Bed Bugs: How to Confirm, Treat and Prevent an Infestation

You woke up with itchy welts, or you found a small brown bug on the sheets, and now you are wondering if you have bed bugs. Take a breath. Bed bugs are a nuisance, not a sign of a dirty home, and they can be gotten rid of. This guide helps you confirm what you have, start the right steps, avoid the mistakes that make things worse and decide when to bring in a professional.

How to identify bed bugs

Bed bugs are small, wingless insects that feed on blood, mostly at night. They walk; they cannot fly or jump.

• Adults: about 3/16 inch long, flat, oval and reddish brown, roughly the color and shape of an apple seed.
• Nymphs (young): smaller, from about 1/20 inch, and pale yellowish white. Unfed nymphs are hard to see. They darken and grow through five stages, and each stage needs a blood meal.
• Eggs: tiny, white and about 1/20 inch long, often laid in clusters on rough surfaces near where people sleep.

Bed bug look-alikes

Several common insects get mistaken for bed bugs. Catch one on clear tape or in a sealed bag so an expert can check it.

Confirm before you treat

Do not start spraying because of bites alone. Bed bug bites look like mosquito and flea bites, show up anywhere from a day to two weeks later, and some people do not react at all. Other pests and skin conditions cause similar welts.

To confirm, look for physical evidence: live bugs, shed skins, eggs, small dark fecal spots on mattress seams or rusty blood smears on sheets. A local cooperative extension office or a pest control professional can identify a sample. Our guide to the signs of bed bugs walks you through a full inspection, room by room.

Health effects

Bed bugs are not known to spread disease to people, according to the CDC. Their bites are usually painless, because their saliva contains a numbing agent. The effects people do report:

• Itching and welts. Reactions range from nothing to small red bumps to larger itchy swellings. Severe allergic reactions are rare.
• Skin infections. Scratching can break the skin and lead to infection. Anti-itch creams and antihistamines can help; ask a pharmacist or doctor.
• Lost sleep and stress. Anxiety and insomnia are common, and living with an infestation can wear on you. That is worth taking seriously.

How to get rid of bed bugs: what you can do now

These non-chemical steps help whether you treat yourself or hire a professional. Many companies ask you to do some of them before they arrive.

1. Keep notes. Write down where and when you find bugs. It helps you, your landlord and any professional track progress.
2. Launder in heat. Wash bedding and clothing in hot water (at least 120°F), then dry on the hottest setting the fabric allows for at least 20 minutes. Carry items to the laundry in sealed plastic bags.
3. Vacuum often. Use a crevice tool along mattress seams, the bed frame, baseboards and carpet edges. Seal the vacuum bag or contents in plastic and put it in an outdoor trash can right away. Vacuuming removes some bugs, not all.
4. Encase the mattress and box spring. Covers made for bed bugs trap any bugs inside until they die and leave fewer places to hide. They do not stop bugs outside the cover from biting, so pair them with the other steps.
5. Use interceptors. Put interceptor cups under each bed leg, pull the bed a few inches from the wall and keep sheets and blankets off the floor. Bugs climbing up get caught, which helps you see whether the problem is shrinking.
6. Cut the clutter. Clutter gives bed bugs places to hide, especially under and around the bed. Bag items you can treat, and keep untreatable items sealed.
7. Seal hiding spots. Caulk cracks and crevices in bed frames, baseboards and walls near the bed.

Do not haul furniture out to the curb or into other rooms without bagging it. Moving infested items spreads bugs through your home and to your neighbors. If you throw out a mattress, wrap it and mark it as infested.

Why foggers and bug bombs do not work

Total-release foggers, also called bug bombs, are a common first move and a poor one. The mist settles on open surfaces, but bed bugs hide deep in seams, cracks and crevices that the fog does not reach. EPA says foggers should never be your only method, and extension specialists consider them ineffective against bed bugs. They can also start fires and cause other harm.

Also skip bleach, rubbing alcohol and open flames. If you do use a pesticide, choose only an EPA-registered product that lists bed bugs on the label, and read and follow the label. The bed bug treatment options guide explains which products to avoid, including outdoor pesticides. Our page on using pesticides safely has more.

Apartments, condos and shared housing

If you rent, tell your landlord or property manager as soon as you confirm bed bugs. Bed bugs can travel between units, so neighboring units should be inspected too. Landlords may have a responsibility to take part in treatment, and local housing codes may apply. Treatment works best when every household involved cooperates with preparation and follow-up.

Prevent bed bugs when you travel

Bed bugs show up in clean homes and five-star hotels alike. They hitchhike in luggage, clothing and bags.

• Check the bed first. Before you unpack, pull back the sheets and look at mattress seams and the back of the headboard, especially near the pillows.
• Keep luggage off the bed and floor. Use a luggage rack or table and keep the suitcase zipped.
• Wash and dry clothes on high heat when you get home if you think you were exposed.
• Leave curbside mattresses and couches alone. Discarded furniture is a common way bed bugs get into homes.

When to call a professional

Many infestations need a professional with bed bug experience. Call one if:

• You have confirmed bed bugs in more than one spot, or they keep coming back after your own efforts.
• You live in an apartment or other shared building.
• You cannot reduce clutter or handle preparation on your own.
• You want whole-room heat treatment, which requires special equipment.

Professionals have access to equipment and products that homeowners do not, and they usually return for follow-up visits to confirm the bugs are gone. Our guide to bed bug treatment options compares heat, steam, insecticides and other methods, and covers how to prepare and what to ask a provider. For help vetting companies, see choosing a pest control company.

Bed bug questions

Do bed bugs mean my home is dirty? No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not crumbs or trash. Clutter makes them harder to find and treat, but cleanliness does not keep them out.

Can I just sleep on the couch? It rarely helps. Sofas can turn into a new hiding spot when people sleep on them, and bed bugs can crawl from room to room. Treat the problem where it is.

How long do I need to keep checking? Keep checking for at least a year after treatment. Interceptors make this easy.