This document is not final and is subject to change.
When dealing with bed bugs, some may think “desperate times call for desperate measures.” There is no doubt that dealing with bed bugs can cause physical discomfort, anxiety, stress, depression, isolation, financial burdens, and other personal and relationship problems. But dealing with bed bugs in an inappropriate way can actually be more harmful to you, your family, and your property. It is not worth these risks. Chronic and acute exposure to some pesticides can have long-term impacts on human health. The careless use of rubbing alcohol, gasoline, and total release foggers has caused fires and explosions. Even pesticides, like total release foggers, can cause bed bugs to spread further.
While misinformation on the Internet about techniques that “work” for bed bug control can be dangerous, so too can certain techniques that require special training and should therefore only be attempted by the professional pest management industry. For a quick reference, our colleagues at Rutgers University have created a concise, informative document that lists and describes the effective and ineffective techniques for managing bed bugs:
Wang, C & R Cooper. 2015. Cost-Effective and Money-Wasting Bed Bug Control Methods. Rutgers University, Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet 1251. 4pp.
URL: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/fs1251/
Some techniques that are illegal, ineffective, or unsafe for use by untrained individuals against bed bugs include:
- Bug Bombs (Total Release Foggers): These have been proven ineffective against bed bugs. (Source)
- Dry Ice: Solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) should not be used to control bed bugs. This use is not registered by the EPA and has not been evaluated for safety or efficacy. Dry ice can cause serious burns and, when used in enclosed spaces, has caused asphyxia (suffocation). Source
- “Fumigation” with Pest Strips: The CDC has reported cases of acute illness related to improper use of dichlorvos pest strips, including label violations such as use in areas occupied for more than 4 hours per day. Source
- Ultrasonic Devices: These are not effective against bed bugs or any other insects.
- Herbal Sprays, Rubbing Alcohol, and Most Over-the-Counter Products: These are not known to be effective unless directly applied to a visible bug – but why not just squish it?
- Ozone: Suggested as a technique to kill bed bugs, but field evaluations by pest professionals have failed to demonstrate any measurable control on bed bug infestations. Ozone may also be dangerous to use in homes.
- Microwaving Items: This method has not been shown to work and may be dangerous if items have metal components. A microwave can also melt items or set them on fire. Do not treat your belongings in a microwave oven.
References for Isolation:
- Cooper, R, C. Wang & N Singh. 2015. Mark-release-recapture reveals extensive movement of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) within and between apartments. PLoS ONE 10(9): e0136462
- Doggett, SL, MJ Geary & RC Russell. 2006. Encasing mattresses in black plastic will not provide thermal control of bed bugs, Cimex spp. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Journal of Economic Entomology 99(6): 2132-2135.
- Singh, N, C Wang & R Cooper. 2015. Vision and mechanoreception in bed bug, Cimex lectularius L. behavior. PLoS ONE 10(3): e0118855.
- Wang, C, N Singh, C Zha, & R Cooper. 2016. Bed bugs: prevalence in low-income communities, resident’s reactions, and implementation of a low-cost inspection protocol. Journal of Medical Entomology 53: 639–646.
Updated 6/26/2025