Avoid DIY foggers and bug bombs for bed bugs

What to Do

Do not use foggers (bug bombs), total-release aerosols, or over-the-counter bed bug sprays as your primary treatment. These products are largely ineffective against bed bugs and can make the problem significantly worse.

Why It Works

Bed bugs are resistant to many common pesticides, and foggers only treat exposed surfaces — they cannot reach the deep cracks, wall voids, mattress seams, and furniture joints where bed bugs actually hide. Worse, foggers scatter bed bugs into adjacent rooms and walls, spreading the infestation to areas that were previously unaffected. The EPA and university extension services explicitly warn against their use.

Tips

• Fogger misuse has caused house fires and explosions from gas pilot lights and improper deployment
• DIY sprays create a false sense of security while the infestation grows
• The money spent on foggers ($40-60, often repeated) is better applied toward professional treatment
• Effective DIY actions: encasements, interceptors, laundering, and vacuuming