Do Bed Bug Bombs Work?

Bed bugs are one of the worst pests to find in your home. They’re universally reviled because they feed on human blood. That means these pests will bite you and your family any chance they get – usually at night, while you’re asleep in your bed.

Part of what makes bed bugs so feared is that they are very hard to get rid of. Usually only coming out at night, these insects are very good at staying hidden. Their extremely high reproductive rate means that a single female bed bug can restart an infestation all by herself.

The trick to getting rid of bedbugs is making sure you kill all of them. It’s no wonder why “bed bug bombs” sound like such an appealing option. Certainly, a “bomb” will wipe out an entire infestation, right?

Unfortunately, wiping out bed bugs isn’t so simple, and bed bug bombs aren’t so effective. Let’s get more into the details.

What Are Bed Bug Bombs?

The idea behind bed bug bombs isn’t complicated. Usually, these products are aerosol cans that contain a pesticide. Activating the can sprays the pesticide up into the air in a fine mist or fog.

Once the fog is released, it drifts into the air and slowly sinks to the floor. This means that a bed bug bomb can cover a wide area in pesticide with minimal effort.

How Bed Bug Bombs Work

It’s important when using DIY bed bug bombs to vacate the area immediately after activating the cans. Even if you have protective gear, you don’t want to be in an enclosed room when a cloud of pesticide is released.

You will also need to stay out of the house for the period recommended by the manufacturer — often around six hours.

Bed bug bombs are indiscriminate. When you activate one in a room, everything in that room is going to get covered in pesticides. That includes furniture, beds, couches, kitchen surfaces, floors, and just about everything else.

It’s important to remember that you’ll need to prep properly when considering a fogger. All people and pets must be out of the house when the treatment is performed. You may also need to cover any electronics to make sure the mist doesn’t get inside and interfere with the circuitry.

After the fog has cleared, it’s a good idea to wipe down kitchen surfaces carefully to make sure you remove any pesticide residue.

How Are Bed Bug Bombs Used To Treat Bed Bugs?

Bed bug bombs can start treating an entire room in a matter of minutes. That’s part of what makes them so attractive to the average homeowner trying to clear their home of a bed bug infestation.

The idea is that you cover all surfaces in a room with pesticides, and that will kill all of the bed bugs, and eventually, you’ll be free of your infestation. However, because bedbugs often hide in hard-to-reach places, a bed bug fogger often isn’t ideal as the active ingredients may never reach them.

Reasons Why You Should NOT Use a Bed Bug Bomb

Filling your home with a cloud of pesticide might sound like a surefire way to kill any bugs living inside it, but the reality is bed bug foggers aren’t very effective. There are a couple of issues with bed bug bombs that keep them from being the best tool to use to clear a bed bug infestation.

1. The Pesticides Used Are Weak and Pesticide-resistant

Bed bug bombs typically use synthetic pyrethroids such as permethrin. Permethrin has been widely used around the world to kill bedbugs and other insects for decades. As a result of this widespread use, many strains of bed bugs have developed an immunity to this pesticide.

This resistance is made even worse because foggers typically contain a fairly low concentration of pesticide. That’s because it’s not safe to release a cloud of very potent pesticides in your home. The result is a pest control product that may kill some insects but not bed bugs.

In fact, in this study from 2012, bedbugs collected in the field showed almost no reaction to permethrin-based bed bug bombs. The only bugs that were killed were the ones that were out in the open when the fog was activated. Even a thin layer of cloth was enough to protect the bedbugs.

2. Bed Bugs Spend Most of Their Time Hidden

This study also shows the other issue with bed bug bombs. If the bugs are hidden, the pesticide has a tough time reaching them. When not actively feeding, bedbugs tend to stay in what’s known as harborages.

These are dark, out-of-the-way crannies where they can mate, lay their eggs, and shed their skins without fear of being killed. Typically seams of mattresses, under baseboards, inside your box spring, behind your bed frame, in cracks of furniture, under carpet, behind outlet covers, etc.

