Bed bugs are a serious pest problem that can be difficult to eliminate. Knowing the most effective ways to kill bed bugs is key to getting rid of an infestation. There are a few main methods that are considered to be the best for killing bed bugs, with heat treatment usually being the number one recommended technique by pest control experts.
What Makes Bed Bugs Hard to Get Rid Of?
Bed bugs are challenging to fully eradicate for a few key reasons:
- Bed bugs are very good at hiding – They can squeeze into tiny cracks and crevices, making it easy for them to evade detection and treatment efforts.
- Bed bugs spread rapidly – A single pregnant female can start a major infestation. They move quickly between rooms and can travel between apartments in shared walls.
- Bed bugs can survive months without feeding – Even if you think you’ve killed them, eggs can hatch or adults can emerge months later when a food source becomes available.
- Bed bugs develop pesticide resistance – Populations of bed bugs are building up resistance to common pesticides, making chemical treatments less effective.
These factors mean that truly eliminating bed bugs requires very thorough, comprehensive treatment methods.
Heat Treatments
Heat is considered the number one bed bug killer because when applied correctly, it will kill all stages of bed bugs – adults, nymphs and eggs. Heating infested items or rooms to temperatures above 115°F is lethal for bed bugs. High heat penetrates hiding spots and kills bugs on contact.
Some ways heat can be used to kill bed bugs:
- Whole room heat treatments – Heating an entire infested room to 120-140°F using propane or electric powered heaters. Fans circulate the hot air into cracks and crevices.
- Localized heat tools – Focused heat treatment devices like a ThermalStrike can instantly kill bed bugs in specific furniture items or areas up to 120°F.
- Clothes dryers – Running infested clothing, bedding or other small items on the highest setting for 30+ minutes will kill all bed bugs and eggs.
- Steamers – High, penetrating steam above 200°F instantly kills bed bugs on contact. Helpful for furniture, mattresses and luggage.
Professional heat treatments involve raising room temperatures high enough to kill bed bugs in walls, furniture and belongings throughout a room. Use of insulated containment units enables heating just the infested room without spreading bugs.
For localized infestations, heat treatment tools and devices let you target just furniture items like couches or beds. Steamers also instantly kill bed bugs.
Advantages of Heat Treatment
Why is heat considered the #1 bed bug treatment method?
- Kills all stages of bed bugs – Eggs, nymphs and adult bed bugs cannot withstand temperatures above 115°F. Heat penetration leaves no survivors.
- Reach hidden bed bugs – Heat will permeate deeply into furniture, bedding, carpet, wood, belongings and other items to kill bugs despite their hiding spots.
- No pesticide residues – Heat treatments are chemical-free, leaving no messy residues or potential health concerns in treated spaces.
- Can be used for whole structure or localized treatment – Heat can be applied to an entire home, apartment or just specific infested rooms or furniture items.
Heat does not leave lasting pesticide residuals that could harm people or pets. It provides thorough elimination of bed bugs when done properly.
Potential Drawbacks
Heat comes with a few potential disadvantages:
- Professional heat treatments can be expensive, sometimes costing over $1,000 for a multi-room home.
- Heat can damage some belongings or furniture. Anything flammable should be removed.
- Bed bugs can still scatter and survive treatment if preparations are not thorough enough. Any gaps or openings should be sealed.
- Follow-up inspections are needed to confirm success and catch any possible surviving bugs or newly hatched eggs.
Proper heat containment and heating enough contents and rooms is key to avoiding surviving bed bugs. Despite disadvantages, heat remains the most consistently effective bed bug killer when applied correctly.
Cold Treatments
Extreme cold can also kill bed bugs. Prolonged exposure to temperatures below 0°F will eliminate all stages. Items like stuffed animals or clothing can be bagged and placed in a freezer to kill bed bugs.
This method has some drawbacks:
- Freezing temperatures must be maintained for 4+ days to ensure all bugs are killed.
- Only smaller items can realistically be treated this way, not furniture or rooms.
