How Do You Get Rid of Bed Bugs for Good

While the chemical had its benefits, the high toxicity left me looking for a safer solution.

As part of my ongoing battle against bed bugs, the next product I tried was a pesticide spray based on Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids. I was really hopeful about this one because I heard it was highly effective and cheap solution. Plus, it’s widely available and easy to apply, which was a big convenience.

On the positive side, the spray did work quite well initially. It knocked down the bed bugs quickly, and I appreciated that it didn't have an overpowering odor. When applied correctly, it seemed like it could offer long-term protection.

However, I wasn't satisfied. The major downside was the toxicity. With kids and pets at home, and spraying in our sleeping areas I was constantly worried about the potential health risks. Despite following the label instructions carefully, I had to reapply the spray a few times. This was not only a hassle but also raised concerns about overexposure to the chemicals. Another issue was that bed bugs can develop resistance to certain chemicals over time, which made me doubt the long-term effectiveness of the spray anyhow.

Despite its ease of use and affordability, its questionable effectiveness and safety risks soon left me looking for a better solution.

I decided to try a fogger, also known as a bug bomb as well. I was hopeful it would help me tackle the infestation more effectively since it worked completely differently as anything else.

On the positive side, the fogger was incredibly simple to use. All I had to do was press a button and let it do its job. It's also low-cost and available pretty much anywhere, which made it a convenient option.

However, my experience didn’t deliver as expected. I found the efficiency of the fogger to be questionable. It seemed to have little impact on the bed bugs hiding in cracks, crevices, and other hard-to-reach areas. Instead of eliminating the bugs, it appeared to force them to disperse and run away to other areas of my home, which caused the bugs appearing all over the home and not just the bedroom.

Even though I had to leave the rooms there was always some concern for a potential explosion or fire. This stuff also goes airborne so who knows how long you or your family members then inhale it and what kind of implications this has down the road.

Overall, while the fogger was easy to use and affordable, its questionable efficiency and associated risks left me searching for a better solution.

Essential oils were a mixed bag: non-toxic and safe but didn't work as hoped for, smelled strong, stained fabrics, and took too long to be effective.

I decided to give essential oils a shot as well. I’d heard they killed bed bugs and some positive things about them being non-toxic, so I was really hoping they'd be a safer option compared to chemical treatments.

First off, the good stuff: essential oils are non-toxic and biodegradable, which made me feel a lot better about using them around my kids and pets. Plus, they have a residual effect, meaning they keep working over time. Applying them was simple, and it was nice knowing I wasn't exposing my family to any nasty chemicals.

But honestly, I wasn’t completely thrilled with how they worked. They helped, but they weren’t as powerful as I hoped. Reapplications were still required. And the strong smell … well, that was a separate topic altogether. It lingered and was pretty overwhelming. And let’s not even talk about the stains – each time I had to scrub and rinse my entire home for hours. Even now I still have some stains that I just can’t get rid of.

I also found out that some oils could potentially trigger allergic reactions and be toxic to pets, so I had to be extra cautious.

In the end, while essential oils are a nice non-toxic and biodegradable option, their inconsistent effectiveness, strong smell, stains and workload surrounding cleanups left me searching for a better bed bug solution.

Despite being inexpensive and readily available they proved ineffective, hazardous, and impractical.

Still on the hunt for a bed bug fix, I thought I’d give some home remedies a shot: alcohol, kerosene, and gasoline. These were next up on my list, and I was curious if these cheap and easy-to-get options would work.

First off, using alcohol, kerosene, and gasoline to kill bed bugs is super cheap and you can easily find them around the house. This makes them pretty handy when you suddenly find yourself with an infestation.

But that’s where the good news ends. The results were all over the place. Sure, they killed the bugs touched right away, but this meant soaking your apartment with these substances. These things are really dangerous. The constant worry about fires or explosions, especially with kids and pets around, was nerve-wracking.

On top of that, these remedies left behind strong smells and stains that were tough to clean up. The room stank like a workshop. Although I am quite resilient, I did start to think about possible skin irritations or even allergies, adding even more headaches to the mix. In the end it just felt too risky and impractical to use so I quickly stopped after some initial tests.

