The best thing to kill bed bugs is to go against them with full force. You’ll need a variety of weapons for the attack. And by weapons we mean speicifc products that you’ll be using. Having just one or two of them will give you a good head start. But bed bugs are sneaky and tough, so you want to be sure to do the job well. So prepare to gather these tools by your side. With care and a bit of patience, you can avoid paying thousands for pest control.
Chances are, if you’re looking to kill bed bugs, you might have some bites on your body also. Here’s our in depth guide on bed bug bites and what are the best remedies for this.
Steam Cleaner for Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are fond of heat but only to a certain extent. They cannot stand heat above 130°F (55°C). This is why a steamer is the perfect tool for getting rid of bed bugs in a natural way. You won’t have to use any chemicals, yay! If you had just one option to go with, this would really be the best thing to kill bed bugs. The steam can access places that are otherwise out of your reach. Such as the inside of your mattress and all the crevices of the bed that are hard to notice. As a bonus, the steamer not only kills the nymph or adult bed bugs, it also gets rid of the eggs.
Be careful though, as the steam is hot. When used without proper caution, it can cause serious burns. Always turn to the product guide for more information on how to handle it.
PureClean Steam Cleaner – Affordable And Effective
This Pure Enrichment steamer is one of the best ones, thanks to the large number of brushes it comes with. It can be hard to reach certain areas, but the numerous brushes help you get to all the nooks and crannies. The steamer heats up to 208°F (97°C) and can produce steam for 45 minutes in a row. You may have to use it on the bed a few times, before getting rid of all the bed bugs. But after each steam session you should see less bed bugs creeping around. With a little bit of patience and steam, you’ll be rid of them soon!
From $140
Vapamore MR-100 – Clean Like A Pro
Vapamore’s MR-100 Promo Steam Cleaner is for those who can spear a bit more and are looking for a professional-grade solution. This powerful tool has a 1.6 litre water tank that puts out steam at 220°F (104°C) for 60 minutes continuously. Bed bugs don’t like heat above 130°F (55°C), so this steamer has got you covered! The steamer is purely water based, no harmfull chemicals. Or harmless, for that matter. With a retractable chord and 20+ attachments and extensions, you can be sure to reach every part of your bed. This steam cleaner is perfect if you want to kill bed bugs. It’s also amazing for cleaning up other things, such as upcolstery, car, floors, and more.
From $349
Bed Bug Sprays
There are a lot of sprays that promise to get rid of bed bugs quickly. Sadly most of them are not doing the job. The ones you’ll find below will help you fight the pesky little demons.
Before you go spraying your bed, the whole bedroom, and possibly other rooms, take a moment to prepare. If you go straight into spray-mode, the bugs will start scattering around, trying to flee from their demise. Luckily they’re quite slow and lazy. But it’s not worth making them move their colony around in your house. You want to get rid of them, not just replace them. Make sure that before spraying, you know exactly where these pesky buggers are hiding, so you can target all the right places.
EcoVenger Non-Toxic Plant Based Spray
Ecovenger’s bed bug spray is one of the best ones out there. It’s natural, without toxins. So it’s great for sensitive envorinments and is also child and pet friendly. It’s excellent at killing bed bugs in all stages of their life cycle, be it eggs, nymphs or adult bugs. The product does have a quite strong. That’s why we suggest putting on a reusable respirator. This spray kills the bed bugs on contact. After you spray the bug, it will take a few seconds for it to die. The spray also leaves a protective coat for up to two weeks after you spray, for extended protection.
This 16 oz spray bottle is a good start, but if the bed bugs have built a bigger colony, you probably also want to get the gallon size jug. Ecovenger also has a gallon size remote sprayer to get into areas that are more difficult to access.
From $19
Ortho Max Bed Bug Killer
As with any spray, the first step is to detect where the little demons are hiding. Once you have figured that out, using this Ortho spray is another great way to clear your home from bed bugs. The aerosol kills by contact, so if you spray it straight onto a bug, they don’t stand a chance. In fact, the spray has a long-lasting effect, killing bed bugs for up to 16 weeks after you spray. There are some chemical ingredients in this one, which make it so effective at getting rid of bed bugs. And also fleas and ticks. So be sure to put on a reusable respirator!
Ortho also sells a Bed bug bundle, which includes bed bug traps, 1 gallon of this powerful spray, as well as a killer powder to finish off the job.
Spray from $12
Protect your Mattress and Box Spring
Bed bugs usually hide in the box spring, the mattress, and the bed frame. So one of the essential steps in getting rid of bed bugs is to protect the most vulnerable place – your bed. Beds are very expensive to replace. The frame, maybe you have a box spring, the mattress, perhaps you’re using a mattress topper. And of course you want to protect yourself on top of all that!
Zippered encasements are used for both the mattress and box spring. How exactly do they work? They act as a protective layer around the box spring and/or mattress. That’s why they are also called mattress or box spring protectors. Make sure to check that the zipper is a small one. Bed bugs can be super tiny and if the zipper teeth are large or the zipper is loose, the bugs will simply crawl out and spread out into your home.
