains from your walls.
- The stained areas should be soaked with water using the spray bottle method. For a few minutes, let the water soak into the wall.
- Add water to the Oxalic Acid. To determine what level of acid to water is recommended, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Test the wall in a small area. It’s a good idea to test an inconspicuous area first to see if Oxalic Acid causes discoloration.
- Proceed to clean the rest of the wall if you are satisfied with the test spot.
- Let the Oxalic Acid dry on the stained areas of your wall after covering them with the solution.
- Oxalic Acid can be used on wooden walls, but with caution. Surfaces can be damaged by the acid.
3. Baking Soda
A spray bottle, a bowl, baking soda, and water are needed for this method.
Spray the wall with water after filling a spray bottle. Water should be applied to the wall in a good amount. A wall’s surface determines the level of coverage needed.
The wallpaper can wrinkle and peel when there is too much water on it. There is no limit to how much water can be absorbed by paint and concrete.
- In a bowl, combine the baking soda with the water. Combine all the ingredients and stir until a thick paste is formed.
- To restore the stained area of the wall, apply the paste. For several minutes, let the paste soak into the wall.
- Paper towels or cloths can be used to wipe down walls. You can remove the paste by spraying it again with your spray bottle.
- Make sure there are no remaining stains on the wall. You can clean these with baking soda paste on a spot.
- Allow your wall to air dry after a final wipe down.
4. Water And Dish Soap
The best way to remove stains is to start in an inconspicuous area. By doing so, you can see how the solution reacts with the surface.
The rest of the wall can be cleaned once you are satisfied that everything is okay.
Fill a bowl or bucket with warm water and add your dish soap.
Take a cloth or sponge and dip it into the solution. After squeezing out the excess water, wipe down your wall.
You will need to scrub carefully at the spot for more inground stains.
Check if all stains have been removed after the wall has dried completely.
If there are still marks present, repeat the process.
Handling Dirt And Bug Stains
It is important to note that when we speak of ‘bug residue’, we are referring to the residue left on walls after squashing mosquitoes, flies, or moths with a hand or tissue.
Your wall will eventually get a small, dark mark. When you have guests over for summer parties or barbeques, you will want your home to look pristine. Removing unsightly bug residue will help.
Clean your home and keep your walls looking pristine for visitors by following a concrete plan of attack when cleaning dirt and bug stains from your walls.
What You’ll Need
In order to get clean walls, you need the right tools and equipment, regardless of whether you hire professionals or clean them yourself.
As with any cleaning job, removing dirt and bug residue requires the right tools and equipment.
How to Do it
You can attack the stains now that you have all the necessary materials and tools. You can tackle every cleaning task with confidence by following these simple instructions!
Make sure a bucket of clean, warm water is filled first. Add the baking soda, vinegar, and ammonia next.
Mix the baking soda with water until it dissolves completely; this will create a mildly abrasive cleaner. A good stain remover should be strong enough to remove stains but not so strong as to damage the wall.
In order to remove stains from your walls, you need to strike the right balance between strength and care. Take care to wring out a cleaning cloth after soaking it in the solution.
Remove any dirt or bug residue from the wall by scrubbing it. Using a scrub brush is recommended for walls made of porous materials such as stone or brick.
After this:
- The last step is to scrub the stain with a damp sponge after drizzling baking soda on it.
- After cleaning, wipe off the cleaning solution with a damp cloth.
- Don’t forget to dry the place with a towel to avoid dripping and watermarks.
How Do The Bed Bugs Create The Stains?
Blood is the main food source for bed bugs. Since they don’t have teeth, they can’t consume anything else.
As you sleep, they suck on your blood for their meal.
Bed bugs eliminate blood from their systems through their droppings. They leave a reddish-brown mark on the areas where they live.
A bug’s exoskeleton (or outer shell) may also cause stains. When bed bugs are hatching or molting their skins, this can occur.
Bed bugs discard their shells when they hatch. These shells are covered with a sticky substance. The shell has an adhesive property that allows it to adhere to walls and other surfaces.
What About Cleaning Erasers?
Magic erasers, for instance, can prove to be useful tools in combating bug stains on your walls.
When you dip a magic eraser in water, you scrub the stain and start cleaning it. This works similarly to the sponge and bucket.
Some stains may not be completely removed by the cleaning eraser, in which case you may need to use some additional tips and tricks.
The Aftermath
By knowing how to remove this residual bug residue from your walls, you’ll be prepared for whatever summer may bring.
Your home will always be infested with bugs and swatting them will eliminate any growing places on your walls.
Repairing Damaged Walls
Wallpaper that is damaged or heavily stained should be removed. Warm, soapy water can be used to clean up feces underneath old wallpaper. Before hanging new wall paper, ensure that all fecal staining has been removed.
Removing all stains from painted walls before repainting prevents blood from soaking through. To prevent bed bugs from crawling into cracks or gaps along baseboards and other molding, caulk all cracks and gaps.
The Tools You Use Depend On The Wall’s Surface
Are sponges or hard-bristled brushes better? Is sandpaper effective for cleaning bed bug stains?
Depending on the type of wall, you will need to use a different method of removing bed bug spots. Using a hard bristled brush to clean concrete walls would be effective.
A wall covered in wallpaper or painted will be damaged if the same method is used.
If your wood walls have not yet been painted, you might consider using sandpaper. Bed bug stains can be removed using this method.
In any case, you may need to re-varnish the wall’s surface.
Final Words
There are several ways in which bed bugs can enter your house. When you are on vacation, they often migrate through your clothing or luggage.
It is not uncommon for bugs to hitch a ride with you back to your house.
It is a strong indicator of a bed bug infestation to find reddish-brown marks on your walls, clothing, and bed linens.
If you want to remove stains on your walls, you can wash them with soap and water, or you can use Oxalic Acid. In spite of this, bed bugs can still be found in your home.
If you are concerned about the presence of these pests in your home, you should call a professional pest control service. You can then say goodbye to bedbugs.