Non-toxic and eco-friendly way to tackle bed bugs, but messy, slow-acting, and tricky to apply.

So, I'm still on the hunt for to get rid of bed bugs, and I figured I'd give powdered desiccants a shot. I heard good things about them and was curious to see how they'd do in my place.

First off, these desiccants are pretty effective and non-toxic if you use them right. It felt good to try something chemical-free and eco-friendly. Plus, these powders keep working as long as they stay dry, which is a huge bonus. And the best part? Bed bugs can’t become immune to them, so that's a win.

But, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The biggest downside? The mess. This fine powder gets everywhere and can go airborne, which means it's a pain to clean up and might cause breathing issues if you inhale too much.

Another thing, they work slowly. Desiccants dehydrate bed bugs, but this process can take months because the bugs have to literally walk through the powder. If you’ve got a major infestation, this slow pace just doesn’t cut it. Plus, they don’t kill bed bug eggs and can’t reach into cracks and crevices where these pests love to hide.

It turned out to be more complicated than I expected. Using these desiccants means you have to be extra careful. You need to apply them properly and wear the right gear to avoid health risks, especially with certain grades.

And if you have pets or kids, it’s pretty much a no go, since you cannot let them near the powdered areas as otherwise they’ll sniff and lick this powder.

While it is effective and chemical-free, the high cost, need for professional help, and inconvenience make it less appealing. Your wallet will take a hit with this approach, especially in cases of reinfestations.

Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of my experience with heat treatment for bed bug removal. I heard great things about this method, mainly because it’s known to be super effective and doesn’t involve any nasty chemicals.

First off, the good stuff: heat treatment really works. Bed bugs can’t survive beyond a specific temperature so it’s a sure kill. Also, this matter leaves no chemical residue, which is fantastic if you're worried about that sort of thing. Plus, the idea of wiping out the bed bugs in just one go sounded awesome, especially if you’ve got a lot of clutter at home or need a quick fix.

But let’s talk about the not-so-great parts. Number one: the cost. Holy moly, heat treatment is pricey compared to other methods I've tried. Also, you need to get the temperature just right and keep it there for a while in all areas, which is no easy feat if you know a bit about how hot air behaves. So beyond worrying if all areas were sufficiently heated I was also concerned whether it would actually kill all the bugs, since some of the sneaky were hiding quite deep in cracks and hard-to-reach spots where hot air does not reach them.

Another bummer is that you have to leave your house for the treatment. Total inconvenience! This isn’t something you can DIY with a regular thermostat or space heater; you’ve got to call in the pros, which jacks up the price even more. And don’t forget, there's no lasting effect once the treatment is done. So if you’ve missed even one female she can reinfest your entire home and you’re back at the start.

Works well for frying bed bugs without chemicals, but it’s pricey, takes forever, and is quite limited.

I decided to give heat chambers a shot as well. I was feeling pretty hopeful because people say this method really works and, as an added bonus, it's non-toxic and leaves no nasty chemicals behind.

The biggest perk with heat chambers? They’re super effective at frying those bugs.

But, man, there were some downsides that really bugged me. First off, the cost for heat chamber treatments is all over the place, making it tough to budget. Plus, they’re not great for everything. Electronics and delicate fabrics? Forget about it, they can’t handle the heat.

The real kicker? Heat chambers are only good for small items. So, no luck using them on floors, mattresses, walls, or bigger stuff like carpets and furniture. That means they miss a lot of those sneaky bed bug hideouts in cracks and crevices.

And, let's talk about time. The whole process takes forever, and there's no lasting effect to keep future infestations at bay. You treat one item and put it back on its place, the bugs can reinfest it the same night.

While steam treatment has its perks, the time and effort involved, along with some hidden downsides left me searching for a better solution.

I'd heard good things about steam – it is supposed to be super effective and non-toxic, which is awesome because I wanted to avoid using strong chemicals as much as possible.

The good news? Steam treatment really works. You can use it on all sorts of surfaces, so it's pretty versatile for tackling different spots around the house. Plus, there's no chemical residue left behind, which is a big win. No need to stress about harming the family or pets, and it's not too hard on the wallet compared to some other options out there.

