From the Research
The most effective treatment for bedbugs involves a comprehensive approach combining professional pest control services and self-management strategies, prioritizing the use of insecticides like pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, or desiccants, as well as nonchemical interventions such as washing and drying bedding, vacuuming, and using mattress encasements, as recommended by the most recent study 1. To treat bedbugs, it is essential to start by contacting a licensed pest control professional who can apply appropriate insecticides to affected areas. While awaiting professional help, several self-management strategies can be employed:
- Wash all bedding, clothing, and fabric items in hot water (at least 120°F) and dry them on the highest heat setting for at least 30 minutes to kill bedbugs and their eggs.
- Vacuum thoroughly, focusing on mattress seams, bed frames, baseboards, and furniture crevices, then immediately dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed plastic bag.
- Consider using mattress and box spring encasements specifically designed to trap bedbugs inside where they will eventually die.
- Steam cleaning can effectively kill bedbugs on contact when applied to mattresses, furniture, and cracks in walls or floors.
- Diatomaceous earth, a natural powder, can be applied to cracks and crevices as it damages bedbugs' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate, as supported by studies 2, 3. Complete eradication typically requires multiple treatments over several weeks, as bedbugs are resilient and their eggs are resistant to many treatments. Persistence is essential, as missing even a few bugs or eggs can lead to reinfestation. It is also important to note that boric acid, while effective as an ingestible bait formulation, is not effective as a residual contact insecticide against bedbugs, as shown in a study 4. Additionally, horizontal transfer of diatomaceous earth and botanical insecticides can occur in bedbugs, facilitating the spread of insecticide into hard-to-reach spaces, as demonstrated in a study 5.