How To Get Rid Of Bedbugs: A Step-by-Step Guide - Healthline

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How to Get Rid of Bedbugs at Home: DIY Guide and When to Get Professional Help

Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R.N., CCRN, CPN — Written by Stephanie Watson — Updated on August 26, 2024

DIY removal
Find infested areas
Contain the area
Preparation
Extermination
Monitor and follow up
Professional help
Prevention
Did it work?
Takeaway

Bedbugs are often tough to get rid of, so you may need a few different approaches. Once you identify and contain all infested areas, you can combine chemical and non-chemical treatments to kill the bugs.

A bedbug (Cimex species) infection can be difficult to treat on your own and can take weeks to months.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends professional pest control to eliminate a bedbug infestation. Even with professionals involved, getting rid of bedbugs typically requires multiple treatment phases and both chemical and non-chemical treatment.

Can you get rid of bedbugs on your own?

You can get rid of bedbugs without a professional. But it’s best to set your expectations, as removing bedbugs often takes time and effort. You may have to try different chemical and non-chemical approaches, especially if you have a large infestation.

Certain factors can make bedbugs more complicated to remove. You may have a tougher time ridding your home of them if you:

have a lot of clutter
live in an apartment building with other units that also have bedbugs
travel often and bring new bedbugs home in your luggage

If you cannot get rid of them on your own, you may have to call in a professional exterminator. Read on for a step-by-step guide on getting rid of bedbugs.

Step 1: Identify all infested areas

While it’s much easier and cheaper to treat a small infestation than a big one, smaller infestations can be harder to detect. You may notice bedbug bites before seeing evidence of the bedbugs themselves.

Bedbugs measure just 5 millimeters across, smaller than a pencil eraser. These bugs reproduce quickly and can live for months between blood meals. A female can lay 500 eggs in her lifetime.

Bedbugs’ small and narrow bodies enable them to squeeze into tiny spots, such as the seams of mattresses or couches and the folds of curtains.

Also, look for them:

near the tags of the mattress and box spring
in cracks in the bed frame and headboard
in baseboards
between couch cushions
in furniture joints
inside electrical outlets
under loose wallpaper
underneath paintings and posters on the walls
in the seam where wallpaper and ceiling meet

Use a flashlight and magnifying glass to go over all of these areas.

You can spot signs of bedbugs by the following:

live bedbugs, which are reddish and about 1/4-inch long
bedbug droppings, which are dark spots about the size of a period
reddish stains on your mattress from crushed bugs
small and pale yellow eggs, egg shells, and yellowish skins (exoskeletons) that young bedbugs shed

If you’re unsure what type of bug you’ve found, you can bring one to an exterminator or entomologist to identify it by placing it in a sealed jar. Other types of bugs can look a lot like bedbugs.

»Learn more:What bedbugs look like and how to identify them

Step 2: Contain the infestation

Once you know you have bedbugs, you need to keep them contained to get rid of them. A quick and easy way to trap bedbugs is to run your vacuum over any possible hiding places.

This includes your:

bed
dresser
carpets
electronics, like TVs

Seal the vacuumed contents into a plastic bag and throw them away. Then, thoroughly clean the vacuum. You can also try to use a steam cleaner on high heat to help reach into crevices.

Seal all your linens and affected clothes in airtight plastic bags until you can wash them. Then, put them in a washer and dryer using the highest possible temperature setting. If an item cannot be washed, put it in the dryer for 30 minutes at the highest heat setting.

Anything that cannot be treated in the washer and dryer should be placed in a plastic bag. Leave it there for a few months to a year, if possible, until all the bugs have died.

If you cannot safely clean furniture, throw it away. Tear it up first and spray paint the word “bedbugs” on it so no one else tries to take it home.

Step 3: Prep for bedbug treatment

Before you start treating your home, a little prep work can help increase your odds of success. Ensure all your linens, carpets, drapes, clothing, and other hiding places have been cleaned or thrown out (see step 2).

Next, get rid of clutter where bedbugs can hide:

Pick up books, magazines, clothes, and anything else lying on your floor and under your bed.
Throw out whatever you can.
Do not move items from an infested room to a clean one, which could spread the bugs.

Seal up any open areas:

Glue down loose wallpaper.
Caulk cracks in furniture and around baseboards.
Tape up open electrical outlets.
Get protective covers for your mattresses and box springs.

Step 4: Kill the bedbugs

You can first try to remove bedbugs without chemicals. These bugs are pretty easy to kill with high heat at 115°F (46.11°C) or intense cold at 32°F (0°C).

Here are a few ways to treat bedbugs using these methods:

Wash bedding and clothes in hot water for 30 minutes. Then, put them in a dryer on the highest heat setting for 30 minutes.
Use a steamer on mattresses, couches, and other places where bedbugs hide.
Pack up infested items in black bags and leave them outside on a hot day that reaches 120°F (49°C) or in a closed car for at least 90 minutes. In cooler temperatures, killing sealed-up bugs can take 2 to 5 months.
Put bags containing bedbugs in the freezer at 0°F (-19°C). Use a thermometer to check the temperature. Leave them in there for at least 4 days.