But, man, did I run into some issues that I could never foresee. For starters, the whole process took forever, and I had to go over areas multiple times to see any real results. Steam can’t reach inside walls or deep within furniture, so those sneaky bugs still had places to hide. And forget about using it on electronics or delicate fabrics—big no-no there unless you want to risk repairs or even replacements.

The steam sometimes made the bed bugs scatter, which just relocated the problem to somewhere else.

Plus, there's the risk of burns if you're not careful. One thing I would never expect is that after you treat your entire place the leftover moisture could potentially lead to mold. Exchanging one problem for another is not something that I’m looking for here.

To top it off, steam treatment doesn't leave any lasting protection so you need to keep repeating this time consuming process.

While cold treatments have an interesting angle, their shaky effectiveness, high costs, labor intensity, health hazards and steep learning curve left me to keep looking for better alternatives.

On my quest to find the best and permanent solution to bed bug problem I decided to give cold treatments a shot as well. In theory it sounded interesting, and I was pretty curious about how well it would work. I used dry ice and liquid CO2.

First off, the upside: cold treatments are indeed non-toxic, which means I felt safer using them around my family and pets. Plus, they come in handy when washing everything or using pesticides isn't an option. Definitely nice to have another tool in the arsenal against these little pests.

But honestly, my experience wasn't great as it had to many downsides. It is pretty pricey since you have to purchase the right material, then handle and store it correctly.

It also eats up a lot of time—not exactly ideal for my jam-packed schedule. Another bummer is that this kind of treatment doesn’t work on all materials or in every little nook and cranny. Keeping a consistent cold temperature is crucial to killing bed bugs, and that was a struggle. Plus, if you don’t get it right, the bed bugs can again just scatter as in the case of heat treatments.

And let's talk about the health risks—ice burns are no joke. This isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing; it takes some know-how and practice, which I found pretty challenging since you’re dealing with stuff that has really low temperatures.

Finally, once the treatment's done, there's no lasting effect.

While being cheap and safe, it's a hassle, doesn't work for big items, and might not even be that effective. You definitely need something more versatile and reliable if you want to get rid of bed bugs.

I decided to give the freezer method a shot since the cold ought to kill them. It's cheap, doesn't involve any nasty chemicals, and, let's face it, everyone’s got a freezer.

First off, the cost aspect is a big win. You can chuck small stuff like clothes, shoes, and toys in there without spending a dime. Plus, no chemicals mean it's safe for the kiddos and pets. Big thumbs up for that.

But here’s where things get tricky. I'm not totally convinced it works. Freezing for bed bug removal isn’t exactly backed by tons of research, so I kept wondering if it was really doing the job. (Remember – you’re trying to kill even those tiny eggs, not just the big live ones.)

You need to hit super low temps, at least 0°F (-19°C), and keep it there, which isn’t easy. And how long should stuff stay in the freezer? Some say three days, but who knows for sure?

Then there's the whole practicality thing. It takes forever, and let's be real, freezers aren't that big. Forget trying to freeze your mattress or furniture. And it doesn’t help with floors or walls either.

And once you take the stuff out of the freezer, there's no lasting protection. So, it’s a one-time hit, not a long-term fix.

While ditching infested items is a quick semi-win, it never gets rid of the bed bugs completely. And with the risk of spreading them and the cost of replacements or even risking lawsuits I just don’t recommend this path.

During my times of desperation I eventually resorted to getting rid of some of my items. I was hoping that this would speed up the process somehow.

On the upside, chucking out infested stuff is simple and fast. Plus, it's non-toxic, so no worrying about nasty chemicals around the family. If the infestation's really bad, tossing out the worst of it can instantly cut down the bed bug numbers in the house.

But man, were there some major downsides. For starters, just throwing things away doesn’t wipe out the infestation. These little pests hide in places you can’t just throw away, like walls, floors, and other furniture. So, even after getting rid of some items and seeing some decrease in bites, the pressure remained.

Another big issue? The risk of spreading the problem. Dumping infested stuff could easily move the bugs to neighbors or other parts of the building, which just makes everything worse. Besides becoming the hated person you even risk lawsuits in certain areas.

