How to Kill Bedbugs: A Thorough Guide for a Bug-Free Home

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Learning that there are bedbugs crawling around your home can be frightening. If you discover these pests, take solace in the fact that they don’t normally pose a health risk. [1] They may be creepy and annoying, but you aren’t going to get sick from the bites. There are a variety of ways to kill bedbugs, but the best way to do it is to hire a professional exterminator. Since bed bugs tend to be resilient and adept at hiding, it can be pretty tough to treat the problem yourself. It can certainly be done, but it may take several attempts to completely solve the problem. To help, we met with board-certified entomologist Brandon Runyon and pest control specialist Kevin Carrillo to get expert advice on how to handle bedbugs.

How to Kill a Bedbug

  • Temperature treatments: Extreme heat from a steam cleaner, washing machine, and dryer will kill bugs. You can also freeze clothing for 14 days.
  • Mechanical treatments: Steam cleaning and vacuuming will kill bedbugs.
  • Pesticides: Silica aerogel or diatomaceous earth are the most effective options. You can also use rubbing alcohol to spot treat bedbugs.
Section 1 of 8:

Heat Treatments

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  1. Take your bags to your washing machine and pour them directly into the drum. Add your laundry detergent and wash all of your clothes and sheets in hot water. When they’re done, dry them on high heat. This will kill any bugs that are trapped in your clothes and sheets. [2]
    • You can take your bags to a laundromat if you don’t have a washing machine at home. You do not need to worry about spreading the infestation at the laundromat, so long as you keep your clothes bagged and empty them directly into the washing machine.
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Section 2 of 8:

Cold Treatments

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  1. If you have fabric-lined items or stuffed objects in your room that can’t be put in the washing machine, place them inside airtight freezer bags. Push the air out of the bag and use the zipper to seal the bag. [3]
    • This applies to teddy bears, hats, hacky sacks, desk trinkets, and any other items that aren’t made entirely out of metal or plastic.
  2. Set each plastic bag inside your freezer, and let them sit inside the freezer for at least 14 days to freeze any bugs and eggs to death. After 14 days, take the objects out of the freezer and place them in a clean part of your home while you handle the rest of the infestation. [4]
    • Use a big deep freezer to do this if you have one.
    • Adult bugs will die after 3 days in the freezer, but the eggs take longer to kill.
    • If your freezer is packed, empty out your ice, thaw any food to eat it in the next 1-3 days, and toss the rest of it out.
    • You may need to do this in waves if you have a lot of items to freeze and you’re tight on space.
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Section 3 of 8:

Steam Cleaning

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  1. A steamer will kill any bugs that come into contact with it. Make sure to buy or rent a steamer that can get at least 130 °F (54 °C), which is the temperature point where bed bugs die on contact. [5]
    • If you want to rent the steamer, contact a cleaning supply store or construction supply store. It shouldn’t cost more than $20 a day to rent.
    • This process will not eradicate the infestation, but it will make it much easier to treat the problem.
    • This is technically a heat treatment, but the vacuuming and steaming have to go together. The vacuum will lift up all of the dead bugs you kill with the steamer.
  2. Carrillo recommends steam cleaning as the best way to kill bed bugs naturally by yourself. Turn the steamer on and turn it to the highest temperature setting available. Run the hose over the mattress, bed frame, drapes, carpeted areas, and baseboards to instantly kill any bed bugs. This may not kill every single bug, but it will make it much easier to deal with the rest of the infestation. [6]
    • If you see a lot of dead bugs all over the place when you’re done, vacuum them up and discard the bag immediately.
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Section 4 of 8:

Vacuuming

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  1. The HEPA filter will lock any bugs you’re going to suck up inside of the bag and make it much easier to dispose of them. Carrillo says that you can use a regular vacuum if you prefer, but you’ll need to empty it out right away, and you may end up accidentally spreading the infestation. [7]
  2. Carrillo says it’s best to turn the vacuum on high and vacuum your bedroom and closet floors. Cover any carpeted areas 3-5 times to clean them thoroughly. Use a thin hose attachment to vacuum the cracks in your walls, baseboard, drapes, and bed frame. Run the hose attachment over every heavily-infested area 4-5 times. [8]

    Tip: With the HEPA filter, you can leave the vacuum alone and let the bugs suffocate inside. Alternatively, you can empty the bag into a garbage bag, tie the top off, and toss it out immediately.

