Published by BuzzSkito Mosquito & Tick Control
Published October 7, 2026 · Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources listed below
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What actually gets rid of bed bugs?
Bed bugs are eliminated by combining several methods and repeating them until monitoring shows none are left; no single spray, powder or gadget does it alone. The EPA's do-it-yourself bed bug guide lays the job out in six steps, from identifying the pest to evaluating the results, and adds that you may have to go through them more than once to kill all the bugs and their eggs.
Rutgers University entomologists reach the same conclusion in their fact sheet on bed bug methods that work and methods that waste money: the most effective route is integrated pest management, meaning monitoring, several treatment methods used together, follow-up checks and re-treatment until the bugs are gone. For biology, bites and prevention, use the complete bed bug reference.
| Step | What you do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Identify the problem | Catch a specimen, have it identified, then inspect to see how far the bugs have spread | Look-alikes need a different fix |
| 2. Develop a plan | Set a schedule and record the dates and places where bugs are found | Shows progress and where to target the work |
| 3. Keep it from spreading | Bag belongings, seal cracks, encase the mattress and box spring | Keeps bed bugs out of clean rooms |
| 4. Prepare for treatment | Clear clutter and isolate the bed | Removes hiding places and makes surviving bugs easier to monitor |
| 5. Kill the bed bugs | Dry fabrics on high heat, steam the bed and furniture, apply an EPA-registered product labeled for bed bugs | Heat kills bugs and eggs where it reaches; desiccant dust has a long-lasting effect |
| 6. Evaluate and prevent | Inspect, including the interceptor traps, at least every 7 days | Catches survivors and newly hatched eggs |
The six steps are the EPA's, from its do-it-yourself bed bug control guidance; the actions under each are covered in the sections below.
How do you confirm you have bed bugs before you treat?
Catch one of the insects and have it identified before you spend time or money on treatment. The EPA advises collecting a sample to show an extension agent or other insect expert, and notes that extension agents identify pests at no cost. An adult bed bug is about 3/16 inch long, reddish-brown, oval and flat, according to the University of Kentucky's bed bug fact sheet, and a separate guide shows what bed bugs look like at every life stage.
Identification matters because bed bugs are sometimes mistaken for ticks, cockroaches and carpet beetles, the Kentucky fact sheet notes, and because bat bugs and bird bugs look similar but need a different fix: treating the roost or nest and excluding the wild hosts. Compare your specimen against the insects most often mistaken for bed bugs.
Bites alone do not confirm bed bugs. The same fact sheet says confirmation requires finding the bugs or their signs, such as dark fecal spotting, shed skins and eggs where the bugs hide. If bites started your search, see what bed bug bites look like and how much reactions vary, and compare marks on your bedding with a guide to what bed bug fecal stains look like.
Then find out how far the problem goes. The EPA says to inspect every area that may have bed bugs plus the surrounding living spaces. Its second step is a plan: make a schedule for the remaining steps and record the dates and exact locations where bugs are found, which shows progress and where to target the work. Work outward from the bed using a list of where bed bugs hide, nearest the sleeper first. If you rent, notify your landlord, because the EPA says the units near yours should be inspected as well.
How do you keep bed bugs from spreading while you treat?
Keep everything from the infested room in that room until it has been treated, and keep sleeping in your own bed. The EPA's treatment preparation page warns against moving items from an infested area to a clean one. Rutgers lists switching sleeping location among the methods that do not work: bed bugs follow the carbon dioxide a person breathes out, so moving to the couch tends to spread them through the home.
- Bag before you carry. The EPA says to use sealed plastic bags to move anything out of the room, including laundry on its way to the dryer.
- Seal what you cannot treat. Items that cannot be treated go into a sealed plastic bag or storage container, where the EPA says to leave them for up to a year.
- Empty the vacuum outdoors. The EPA says to seal the vacuum bag as tightly as possible after each use and put it straight into an outdoor trash container.
- Close off hiding places. The EPA recommends silicone caulk for cracks and crevices, which removes hiding spots and pushes the bugs into the open.
- Do not set furniture at the curb intact. The EPA advises against discarding furniture you can treat. If something must go, rip the covers, pull out the stuffing and mark it with spray paint so nobody takes it home.
How should you prepare the room and the bed?