Plus, replacing all that discarded stuff? It’s not cheap. Suddenly, you're piling additional financial headaches to your bill atop of everything else.

Regular vacuuming can be a useful part of your bed bug battle plan, but don’t count on it to do all the heavy lifting. You’ll need to combine it with other, more hardcore methods to really get these pests under control.

In my ongoing mission to get rid of bed bugs I decided to give regular vacuuming a shot. It seemed like a no-brainer—simple, easy, and something I could easily work into my routine. Plus, no harsh chemicals? Sign me up!

First off, vacuuming gets points for being super straightforward and non-toxic. It’s a breeze to do, and it’s great for picking up visible bed bugs and debris, giving you some instant satisfaction.

But, and it’s a big but, vacuuming alone won’t wipe out a bed bug invasion. These little critters love to hide in the tiniest nooks and crannies that a vacuum just can’t reach. Plus, the whole thing depends on how powerful your vacuum is. Even with a beast of a vacuum, the bugs you suck up don’t die—they just chill in the vacuum and can escape if you’re not careful. That could mean spreading the problem even more!

And while vacuuming definitely helps cut down on the number of bugs you see, it doesn’t solve the root issue. Bed bugs can repopulate super quickly from their hidden spots, so vacuuming ends up being more of a band-aid than a cure.

Encasements are a handy tool in the bed bug battle, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle. Their simplicity and safety are awesome, but you’ll still need other treatments to really get rid of an infestation.

I decided to give encasements a shot as well. It sounded pretty straightforward, and I was curious to see how they'd fit into my overall plan to tackle bed bugs.

The best part? Encasements are non-toxic. No chemicals, which is great because I didn’t want to risk anything harmful around my family or pets. Plus, setting them up was a breeze—super quick and easy. Like putting on a big Ziplock. No mess, no weird smells, nothing left to clean up. That’s a win for someone as busy as me.

But here’s the catch: encasements aren’t a magic bullet. They trap the bed bugs inside, but those little pests can stay dormant for up to a year. So, they're not exactly gone. And encasements only cover the bed and its parts, leaving other hiding spots around the house untouched

Bed bug traps are great for keeping an eye on the situation and super easy to use, but they’re just part of the solution. To truly get rid of bed bugs, you need something else.

At one point I had so many new bites on me every night I thought I'd give these bed bug traps a shot. They seemed like a solid way to keep tabs on the little pests in my place.

First off, I loved that these traps are non-toxic, so they're totally safe for my family and pets. Plus, setting them up is a breeze—quick and easy under the leg, and you’re done. Another perk? No messy residue to clean up afterward. The traps did a good job of showing me just how bad the bed bug situation was, which was super helpful.

But, these traps aren't a solution to getting rid of bed bugs. They're really only effective in spots like beds and furniture with legs. Sure, they catch the bugs, but they don't kill them, so the problem remains.

First off, laundering and tumble drying are pretty solid. The heat kills both bed bugs and their eggs, and it’s a non-toxic fix. Plus, it's simple, quick, and cheap to do. I liked that it fit right into my routine without much hassle.

Yet, I quickly learned that it’s not a magic bullet. You can only use this method on small stuff or textiles, so it doesn’t help with bed bugs in furniture, gear, surfaces, or whole rooms. Also, you need to hit at least 120°F for it to work, which means you have to keep an eye on the temperature. And for some textiles this can be very destructive unless you’re using a special detergent.

While professional pest control services bring expertise and are good for serious infestations, the high cost and potential reinfestations call for a more affordable, convenient and reliable solution for an average individual.

After using one of these services I can attest to the following:

On the upside, these pros are great for really bad infestations. They save you time and bring in their know-how, which usually means faster results. They have access to a bunch of treatment methods that regular folks don’t, and their experience means less chance of messing up with tools, pesticides, or your home stuff.

But, there are some big downsides too. This route is super expensive and can add up fast, especially if you need multiple treatments. And there's often no guarantee it'll work, so you might spend a lot and still have bed bugs. Plus, you might have to leave your home during the process, which is a hassle. There's also a small risk of chemical exposure to people and pets, and a chance that their personnel will damage your home.