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Section 5 of 8:

Chemical Treatments

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  1. Bed bugs are pretty resilient, and there are only 2 commercial pesticides that are effective. Silica aerogel is a sticky powder-like substance that attaches to bed bugs that walk over it and suffocates them. Diatomaceous earth is a powder that kills bugs that come into contact with it. Both options are nontoxic to humans, so long as you don’t cover your skin in it. [9]
    • While both silica aerogel and diatomaceous earth are nontoxic, you’re still better off wearing rubber gloves and a dust mask when you apply them just to keep the chemicals off of you. Keep any pets or children out of the rooms you’re treating. [10]
    • Foggers and bug bombs are not effective against bed bugs. It really seems like they would be, but bed bugs are pretty adept at hiding in microscopic cracks and nooks, so many of the bugs will survive if you go this route.
    • If you get diatomaceous earth, use the food-grade version to kill the bugs. While the pesticide versions are nontoxic so long as you don’t rub it into your skin, the food-grade version is completely safe. [11]
    • Regular pesticides that kill ants, wasps, and other common bugs won’t do anything to bed bugs.
  2. Use the applicator that came with your product, or just sprinkle the DE around by hand. Pull all of your furniture 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m) away from the wall. Walk around the infested room and squirt a puff of pesticide along each portion of the baseboard. Squirt 2-3 puffs into any cracks in your walls, which are common hiding spots for bed bugs. [12]
    • It can be tempting to just completely coat the room in this stuff. This won’t be any more effective than targeting the problematic areas, though, and all you’ll do is make a bigger mess for yourself.
    • Bed bugs drink blood to survive. As a result, you’ll only see them in rooms where people sleep. Unless you’ve seen bed bugs outside of your bedroom, you only need to treat your bedroom and closets.
  3. Empty out all of your drawers and pack the clothes in airtight plastic bags if you haven’t already. Then, place 4-5 squirts along the corners of each drawer. Spray some of the pesticide around every leg on your bed frame. This will catch any bed bugs that are hiding during the day but come out at night to feed. [13]
    • If you have any carpets, give them a spritz as well. If the entire room is carpeted, spread a 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m) wide layer of pesticide around every baseboard, piece of furniture, and fixture in the room.
    • You do not need to cover your clothes in pesticide. Washing, drying, and keeping the clothes out of the infested room will keep them bug-free.
  4. The longer you can leave the pesticide out, the better. At a bare minimum, leave the powder on the ground and in your drawers for 10 days. Then, vacuum up the powder. If the bed bugs reappear, which is not particularly unlikely, repeat this entire process. [14]
    • Bed bugs are notoriously resilient. It may take 3-4 attempts to clear out the infestation entirely. Luckily, your odds of success increase with each attempt.
    • If you’d like, you can stay with a friend for 10 days while you treat your room, but you can also stay in the same room as the pesticide. Just try to walk around the powder and keep children and pets out of the room.
    • Keep your windows closed and fans off while you’re leaving the pesticide out. If your room gets a lot of air, it could blow the pesticide away.

    Tip: It takes 10 days for eggs to hatch, which is why you need to leave the pesticide out for at least 10 days. If you vacuum the powder up before 10 days have passed, the infestation may come back immediately.

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Section 6 of 8:

When to Call a Pro

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  1. The best way to deal with bed bugs is to hire a professional exterminator. They will check your furniture, bed, carpets, and baseboards to determine the best course of action. They’ll also walk you through what they’re going to do to kill the bed bugs. Pack your bags and spend 1-2 days at a hotel or friend’s house to give the exterminator space to work. [15]
    • This is really the only way to know with 100% certainty that the bed bugs have been eradicated. Unfortunately, it can cost $500-$2,000 to treat an infestation, depending on the severity.
    • Once the problem is thoroughly dealt with, you’ll be able to return to your bug-free home and rest easy knowing they’re gone.
Section 7 of 8:

Prevention

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  1. Bed bug interceptors are small traps that attract bed bugs and keep them inside. Set down 2-3 interceptors around each leg of your bed frame to catch any bugs that try to sneak up and feed while you sleep. This is also a great way to see how effective your pesticide is, since you can check the traps in the morning and see how many bugs you caught. [16]
    • If you’re waking up with bites but you don’t see any bugs in the interceptors, there could be a hole in your mattress encasement, or your sheets could be infested. Re-treat your mattress and wash and dry your sheets.
    • If you don’t have a bed frame, get one. It’s incredibly hard to fight a bed bug infestation if your mattress and box spring are on the floor.
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Section 8 of 8:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    Can you suffocate bed bugs? Yes, but it’s not a good or reliable method for treatment. When you wrap a mattress (or other items), the bed bugs will die because they starve to death, not because they can’t breathe, and this may take a while. Bottom line—it is possible to suffocate bed bugs, but it’s not a particularly consistent or reliable way to deal with an infestation. [17]
    • One good reason to wrap your mattress is that it traps any eggs, which will help keep the infestation from growing, so it can be a helpful method when combined with other methods.
  2. 2
    How do you kill bedbugs with heat? Dryers, portable heaters, and steam cleaners all work. Bedbugs die within 90 minutes if they’re exposed to 113 °F (45 °C), or 20 minutes if they’re exposed to 118 °F (48 °C). That means you’ll be able to kill bed bugs in your clothes dryer with no problem. Steam cleaners also reach this temperature for spot treatments. Lastly, heat guns and space heaters can help kill some bugs, but you’re best off hiring someone to perform a whole-house heat treatment for best results. [18]
    • The whole house heat treatments tend to be a little more expensive than the pesticide treatments, but they’re worth it if you’re looking for a 100% natural option that won’t potentially hurt any pets.
    • Runyon recommends against DIY heat treatments: “I strongly advise against attempting a heat treatment yourself. Too many people have burned their homes down using propane heaters or other unsafe methods. If you opt for heat treatment, hire a professional.” [19]
  3. 3
    Does bleach kill bedbugs? Bleach will kill bedbugs, but it may not be the best spot treatment. Bleach contains hypochlorite, which has an extremely high pH capable of killing most bugs on contact. With that said, heat, commercial pesticide sprays, or rubbing alcohol are less likely to damage any wood or fabric when you spot treat. Bleach will stain wood and dye fabric, and bedbugs are almost universally going to be found on top of those materials. [20]
    • The other downside with bleach is that you can’t dilute it very much if you want to be able to kill bedbugs. You cannot go further than a 1:1 solution of hot water and bleach for it to be effective.
    • Instead, Carrillo recommends using a solution of 80% rubbing alcohol and 20% water to kill bedbugs on the spot. [21]
  4. 4
    Can freezing bedbugs kill them? Yes, freezing bedbugs will kill them after 14 days. If you package any clothes in an airtight container and leave them in your freezer, the bugs will die after 3 days, and eggs will be destroyed after 14 days. One key note here is that your freezer must be 0 °F (−18 °C) or colder—bedbugs will survive freezing conditions that are on the warmer side. [22]
    • Even if the cold doesn’t kill bedbugs, it will stun them and keep them from breeding.
    • In the winter, you can slow bedbug activity while you treat the bugs by opening the windows and letting some air in. Bedbugs move a lot slower in the cold.
  5. 5
    How do bedbugs die naturally? Bedbugs only die naturally when they can’t feed. This is part of what makes bedbugs so hard to deal with—if you don’t kill all of them, the ones that remain will feed and keep reproducing. The only way for bedbugs to die on their own is a lack of food. [23]
    • Here’s another rub: bedbugs can live up to a year without a meal. [24] In other words, if you’ve got bedbugs, you’re not going to “wait them out.”
  6. 6
    Can I get rid of bed bugs by myself? Yes, but only if the infestation is relatively new. Carrillo breaks it down: “If bedbugs are detected early on and it's a low-level isolated infestation, it's completely treatable on your own. The first step is always going to be a thorough inspection of your home. Start at the bed and work your way out from there…searching throughout the entire home and wherever you're able to find bedbugs, you can simply remove them either by vacuuming (and disposing of a vacuum bag) or by spraying them with rubbing alcohol.” [25]
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How Do You Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?


Join the Discussion...

Please help me find a way to get rid of bed bugs as fast as possible
WikiStoatFlyer858
WikiStoatFlyer858
I am losing my mind. I've had bedbugs in my house for a week and nothing seems to be getting rid of them. How do I kill them? Do I just need to bite the bullet and call an exterminator? Do I need to move???? I'm pulling my hair out as we speak. Help, please!
Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
How you kill bedbugs will depend on the home and on how long the issue has gone on for. That being said, if bedbugs are detected early on, and it's a low-level isolated infestation, it's completely treatable on your own. The first step is always going to be a thorough inspection of your home, starting at the bed and working your way out from there. Ideally, you want to have a good high-powered flashlight with you. You're going to be looking in all cracks and crevices that are starting at something that's about two millimeters wide.