Strip the room of hiding places and turn the bed into an island that bed bugs cannot reach without crossing a trap. The EPA calls preparation an essential first step whether you treat the home yourself or hire a professional, and says it speeds the process and reduces control costs. Its bed-island instructions come down to six moves:
- Move the bed at least 6 inches away from the wall.
- Remove all bed bugs and eggs from the mattress, box spring, frame and headboard with the vacuum and steamer described below.
- Zip the mattress and the box spring into bed-bug-proof encasements. The EPA says the zippers must close completely and the covers should be sturdy enough to last a year; any bugs trapped inside eventually starve.
- Tuck in the bedding so that nothing touches the floor.
- Put an interceptor trap under each leg of the bed. The EPA says to inspect the traps daily at the start.
- Clear everything from under the bed, but keep those items in the same room until they have been inspected and cleaned.
Then reduce the clutter around the bed. The EPA's list: get rid of excess magazines and newspapers, keep clothing off the floor, and replace cardboard boxes with plastic ones, because bed bugs can hide in cardboard. Rutgers adds that bed bugs do not like to climb or stay on smooth plastic. Repair damaged wallboard and loose wallpaper, and check behind outlet and switch plates. If the mattress itself shows spots, skins or live bugs, follow the step-by-step routine for a mattress with bed bug signs.
How do you kill bed bugs with heat, steam and cold?
You kill bed bugs with heat, steam or cold by bringing the exact spot where they hide to a lethal temperature. Virginia Tech's bed bug heat treatment fact sheet puts the thermal death point at 118°F for adults and nymphs and 122°F for eggs. Slightly lower temperatures of 112 to 115°F kill only when the bugs are held there for a number of hours. The hard part is getting the seam or crack where they hide up to that temperature.
The clothes dryer
A household dryer on high heat for 30 minutes kills bed bugs and their eggs, according to the EPA, which adds that washing alone might not do the job. The University of Kentucky reports that 10 to 20 minutes on medium-to-high heat kills all life stages, sooner when items go in dry, which makes the EPA's 30 minutes on high the cautious figure to use. Kentucky lists bedding, clothing, toys, shoes and backpacks among the items to run through the dryer, and the EPA says to store cleaned items in sealed plastic bags. Rutgers recommends laundering or hot-drying bed linens at least weekly during treatment.
Steam
Steam kills bed bugs and eggs on contact, but only where the heat reaches. The EPA says the steam must be at least 130°F and should not have a forceful airflow, which can scatter the bugs; a diffuser prevents that. Rutgers reports that both consumer-grade and professional-grade steamers killed bed bugs effectively in a 2018 study.
Rutgers' directions: work slowly along sofa seams, mattress edges and the crevices and corners of the bed frame, steam the floor under the furniture afterward, and repeat every few days until inspections and traps find no bed bugs. Steam can damage finished furniture surfaces and some fabrics such as microfiber. Kentucky's fact sheet adds that steam leaves no residual protection and has limited ability to penetrate fabric.
The vacuum
A vacuum quickly removes live and dead bed bugs and shed skins, but it does not finish the job. Rutgers cautions that eggs, and bugs wedged in cracks, may not come out, and Kentucky notes that bed bugs can survive being sucked up. Scrape the wand slowly along seams, folds, tufts and zippers. Both universities suggest fitting a knee-high stocking to the end of the vacuum tube, held with a rubber band, so the catch can be tied off and discarded in a sealed bag.
Heat chambers, hot cars and freezers
- Portable heat chamber. Rutgers recommends a heating box for items that cannot be washed, such as shoes, electronics and suitcases.
- Bagged items in a hot car. The EPA says you can use black plastic bags in a hot, closed car in the sun, but that success depends on your climate and that do-it-yourself heat treatments might not work. Kentucky advises using a thermometer to confirm at least 120°F wherever bugs may be.
- Freezer. The EPA says items must stay in a sealed bag at 0°F for three days and warns that many home freezers are not that cold, so check with a thermometer. Rutgers recommends four days, the more cautious figure.
Which pesticides work on bed bugs, and how do you use them correctly?
