Tools and Materials
Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market.
Key Takeaways
- Bedbugs are small, oval-shaped insects that feed on blood and leave itchy bites.
- Signs of bedbugs include blood spots on bedclothes, dark spots on fabrics and insect casings.
- If you suspect a bedbug infestation, check mattress seams and piping, bed frames, furniture and baseboards.
- Controlling bedbugs requires a combination of methods, including high-heat washing and drying, vacuuming, sealing cracks and properly applying pesticides.
- Getting rid of bed bugs usually takes multiple treatments over several weeks, and severe infestations require a professional.
- You can help prevent bedbugs by inspecting your luggage after traveling and washing and drying your clothes with high heat immediately after unpacking.
- Follow use and safety instructions for the products you use, including instructions about safety gear.
What Are Bedbugs?
Bedbugs are small, oval-shaped insects that feed on blood. They're flat and reddish brown in color but after feeding, they swell and take on a deeper red color. Bedbug infestations often occur when people bring the insects into their home after being in a residence or hotel that has bedbugs.
Where to Look for Bedbugs
Waking up with itchy bites can be an indication of bedbugs, but close inspection is the best way to know if you have bedbugs. Check:
- Pillows and bedclothes
- Bed frames and headboards
- Mattress and box spring seams, tags and piping
- Nightstands and other furniture near the beds
- Baseboards
- Luggage
You should also check electrical outlets. At the breaker box, turn off power to the outlets, use a non-contact voltage tester to ensure the power is off, and then remove the outlet covers to check for bedbugs.
Signs of Bedbugs
As you inspect a room, look for:
- Bloodstains on sheets and pillowcases
- Small dark spots in bedclothes, curtains and other fabrics
- Shed insect casings
- Pinhead-sized pearly white eggs
Bed bug traps won’t combat an infestation, but they capture some of the insects and confirm the presence of the pests.
Bedbugs In Rental Properties
If you’re renting, report the problem to the property manager. They might be required to help. In an apartment, your neighbors need to follow a treatment plan as well.
In some cases, codes might require that a professional exterminator handle a bedbug infestation in an apartment. Be sure you’re aware of the codes in your area.
How to Get Rid of Bedbugs
Bedbugs can be difficult to get rid of. You might want to let a professional exterminator do the job, and a severe infestation is always a job for a pro. However, with the right treatment, you can rid your home of a minor bedbug problem. It can take several weeks or a couple of months, so if you decide to do it yourself, start the process immediately.
We’ve got steps to get rid of bed bugs below, but follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any products you use. Some items aren’t suitable for some cleaning methods, so check item care and product instructions.
Remember These Tips as You Work
- Treat all affected rooms and minimize movement into unaffected areas.
- Keep children and pets away.
- Wear eye protection, cleaning gloves and a respirator.
- After working in a room, bag your clothes and wash and dry them as we describe in Step 1 below.
- Use sealed plastic bags to move items or dispose of them outdoors.
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air filter) and avoid brush attachments to reduce the risk of spreading the bugs.
- Dispose of vacuum bags or empty canisters in a plastic bag and seal it.
- If you put items at the street for disposal, mark them to indicate the possible presence of bedbugs.
Step 1: Clean Items in the Room
Bag, seal and clean bedding, linens, curtains and clothing from the affected bedroom:
- Get rid of clutter.
- Launder machine-washable items in a hot cycle.
- Dry items that are heat- and tumble-dry-safe using high heat (at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit) and maintain heat for a minimum of 30 minutes after they’re fully dry.
- For items that aren’t machine-washable, run them in a high-heat dryer cycle as we describe above.
- Use a stationary dryer rack for items (like shoes, pillows, hats and stuffed toys) that aren’t suitable for tumble-drying.
Step 2: Clean the Bed
- Move your bed and furniture at least 6 inches from the wall to eliminate an access point.
- Use a stiff-bristle brush to scrub the seams, piping and label edges on the mattress and box spring.
- Vacuum your mattress, box spring, headboard and bed frame.
- Fully encase mattresses and box springs in covers labeled for bedbug protection and keep them in place for at least a year to starve any remaining bugs.
Step 3: Clean Furnishings and Seal Cracks
- Vacuum carpets as well as furniture upholstery, cushions and crevices.
- If you can remove and wash furniture coverings, wash and dry them with high heat.
- Use a steam cleaner that creates a surface temperature between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit to clean upholstery.
- Use silicone caulk to seal cracks around baseboards.
- Keep beds away from walls, bedding off the floor and place bedbug interceptors under all legs of the beds to monitor for remaining bedbugs.