Bed bug bombs can kill bedbugs that happen to be out in the open when the fog is released. This will always be a very small proportion of the bed bug population. Most of the bedbugs — and, crucially, the eggs — will be in hiding spots where the fogger is unlikely to reach them.

Remember that bed bug bombs release the pesticide into the air, and it simply falls to whatever surface is beneath it. They can’t be aimed at specific areas such as baseboards, cracks in furniture, and other hiding places.

3. Stronger Bed Bug Sprays Are Actually Safer

It’s both more effective and safer to directly spray pesticide at the areas where bedbugs are hiding rather than apply it to places the bedbugs aren’t going to be, such as kitchen countertops or the middle of a tiled floor. When this is pointed out, it’s obvious why no one should use a bed bug bomb.

There are also some secondary safety issues with bed bug bombs that you should be aware of. Often, the chemicals inside the can are flammable. You may need to turn off pilot lights and any potential sources of ignition before spraying.

Also, bed bug bombs have a greater risk of accidental exposure than conventional sprays. Since they cover all surfaces in a fine, invisible mist of pesticide, it’s easy to forget to clean an area after treatment and come into contact with the pesticide.

Most cases of pesticide poisoning are a result of absorption through the skin. This is far more likely with a bed bug bomb than it is with a conventional spray.

4. Bombs Can Make Bed Bugs Burrow Deeply

Yet another problem with bed bug bombs is the risk of making the problem worse. Bedbugs aren’t exactly smart, but they do know to hide when a toxic pesticide starts to creep in. Bed bug bombs can cause bedbugs to hide more deeply in their harborages. This can make them even harder to find and eradicate.

If you live in an apartment, this is especially bad. Fogging your apartment can cause the bedbugs to scatter and find their way into your neighbor’s units. From there, they can easily recolonize your apartment when the fog wears off.

What Are Bed Bug Bomb Alternatives?

Bed bug sprays are very much preferable to a bed bug bomb. By targeting specific areas where bedbugs are hiding, you can reduce your pesticide usage while still performing a more effective treatment.

Bed bug sprays use higher concentrations of chemicals to kill bedbugs, so you’re not going to waste your time on something that can’t even take care of the problem.

As well as spraying for bedbugs, you can use good habits such as regularly washing your clothes and drying them on high heat. Bed bug steamers are also an effective way to kill bed bugs with heat.

When treating your home for bed bugs, the best option is to combine multiple methods of treatment to make sure you target these pests effectively. Unfortunately, bed bug bombs aren’t part of this strategy. This is one bug-killing technique that is better left on the shelf.

Are There Safe Bed Bug Bombs?

While some bed bug bombs may claim to be safe for use in homes, the reality is that these products are not a reliable or safe option for bed bug control.

The pesticides used in bed bug bombs are usually weak and won’t effectively kill bed bugs, especially those that are hidden in cracks and crevices.

Furthermore, the indiscriminate nature of foggers means that the pesticide goes on everything in the room, which contaminates surfaces and could pose health risks to humans and pets.

When To Call Pest Control For Bed Bugs

If you’re home has signs of a bed bug infestation, it’s best to call a professional pest control company as soon as possible.

Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to remove, and attempting to tackle the problem on your own can often make the situation worse.

A trained pest control technician will be able to accurately identify the extent of the infestation and develop a customized treatment plan using proven methods such as targeted insecticide applications, heat treatments, and monitoring.

Final Thoughts

Bed bug bombs may seem like a quick and easy solution to a bed bug infestation, but the reality is that they are ineffective and can potentially worsen the problem.

Bed bugs are resilient critters that need a targeted, professional approach to eliminate them successfully. I strongly advise against relying on bed bug bombs and instead recommend seeking the assistance of a qualified pest control company or exterminator to help you reclaim your home from these persistent pests.