Use only a product that is registered by the EPA and lists bed bugs on its label, and apply it only where and how that label directs. The EPA's overview of bed bug pesticides counts more than 300 registered products in seven chemical classes; most can be used by consumers, and a few are restricted to specially trained professionals. Each class kills in a different way, and the EPA says that using products with different modes of action can reduce the chance that the bugs develop resistance.
| Class | How it works, per the EPA | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Pyrethrins and pyrethroids | The most common bed bug compounds; they kill and can flush bugs out of hiding | Some populations are resistant; Rutgers says most field populations are |
| Desiccants | Destroy the waxy outer coating so the bug slowly dehydrates | Resistance cannot develop; slow; cracks and crevices only |
| Neonicotinoids | Make nerves fire continually until they fail | Bed bugs resistant to other pesticides remain susceptible |
| Pyrroles (chlorfenapyr) | A pro-insecticide: it is converted into another chemical that disrupts functions in the bug's cells | The only pyrrole registered for bed bugs |
| Insect growth regulators | Mimic juvenile growth hormones | Speed up or stop development |
| Cold pressed neem oil | Plant oil with insecticidal compounds | The only biochemical registered for bed bugs |
Desiccant dusts: slow, but bed bugs cannot resist them
The EPA calls desiccants a valuable tool in bed bug control. They destroy the bug's waxy outer coating so it gradually dehydrates. Because that action is physical, bed bugs cannot become resistant to it, and the dust has a long-lasting effect. Diatomaceous earth is the EPA's first example, and Virginia Tech names silica aerogel and diatomaceous earth dusts as the residual to apply in hard-to-heat spots after a professional heat treatment.
Three rules come with them. Use only a dust that is registered by the EPA as a pesticide and labeled for bed bugs; the agency says pool-grade and food-grade diatomaceous earth should not be used because they pose a greater inhalation risk. Apply it only into cracks and crevices, the use the EPA limits desiccants to. And give it time: the EPA says desiccants may take several months to work. A separate article looks at whether diatomaceous earth works on bed bugs.
Sprays: where they go and where they do not
Apply a liquid or aerosol spray only to the places its label lists. Kentucky's fact sheet describes professional practice: technicians treat seams, folds and crevices of beds, chairs and sofas but usually do not spray the sleeping or seating surface, and they do not spray bedding or clothing, which go through the washer or dryer instead.
Expect less from a pyrethroid spray used alone. Rutgers puts most consumer pesticide sprays on its list of methods that do not work, because the majority of field bed bug populations are resistant to pyrethroids. The EPA adds that on resistant strains these products may just move the bugs to a new hiding place. If repeated treatments are needed, the EPA suggests a combination product or a different chemical class. Do not exceed the amount or the reapplication interval on the label to make up for poor results.
What does not work on bed bugs?
Rubbing alcohol, household cleaners, foggers, mothballs, ultrasonic repellers, dryer sheets and most natural sprays do not get rid of bed bugs, and alcohol and foggers are also fire hazards. Rutgers, the EPA and the University of Kentucky report the following:
| Shortcut | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Rubbing alcohol | In Rutgers lab tests, a direct spray of 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol killed at most 50% of bed bugs; the EPA warns that it can easily ignite |
| Household cleaners and disinfectants | Rutgers sprayed a disinfectant product directly on bed bugs and all of them survived |
| Total release foggers (bug bombs) | An Ohio State University study cited by Rutgers found them ineffective; the EPA says the spray does not reach the cracks where bed bugs hide and that misuse can cause a fire or explosion |
| Mothballs | In a Rutgers test, fewer than 50% of adults died after a week sealed in bags with mothballs, and eggs were not significantly affected |
| Ultrasonic repellers | None of four devices changed bed bug behavior in a university study cited by Rutgers |
| Dryer sheets and plant-oil repellents | Rutgers says there are no data showing they prevent infestations |
| Most natural sprays | Of 11 plant-based and detergent products Rutgers tested, only two killed more than 90% of nymphs when sprayed directly, and most had little or no effect on eggs |
| Bleach | Kentucky groups bleach with alcohol and foggers as ineffective and potentially dangerous |
| Sticky traps | The EPA says they are not for bed bugs |
Two of these have their own pages because the questions come up so often: why rubbing alcohol kills only some of the bed bugs it touches, and whether Lysol or any other disinfectant does anything to bed bugs.
How do you know the bed bugs are gone?
You know by trapping and inspecting, not by whether the bites have stopped. The University of Kentucky cites studies in infested apartments suggesting that about 30 percent of people show no reaction even when bitten repeatedly, so a week without bites is not proof that the bugs are gone. The EPA's instruction is to keep inspecting, including the interceptor traps, at least every 7 days in case any eggs remain.