- Cold does not penetrate as deeply into materials, so some bugs may survive towards the core of thick items.
Freezing infested items can be one component of bed bug treatment, but works best for things like plush toys, shoes, books or photo albums. As a sole treatment method, the scope is limited.
Pesticide Treatments
Insecticide sprays and powders are common chemicals used against bed bugs. Products like:
- Pyrethroids (Temprid, Transport Mikron, Phantom)
- Neonicotinoids (Tandem, Crossfire)
- Insect growth regulators (Gentrol, NyGuard)
Can be applied as liquid sprays or dusts into cracks, crevices, bed frames, furniture joints and seams where bed bugs hide.
Advantages of pesticides:
- Very affordable compared to heat treatments.
- Easy to apply for do-it-yourself use.
- Leave residual effects that can kill bed bugs over time.
Disadvantages:
- Bed bugs are building up resistance to various pesticide products.
- Cannot kill bed bugs as rapidly or thoroughly as heat.
- Eggs and nymphs can be harder to kill with sprays.
- Pesticide overuse can harm people, pets and the environment.
Chemicals also cannot penetrate into materials and objects as deeply as heat. Since bed bugs often hide in deep crevices and voids inside furniture, walls and belongings, sprays may not reach them all.
Frequent re-application and rotation of different pesticide ingredients is needed for best results. But bed bugs may still survive treatment and reinfest areas.
Other Treatment Methods
Steamers
As mentioned, steamers generate very hot steam that instantly kills bed bugs on contact. The advantage over heat is steam can be applied directly into cracks and crevices. However, steam only kills what you apply it to directly, so thoroughness is important.
Vacuuming
Thorough vacuuming of infested rooms, furniture, seams and belongings helps remove bed bugs and eggs before treatment. Dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed bag. However, vacuuming alone will not eliminate an infestation – it should be paired with other methods.
Mattress Encasements
Encasement products fully seal a mattress or box spring so bed bugs cannot get in or out. High-quality, bed bug-rated encasements trap bugs inside and starve them. Needs to be used along with other treatment methods for best results.
Discarding Infested Items
In severe infestations, badly infested furniture, mattresses or belongings may need to be thrown out if other methods cannot eliminate the bugs.
Prevention Tips
To help prevent future bed bug problems:
- Inspect for bed bugs regularly in sleeping areas and when traveling.
- Reduce clutter to limit hiding spots.
- Seal cracks and crevices around baseboards, switch plates, windows.
- Isolate and heat treat any used furniture, clothing or items before bringing them home.
- Install bed bug mattress encasements.
- Treat rooms preventively with residual sprays in high risk situations.
Being proactive helps avoid infestations taking hold in the first place. Monitor for signs and address issues immediately.
Conclusion
Heat treatment remains the most widely recommended, effective way to kill all stages of bed bugs in all types of environments. The penetrating heat reaches bed bugs despite their hiding spots and kills entire infestations when properly applied. Although expensive and requiring extensive preparation, whole-room heat treatments provide the most reliable elimination of bed bugs once and for all. While pesticides, freezing and steamers have a role, heat stands as the number one killer for treating challenging bed bug infestations. An integrated approach using several methods is ideal, but heat is the key component for elimination success.
Summary
| Method | How it Works | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Treatments | Raises room or objects to lethal temperatures 120°F+ | – Kills all life stages – Reaches hiding spots – No pesticide residues |
– Expensive for whole room – Risk of damage to items – Preparation is extensive |
| Freezing | Items bagged and placed in freezer under 0°F | – Non-toxic – Works for small items |
– Takes days – Doesn’t penetrate deeply |
| Pesticides | Liquid sprays, dusts, powders applied into hiding spots | – Affordable – Easy application – Leaves residuals |
– Bugs can resist chemicals – Doesn’t kill as thoroughly – Can’t reach deep crevices |
| Steamers | Very hot steam 200°F+ applied directly to kill on contact | – Reaches into cracks – No chemicals |
– Only kills what it touches directly – Very thorough application needed |