- Keep clear of the steam to avoid burns.
- Don’t oversaturate surfaces with moisture.
- Apply steam slowly to help ensure the heat reaches the bugs.
Step 4: Apply Pesticides
Applying a suitable pesticide to baseboards and any cracks or crevices along walls can kill bedbugs. Active ingredients that can kill bedbugs include natural pyrethrins, synthetic pyrethroids and desiccants, such as diatomaceous earth (DE) labeled for use as a pesticide.
Some bedbugs are resistant to pyrethrins and pyrethroids. A product formulated with a combination of active ingredients might be more effective or you might need to try a desiccant instead. A combination of application methods might also be necessary. For example, a fogger won’t reach into cracks and crevices. You need a spray or powder to treat these areas.
- Only use pesticides labeled as effective on bedbugs.
- Don’t use a pesticide on a mattress, bedding or upholstery unless it’s labeled as safe for those surfaces.
- Apply a pesticide only as directed and follow all manufacturer’s safety, use, storage and disposal instructions.
- Wear safety gear, such as eye protection, cleaning gloves and a respirator, if specified on the label.
Step 5: Re-Treat, Monitor and, If Necessary, Call a Pro
Bed bug eggs usually hatch after six to 10 days, so re-treat after seven to 10 days. After three or four cycles of treatment:
- Check the interceptors for bedbugs every few days.
- Repeat the cleanup steps above if you find bed bugs.
- If you continue to detect bedbugs after several treatments, call a professional.
Common Bedbug Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t delay treating for bedbugs.
- Don’t use just one method to get rid of bedbugs.
- Don’t move items from an affected room before bagging or treating them.
- Don’t dispose of untreated mattresses, furniture or other items.
- Don’t stop treatment unless you see no evidence of bugs for four to six weeks.
- Don’t hesitate to call a professional if you’re not comfortable doing the work or you can’t eliminate the bugs.
How to Prevent Bedbugs
Care when traveling or hosting guests is key to preventing a new bedbug problem.
When Traveling
- Inspect the room as described above, as well as luggage racks and clothes racks.
- If you find evidence of bedbugs, let the management know and consider finding other accommodations.
- Keep your items off the floor and bed and away from the walls.
- Inspect items when you pack to leave.
After Returning Home From a Trip
- Consider unpacking in the garage.
- Inspect items as you unpack and seal them in bags for cleaning if necessary.
- Wash and dry clothes on high heat settings as soon as you unpack.
- Vacuum luggage thoroughly and consider storing it in a garage or a shed rather than in your living spaces.
After Guests Stay in Your Home
- Inspect the guest room and bedding.
- Vacuum thoroughly.
- Wash and dry the bedclothes with high heat.
Rest Easier by Getting Rid of Bedbugs
It can be challenging to rid a home of bedbugs, but with the right methods and products, you can eliminate small infestations yourself. From vacuums and scrub brushes to pesticides and safety gear, find what you need on Lowes.com. Talk to a Red Vest associate at your local Lowe’s for recommendations on the right products to kill bedbugs and the supplies you need to do the job right.
Getting Rid of Bedbugs: FAQ
The answers to these common questions can help you get rid of bed bugs, set realistic expectations and confirm when you’ve rid your home of the pests.
How Do You Get Rid of Bedbugs Fast?
There are bedbug pesticides that kill bedbugs, but getting rid of even a small infestation can take weeks or a couple of months. Hiring a professional exterminator is usually the best, fastest method. If you choose to do the work yourself, high-heat washing and drying, vacuuming, using pesticides correctly and taking care to avoid spreading the bugs make the process quicker, but you need to repeat the steps several times to get rid of the pests.
How Do You Get Rid of Bedbugs Permanently?
There’s no foolproof way to get rid of bedbugs permanently, but once you’ve eliminated the bugs with high-heat washing and drying, vacuuming and using pesticides correctly, you can reduce the likelihood of bedbugs returning by:
- Inspecting hotel rooms for bedbugs and keeping your belongings off hotel room floors when you travel.
- Checking luggage for bed bugs and washing and drying clothes on high heat when you return.
For the best protection against bedbugs, hire a professional exterminator.
How Do I Know Bedbugs Are Gone?
It can take several weeks to confirm the bedbugs are gone, but here are some good indicators you’ve solved the problem:
- No new bites over the course of a month or two
- No bedbugs or eggs in mattress seams, baseboard crevices, the bed frame or furniture
- No new blood spots on sheets, dark spots on fabrics or bedbug casings
Bed bug interceptors and traps, while not effective at killing large numbers of bugs, can help you check for their presence.