Interceptors are pitfall traps that sit under furniture legs. Rutgers reports that placing them under the legs is more effective than visual inspection for detecting bed bugs, that traps alone detected 95% of infestations in one building-wide inspection, and that a one-bedroom apartment may need about 8 to 12 of them. The EPA describes a homemade version built from two nested plastic containers, masking tape on the outside for grip and talcum powder inside so the bugs cannot climb out.
If you find live bed bugs, the EPA says either the first round missed some or eggs have hatched, and retreatment may be needed. Rutgers advises stopping treatment only after a month in which neither visual inspection nor the traps turn up a bed bug. After that, the EPA recommends continuing to check for at least a year.
What is the fastest way to get rid of bed bugs?
A professional whole-room heat treatment is the fastest option in the guidance cited here: the University of Kentucky says heat can often eliminate an infestation in one day instead of over multiple days or weeks. Its fact sheet describes portable heaters and fans bringing the air to about 120 to 130°F while sensors track the temperature. Kentucky also notes the trade-offs: heat leaves no lasting protection if bed bugs are reintroduced, and it may cost more than conventional insecticide treatment.
Virginia Tech's researchers add a caveat: a few survivors are very common, because floor-wall junctions and the floors and walls behind stacked bags or boxes may never reach 122°F. They recommend hiring a company that is certified to apply pesticides, having a desiccant dust applied afterward, asking for documentation that hard-to-heat spots reached lethal temperature, and getting a follow-up inspection within a week. Follow the company's own preparation list, too: the same researchers report that heavy cleaning and moving clutter right before a heat treatment can scatter bed bugs.
What speeds up a do-it-yourself treatment
- Start while the infestation is small. Kentucky notes that bed bugs first concentrate around beds and sofas and disperse if an infestation is allowed to persist, which makes elimination harder.
- Lead with the tools that kill eggs. A hot dryer and steam kill every life stage they reach, so use them on the bed, the bedding and nearby furniture first.
- Contain the clutter. Rutgers says placing loose items in plastic containers or sealed heavy-duty bags improves the speed of control in a room, provided infested items are treated before they are stored, and the EPA says preparing the home helps speed the process.
Why overnight elimination is not realistic
No do-it-yourself method can be counted on to reach every bug and every egg in one pass; the EPA says its non-chemical methods can help but might not get rid of an infestation entirely. Bed bugs fit into crevices no wider than a toothpick, Kentucky's fact sheet notes, and heat, steam and contact sprays kill only what they touch. Eggs that are missed hatch in about a week at room temperature. The tools that keep working after you leave the room are slow: the EPA says desiccant dusts may take several months. Waiting the bugs out fails too, because bed bugs in temperature-controlled buildings typically survive 1 to 4 months without feeding. For the egg stage in particular, see a closer look at killing bed bug eggs.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| First round | Identification confirmed, belongings bagged, fabrics dried on high, bed vacuumed, steamed, encased and isolated, traps in place |
| Every few days | Steam again wherever bed bugs are still being found (Rutgers) |
| At least every 7 days | Inspection and trap check; retreatment may be needed if live bugs appear (EPA) |
| Within about 1 week | Eggs missed in the first round hatch, at room temperature (University of Kentucky) |
| Weeks to months | The EPA's range for treating an infestation, depending on its extent |
| 1 month with no bugs found | The point at which Rutgers says treatment can stop |
| At least 1 year | How long the EPA says to keep checking |
A realistic schedule assembled from EPA, Rutgers and University of Kentucky guidance.
Can you get rid of bed bugs yourself, or do you need a professional?
You may be able to get rid of bed bugs yourself, but the EPA calls treatment complex, Rutgers says professional services are usually more effective, and the University of Kentucky advises hiring one when resources allow. The EPA lists what your odds depend on: how many bed bugs you have, how much clutter gives them cover, whether your neighbors have them, and whether everyone in the home takes part.
| Factor | Do it yourself | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Tools | Dryer, steamer, vacuum, encasements, interceptors, consumer-labeled products | All of those plus whole-room heat, professional-only products and, from some firms, fumigation |
| Time to results | Weeks to months (EPA) | Heat can often clear an infestation in a day; insecticide programs usually need follow-up visits (University of Kentucky) |
| Main weakness | Missed hiding places and resistant bugs | Cost, and results that depend on the technician's attention (Virginia Tech) |
When is do-it-yourself not enough?