Once you’ve cleaned all visible bedbugs, make the area inhospitable for the rest of them. Place bedbug-proof covers over your mattress and box spring. Zip these covers up all the way. Bugs that are trapped inside will die, and new bugs will not be able to get in.

If these methods do not get rid of all the bugs, you may need to try an insecticide.

Non-chemical and chemical treatments

Insecticides can help rid your home of bedbugs. Look for products registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and specifically indicated for use on bedbugs.

A few types of insecticides you can try include:

Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are the most common chemicals used to kill bedbugs. However, some bedbugs have become resistant to them.
Pyrroles, like chlorfenapyr, kill bedbugs by disrupting their cells.
Neonicotinoids are nicotine-based chemicals that damage bedbugs’ nervous systems. This type of chemical works on bedbugs that have become resistant to other pesticides.
Dessicants are substances that destroy the bugs’ protective outer coating. Without this coating, the bugs dry out and die. Two examples of desiccants are silica aerogel (Tri-Die and CimeXa) and diatomaceous earth. The advantage of desiccants is that bedbugs cannot become resistant to them, but they work slowly. These products can take a few months to kill off all the bugs. Diatomaceous earth is dangerous to inhale, so be sure to use an EPA-approved product and only as directed on the packaging, which usually involves applying it to small crevices.
Foggers or bug bombs kill bedbugs, but they cannot get into cracks and crevices where these bugs hide. They can also be toxic to humans and pets if you use them incorrectly. Read the label carefully. Leave the room before you set off a fogger.
Plant oil-based products, like EcoRaider and Bed Bug Patrol, are less toxic than chemical insecticides, and they work well against bedbugs, according to 2014 research.

Step 5: Evaluate and prevent future bedbugs

Bedbugs can take some time to eradicate. Before you can ensure that your treatment has worked, you need proof that the bugs are gone. Check the infested areas about once every seven days for signs of activity.

To make surviving bedbugs easier to spot, place bedbug interceptors under each leg of the bed. These devices will trap bedbugs before they can climb up into your bed. You may need to keep checking the interceptors for a full year.

Bedbugs are hardy creatures. Just when you think you’ve wiped them out, you might spot them again. You may have to try a few different treatment methods to control the infestation. And if they still do not go away, you’ll want to call in a professional exterminator.

Step 6: Get the pros involved

If you cannot wipe out bedbugs on your own, it’s time to get the pros involved.

Pest control companies have the advantage of using chemicals and other treatments that are not available to you. They have insecticides that both kill bugs on contact and that stay inside furniture and cracks to kill bedbugs in the long term.

Pest control companies can also use whole-room heat treatments. They bring in special equipment that heats the room to 135 and 145°F (57.22 and 62.78°C), which is hot enough to kill bedbugs.

Before the pest control company arrives, they should give you instructions for prepping your home. Follow their directions carefully and you’ll have the best chance of wiping out the bugs.

Professional treatments take two to three visits to start working. After each treatment, you may have to stay out of the treated rooms for a few hours until the insecticides have dried.

Step 7: Keep the bedbugs out

Once the bedbugs are gone, you’ll want to make sure to follow steps to prevent re-infestation:

Clear up any clutter. Do not leave papers, magazines, clothes, or other items on the floor.
Cover your mattress and box spring with a bedbug cover and zip it up all the way.
Vacuum and wash bedding, furniture, curtains, and carpets often.
Seal cracks around light sockets, baseboards, and electrical outlets so bedbugs cannot sneak in.
When you travel, check for bedbugs in hotel rooms to avoid bringing them home with you. Also, avoid placing your luggage directly on the floor and instead use a luggage holder.
When you return from traveling, put your clothes in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Also, consider treating your luggage bag or sealing it up.

How to tell if bedbugs are gone

You may have to keep checking for evidence of bedbugs for up to one year. The EPA recommends checking at least every 7 days.

It’s possible to have bedbugs without seeing them.

Using monitoring devices, such as inceptors on the legs of your furniture, can help you be sure that your home is bedbug-free.

The bottom line

You can get rid of bedbugs on your own, but it may be a multi-phase process. Experts recommend preparing your space for bedbug treatment in advance and eliminating bedbugs on washable fabrics using heat.

You may need to use a combination of both chemical and non-chemical methods to treat a bedbug infestation.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

About bed bugs. (2024).https://www.cdc.gov/bed-bugs/about/index.html
Bed bugs. (n.d.).https://extension.umn.edu/biting-insects/bed-bugs
Bed bug FAQs. (n.d.).https://nysipm.cornell.edu/whats-bugging-you/bed-bugs/bed-bug-faqs
Bed bugs. (n.d.).https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publichealth/insects/bedbug.html
Bed bugs: Get them out and keep them out. (2024).https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs
Merchant M. (n.d.). Bed bugs: Do-it-yourself control options.http://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
Singh N, et al. (2014). Potential of essential oil-based pesticides and detergents for bed bug control.https://academic.oup.com/jee/article/107/6/2163/796197

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Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R.N., CCRN, CPN — Written by Stephanie Watson — Updated on August 26, 2024

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