Home Remedies for Bed Bugs: What Works and What Wastes Your Time

Reading Time: 7 minutes

An Honest Starting Point

We sell mattresses, not pest control. But bed bugs and mattresses are linked in people's minds for good reason: your bed is where these pests feed. Over the years, enough customers have come through our Brantford showroom with bed bug concerns that we have learned what works, what does not, and when to stop trying home remedies and call a professional.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency puts it plainly: "Treating bed bugs is complex and can take weeks to months." Home remedies for bed bugs can work, but only specific ones, applied correctly, and usually as part of a larger plan. Let us separate the proven methods from the internet myths.

Home Remedies That Actually Work

Heat Treatment (The Most Reliable Home Method)

Bed bugs die at temperatures above 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit). Their eggs die at similar temperatures. Heat is the most reliable home remedy because bed bugs cannot develop resistance to it the way they can with chemical treatments.

How to apply heat at home:

• Dryer on high heat: Run clothing, bedding, pillows, and stuffed animals through a dryer on the highest setting for at least 30 minutes. This kills all life stages, including eggs.
• Steam cleaner: A steam cleaner producing steam at 55 degrees Celsius or higher can treat mattress seams, bed frames, baseboards, and upholstered furniture. Move slowly (2.5 cm per second) to ensure the heat penetrates.
• Black plastic bags in sun: In summer, sealing infested items in black garbage bags and leaving them in direct sunlight can reach lethal temperatures. This is unreliable in Canadian climates except during July and August heat waves, and internal bag temperature must be monitored.

Thorough Vacuuming

Vacuuming physically removes bed bugs, nymphs, and eggs from surfaces. It will not eliminate an infestation on its own, but it significantly reduces the population and makes other treatments more effective.

Vacuum every surface: mattress seams, box spring, bed frame joints, baseboards, carpet edges, nightstand drawers, and behind headboards. Use the crevice attachment to reach into seams and cracks. After vacuuming, seal the bag or empty the canister into a plastic bag, seal it, and dispose of it in an outdoor bin immediately.

Mattress and Box Spring Encasements

A bed bug encasement is a zippered cover that completely seals your mattress or box spring. Bugs inside cannot escape to feed and eventually die. Bugs outside cannot establish harbourage in the mattress seams.

Encasements must be rated specifically for bed bugs (the zipper must have a bite-proof closure). Standard mattress protectors do not count. Keep encasements on for at least 12 months, because bed bugs can survive up to a year without a blood meal under ideal conditions.

Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a fine powder made from fossilized diatoms. It damages the waxy outer layer of a bed bug's exoskeleton, causing dehydration and death over 7-17 days. Apply a thin, barely visible layer along baseboards, bed frame joints, and behind outlet covers.

The key word is thin. A heavy application causes bed bugs to avoid the area rather than walk through it. Texas A&M University's entomology department notes that DE "is usually used incorrectly by homeowners" and is less effective in real-world conditions than laboratory results suggest. It works best as a passive barrier alongside other methods, not as a standalone treatment.

Interceptor Traps

Interceptor traps are small dishes placed under bed legs. Bed bugs climbing up to feed fall into the smooth-sided trap and cannot climb out. Interceptors serve two purposes: they reduce the number of bugs reaching you at night, and they help you monitor whether your treatment is working.

The EPA provides instructions for making DIY interceptors from plastic containers. Commercial versions cost $15-30 for a set of four.

Home Remedies That Do Not Work

The internet is full of bed bug advice that sounds plausible but has no scientific backing. Wasting time on ineffective methods allows the infestation to grow.

The Ehrlich Pest Control research team tested several of these popular remedies and found that while some produce minor contact kills, none provided population-level control. In most cases, they caused bed bugs to disperse to neighbouring rooms, worsening the problem.

Protecting Your Mattress During and After Treatment

Your mattress is the most expensive item in the bed bug equation and often the first thing people want to throw out. Before you haul it to the curb:

1. Vacuum the mattress thoroughly, focusing on seams, tufts, and handles
2. Steam the entire surface if you have access to a steam cleaner
3. Install a bed bug encasement and keep it sealed for 12+ months
4. Place interceptor traps under each bed leg
5. Move the bed away from the wall (bed bugs cannot fly or jump, so they climb)

If your mattress is already past its useful life (7+ years, visible sagging, broken coils), replacing it makes sense anyway. But replace it only after the room is treated, otherwise the new mattress becomes infested too.

8 min read

When to Call a Professional

Home remedies for bed bugs have real limits. Call a licensed pest control operator if:

• You find bed bugs in more than one room
• You have been treating for 3-4 weeks without a noticeable reduction
• You live in a multi-unit building where bugs may be coming from adjacent units
• The infestation includes heavy accumulations of bugs, shed skins, and fecal spots
• Anyone in the household has severe allergic reactions to bites

Professional treatments in Ontario typically cost $300-800 per room for chemical treatment, or $1,500-3,000 for whole-home heat treatment. The investment is worth it for established infestations that home methods cannot resolve.

Preventing Bed Bugs in Ontario

• Inspect hotel rooms before unpacking (check mattress seams, headboard, and nightstand)
• Store luggage on hard surfaces, not carpet or beds, when travelling
• Wash and dry travel clothes on high heat immediately after returning home
• Inspect secondhand furniture, especially mattresses and upholstered items, before purchase
• Use a mattress protector to reduce harbourage sites on your mattress
• Reduce bedroom clutter to eliminate hiding spots near the bed

Sources

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control." EPA, 2024.
2. Kells, S.A. and Goblirsch, M.J. "Temperature and Time Requirements for Controlling Bed Bugs with the ZappBug Heater System." Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 104, no. 6, 2011, pp. 2061-2065.
3. Wang, C., et al. "Bed Bug Management Strategies Used by New Jersey Pest Management Professionals." Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 106, no. 6, 2013, pp. 2404-2409.
4. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. "Bed Bugs: Do-it-yourself Control Options." Insects in the City, 2024.
5. Ontario Ministry of Health. "Bed Bugs: Prevention and Management." Ontario.ca, 2023.