- You live in an apartment, condo or duplex. Rutgers says that once more than a few apartments are infested, the building needs a building-wide approach that will most likely require a professional. The EPA notes that landlords may have a responsibility to take part in treatment.
- The bugs have spread beyond beds and sofas. Once they have dispersed elsewhere, Kentucky's fact sheet says elimination becomes more difficult.
- Several rounds have not cleared it. If the traps keep catching bugs, the EPA's explanation is that earlier rounds missed some or that eggs have hatched; resistance is another possibility, since Rutgers says most field populations resist pyrethroids. The EPA also ties success to clutter and to everyone in the home doing their part.
- You want whole-home heat or fumigation. Both need professional equipment. Kentucky describes fumigation as sealing the building and injecting a gas, usually sulfuryl fluoride, with everyone out for a period of days.
Before you hire, compare quotes against what professional pest control typically costs. For the wider question of which pest problems a homeowner can reasonably handle alone, see where do-it-yourself pest control makes sense and where it does not.
Use any pesticide exactly as its label directs. The label is the law, and what is registered and sold varies by state.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs completely?+
The EPA says treating bed bugs can take weeks to months, depending on the extent of the infestation. The University of Kentucky says a professional heat treatment can often eliminate an infestation in one day, but Virginia Tech notes that a few survivors are very common, so follow-up is still needed. Rutgers University advises stopping treatment only after a month with no bed bugs found by visual inspection and traps, and the EPA recommends continuing to check for at least a year.
Do I need to throw out my mattress or couch?+
Usually not. Rutgers University says it is usually unnecessary to dispose of furniture or belongings during bed bug treatment, and the EPA advises against discarding furniture you can treat. A zippered encasement traps any bed bugs left inside a mattress or box spring, where they eventually die. Discarding makes sense for heavily infested, hard-to-treat items in poor repair. If you do discard something, the EPA says to rip the covers, remove the stuffing and mark it as infested so nobody takes it home.
Should I sleep in another room until the bed bugs are gone?+
No. Rutgers University lists switching sleeping location among the methods that do not work. Bed bugs can live in a vacant room for a few months without feeding, and they follow the carbon dioxide a person breathes out, so moving to the couch or a spare room tends to spread them through the home and makes control harder. Stay in your own bed, encase the mattress and box spring, pull the bed away from the wall and put interceptor traps under each leg.
Will bed bugs die off if I leave the house empty for a while?+
Not in any practical amount of time. The University of Kentucky reports that nymphs and adults typically survive about 1 to 4 months without feeding in temperature-controlled buildings, and potentially a year or longer at 55°F or below. The fact sheet calls leaving a home unoccupied to starve an infestation usually impractical, and notes that in vacant apartments bed bugs often disperse to nearby units or reduce their activity until someone moves back in.
Does washing clothes and bedding kill bed bugs?+
The dryer does the killing more reliably than the washer. The EPA says a household dryer on high heat for 30 minutes kills bed bugs and eggs and that washing alone might not do the job. The University of Kentucky gives a wash temperature of at least 120°F and notes that items can be heated in a dryer instead of being washed. Carry laundry to the machine in sealed plastic bags, and store clean items in fresh sealed bags until the room is clear.
Do I have to tell my landlord if I find bed bugs?+
The EPA advises renters to notify the landlord once an expert confirms the insect is a bed bug, because the units near yours should be inspected too. The agency notes that landlords may have a responsibility to participate in treatment and suggests checking the housing codes and laws in your area. The University of Kentucky notes that bed bugs often wander between apartments, and Rutgers University says buildings with more than a few infested apartments need a building-wide approach.
Sources
- Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control — US Environmental Protection Agency
- Preparing for Treatment Against Bed Bugs — US Environmental Protection Agency
- Pesticides to Control Bed Bugs — US Environmental Protection Agency
- FS1251: Cost-Effective and Money-Wasting Bed Bug Control Methods — Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
- Bed Bug Heat Treatments – What you need to know! — Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech
- ENTFACT-636: Bed Bugs — University of Kentucky Department of Entomology
How this guide was made: it was researched and drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed above. A second, independent AI pass then checked each factual claim against those sources. Found an error? Email support@buzzskito.ca.