Starting in September, bed bugs make their appearance. These small brown insects, 3 to 4 millimeters long, are extremely resilient; they feed mainly on human blood and cling to beds, box springs, rugs, or sofas.
To eradicate these parasites, essential oils will be our allies. In the past, clove was widely used against parasites, and it should be noted that our Prophet ﷺ recommended cleaning one's bed because of the possible presence of harmful things. Clove essential oil is a powerful insecticide and will eradicate the problem.
Today, however, lavender essential oil is used more, as it is gentler and suited to children. You can prepare an effective repellent by mixing 50 ml of water with about ten drops of lavender essential oil, which you then spray on the bed.
Another excellent natural insecticide is tea tree essential oil, which will repel bed bugs, as they hate its scent. In the same way as the previous mixture, mix 50 ml of water with two tablespoons of tea tree essential oil in a spray bottle.
Of course, it will be essential to pay close attention to cleaning, to open the windows, to vacuum, and to expose the affected fabrics to direct sunlight, as it is harmful to the parasites.
What the science says: parasites and bites, essential oils
Here is what the published research says about the remedies mentioned above, for illustration purposes — the studies address material causes, while healing belongs to Allah.
Parasites and bites
Repellent essential oils (citronella, lemon eucalyptus, geranium) have been the subject of reviews on mosquitoes (Planta Med, 2011) (J Pharm Bioallied Sci, 2025); against lice, physical treatments (fine-tooth comb, occlusive oils) are preferred over insecticides; against intestinal worms, garlic, pumpkin seeds and hand hygiene accompany the dewormer. Precaution: a bite that swells significantly, a fever after travel, or an infestation that persists requires a doctor; essential oils should be diluted, and not used on young children.
Essential oils
Tea tree essential oil has documented efficacy on acne (Antioxidants, 2023), peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome (Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2022), and lavender and others on anxiety (Pharmacol Res, 2022) — but these are powerful concentrates. Precaution: always dilute on the skin, never use in the eyes or undiluted by mouth without medical advice; several of them are forbidden for pregnant women (except on medical advice), children under 3 (6 for peppermint), asthmatics and epileptics.