If you have a hunch that your bed is infested with bed bugs, or worse, if you’re sure that’s the case, you definitely need a zippered encasement. You should leave it on for 18 months. Some say 12-16 is enough, but to be honest, you just don’t want to risk it… So if there’s no other reason to take the protector off sooner, leave it on for about a hyear and a half. This will ensure that the bed bugs get trapped on the inside and since they will not be able to feed, they will die.
Best Mattress Encasement for Protection from Bed Bugs
The Hospitology mattress protector is the one to go for. They offer various sizes, from twin to cal king. And they also offer different options for mattress depth: the ultra low for 6″-8″ deep mattresses, the low for 9″-11″ deep mattresses and the standard one for 12″-18″ deep mattresses. The polyester fabric is soft and stretches enough to cover the small depth ranges. But it’s still tight around the mattress, not overly big or saggy.
It’s also easy to to put on. The zipper opens smoothly and it will take just a few minutes to put it over the mattress. It’s easier with 2 people, but you can probably also do it alone. There’s an additional, super nice touch that Hospitology has added to their zipper. It’s their zipper lock system, which makes sure the zipper stays locked. And all that’s inside the protector, stays inside the protector.
From $33
Hospitology Box Spring Protector
Just like the mattress protector above, this box spring protector does an amazing job in fighting bed bugs. With the variety in size and depth, you’ll find the right one for you. It’s very easy to instal the protector and it’s easy to wash it. This soft polyester encasement has a slight silky touch to it and it stretches enough to cover your box spring. It’s a must if bed bugs have attacked your bed and want to properly get rid of them.
From €25
Pillow Encasements for Bed Bugs
Once you have gotten protectors for your mattress and box spring, don’t forget your pillow. Pillows are another hiding place for bed bugs. The best way to make sure yours are not filled with unwanted insects is to get a pillow encasement. It’s function is similar to the mattress encasement. The best pillow encasements are zippered, to make sure that none of the bed bugs can sneak out. This ensures that the bed bugs will not able to feed and will die out.
Most Effective Pillow Protector Against Bed Bugs
Our favorite pillow protector is this one from SureGuard. Or in fact, we should say, our favorite two pillow protectors, because you’ll get a pair of them. The protectors are made from cotton, feel soft to the touch and are noiseless when you move around during the night. The fine zipper keeps bed bugs from getting out of the encasement, which is exactly what you want!
From $30
Glue Traps for Bed Bugs
This is a neat trick to protect your bed frame or couch. If the unwanted intruders are hiding in the walls or other pieces of furniture, they’ll want to make their way to your bed for their nocturnal feast. You can stop them by placing glue traps under and around your bed legs. If you sometimes use your couch for sleeping, be sure to protect that as well!
Glue traps come in different shapes and sizes, but they have at least one thing in common – a strong glue. The glue is usually strong enough to even catch a mouse or even a snake. And it’s great for catching and killing bed bugs that are trying to cross over to places where they are definitely not welcome.
Effective Trapper with Glue and Light
This insect trapper is like a one man orchestra. Although it’s marketed more as a flea trap, it is excellent at getting rid of bed bugs too. And also other insects, like moths, mosquitoes, cockroaches. You can place the trap in any room, as long as there is a plug nearby. For getting rid of bed bugs, you should first identify where they are hiding and place the trap in that spot.
Here’s how this amazing insect trapper works. The heat, color, light, and sweet odor of the trap is effective at attracting insects and once they enter the trap, they will get stuck on the strong adhesive glue. It’s quite easy to assemble the trap, as the instructions are clear. And maybe the greatest thing about this trap is that it’s non-toxic, so it’s safe to have around kids and pets.
The whole pack includes 2 traps, 4 lightbulbs and 4 glue discs. If you place this trap in the right place, it will help you catch a lot of bed bugs. Which means you might need more glue discs. Not to worry, you can order more of the amazing glue discs here.
From $27
Best Performance Glue Traps for Bed Bugs
You probaby wouldn’t guess, but these glue traps have a specific scent to attract bed bugs and other insects. It’s peanut butter scent! The traps work very effectively, thanks to the non-toxic super adhesive glue patches. The glue patch is 4.5″ x 6.5″, and the cardboard underneath is slightly bigger. You can use the trap either as a flat trap, or you can also fold it, in case that works better.
The pack includes 72 traps and they are super easy to use. You just remove the cover, fold the trap if you need to and then place it where the bed bugs have assembled. Be prepared though… Even if you use these glue traps for bed bugs, you might be surprised at how many other insects are roaming around in your home unnoticed.
From $37
Perforated Glue Traps
These Bell glue traps are very similar to the previous one. They also have non-toxic glue that is extremely adhesive. So you will get an effective weapon to fight against bed bugs. However, there are some slight differences. This trap does not include any scent and it attaches slightly differently. You can fold it to create a triangle shaped trap. We also really like the fact that you can make the trap smaller, because it’s perforated. Once you buy it, you will get 30 traps that measure 7″ x 3 1/2″. And if you want to, you can separate each of them into 3 smaller traps.
From $23