Searching throughout basically the entire home and wherever you're able to find bedbugs, you can simply remove them either by vacuuming and disposing of the vacuum bag, or killing them with Isopropyl rubbing alcohol or something that's at least 80% alcohol. Rubbing alcohol, physical removal, vacuuming, and cleaning the vacuum will treat the issue but the main thing is diligence and perseverance—as long as you are actively searching for the bedbugs, the bedbugs themselves, once you find them, are pretty easily killed. It's totally fixable on your own, but most people start to lose heart once they've done all of their laundries and gone through all of their books, and then they're still getting bitten and they just haven't thought to look in all of the areas that the bedbugs can be hiding.
WikiNarwhalDancer168
WikiNarwhalDancer168
You could try out diatomaceous earth. I sprinkled it liberally around my home, especially on fabrics. Then I waited 2 weeks and vacuumed it all up. It worked! If you want to play it safe you can even do another round, wait another 2 weeks, and vacuum again.
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  • Question
    What home remedy will kill bed bugs?
    Kevin Carrillo
    Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
    Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.
    Kevin Carrillo
    Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
    Expert Answer
    You can use a vacuum cleaner to suck bed bugs up. Steam will also kill them on contact, so you can go that route if you have a steamer.
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  • Question
    How do you get rid of bed bugs in one day?
    Kevin Carrillo
    Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
    Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.
    Kevin Carrillo
    Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
    Expert Answer
    Honestly, you're probably not going to get every bed bug in one day. It can take a while to make sure you've got all of them and bed bugs are most active at night. So, unless you can sit still from 11 pm to 6 am and kill every bug that comes to bite you, you probably aren't going to get every single bug. It can take some time to get rid of all of them.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    Do bed bug bites hurt?
    Kevin Carrillo
    Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
    Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.
    Kevin Carrillo
    Pest Control Specialist, MMPC
    Expert Answer
    No, people typically don't even notice when they're bitten. Roughly 30% of people aren't even reactive to bed bug bites and they won't have any sign that they've been bitten.
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      Tips

      • If you’re treating the problem yourself, it may take 3-5 attempts before you completely eradicate the bed bugs.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • If you only see one or two bed bugs, don't freak out just yet. It may not be an infestation and you can easily get rid of these on your own by vacuuming them up. Just be sure to get rid of the vacuum bag or trap the bugs in a plastic bag so they'll suffocate.
      • Olive oil in a spray bottle instantly kills bed bugs. Baby powder can also kill them and it's the cheapest way I have found to deal with them. Put baby powder in all the nooks of the bed, where they like to hide. It will dry them out and kill them.
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      Warnings

      • As tempting as it may be to immediately get out of your bedroom, sleeping somewhere other than your bed will just draw the bed bugs towards you and spread the infestation. [27]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/bed-bugs/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html
      2. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/do-it-yourself-bed-bug-control
      3. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/do-it-yourself-bed-bug-control
      4. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/do-it-yourself-bed-bug-control
      5. ↑ https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef636
      6. ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist, MMPC. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
      7. ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist, MMPC. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
      8. ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist, MMPC. Expert Interview. 22 October 2019.
      9. ↑ https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
      1. ↑ https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/safety-source-on-pesticide-providers/what-is-integrated-pest-management/desiccating-dusts
      2. ↑ https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/safety-source-on-pesticide-providers/what-is-integrated-pest-management/desiccating-dusts
      3. ↑ https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
      4. ↑ https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
      5. ↑ https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
      6. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/biting-insects-and-insect-relatives/bed-bugs#hire-a-professional-exterminator-49010
      7. ↑ https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
      8. ↑ https://longislandbedbuginspections.com/do-bed-bug-mattress-encasements-really-work/
      9. ↑ https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/bb-heat1.pdf
      10. ↑ Brandon Runyon. Entomology and Pest Control Expert. Expert Interview. 4 Mar 2025.
      11. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/does-bleach-kill-bed-bugs/
      12. ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist, MMPC. Expert Interview. 22 Oct 2019.
      13. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/biting-insects/bed-bugs#what-you-can-do-yourself-49011
      14. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/top-10-myths-about-bedbugs/
      15. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/top-10-myths-about-bedbugs/
      16. ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist, MMPC. Expert Interview. 22 Oct 2019.
      17. ↑ Kevin Carrillo. Pest Control Specialist, MMPC. Expert Interview. 22 Oct 2019.
      18. ↑ https://thewirecutter.com/blog/what-to-do-if-you-have-bedbugs/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      The best way to kill bed bugs is to run your clothes and bedding through the dryer on high heat for 10-20 minutes. Wrap any infested furniture in plastic and place it in direct, hot sunlight for 24 hours. For stubborn infestations, use a bed-bug specific insecticide or spread diatomaceous earth around problem areas. Read on for other DIY solutions and tips for finding an exterminator.

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