Can I get rid of bed bugs myself, or do I need an exterminator?

You can handle a small, early infestation yourself with heat, laundering, encasements, vacuuming, and diligence, and the EPA supports an integrated approach that combines these non-chemical methods. But bed bugs are notoriously hard to eradicate because they hide in tiny cracks and their eggs resist many treatments, so a widespread or persistent infestation usually needs a professional. If you still see bugs after two or three weeks of thorough DIY effort, or the infestation is in multiple rooms, call a licensed pest control professional.

What temperature kills bed bugs?

Bed bugs and their eggs die at sustained temperatures of about 118 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why laundering on hot and drying on high heat works. Research from the University of Minnesota Extension notes that all life stages, including eggs, are killed at 118 F with enough exposure time. A household dryer on high for 30 minutes reaches this. Cold also works but is slower: items must stay at 0 F for about four days in a freezer to be reliably killed.

How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs?

Even with professional treatment, eliminating bed bugs typically takes several weeks and often two or three treatment visits spaced about two weeks apart, because eggs hatch after the first treatment and need a follow-up. DIY efforts take at least as long and require ongoing monitoring for six to eight weeks to confirm success. There is no overnight fix; the eggs are the reason, since they resist many treatments and hatch into new bugs after the adults are killed.

Do bed bugs live only in the bed?

No, and this is why they are hard to eliminate. Bed bugs hide within about 5 to 20 feet of where people sleep, in mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, headboards, baseboards, electrical outlets, furniture joints, behind picture frames, and in cracks in the wall. Treating only the mattress leaves the population intact elsewhere to reinfest it. Effective control means inspecting and treating the whole room, which is a major reason professional treatment often succeeds where mattress-only DIY fails.

Should I throw away my mattress if it has bed bugs?

Usually no. Throwing out a mattress rarely solves the problem because bugs are also hiding elsewhere in the room, and moving an infested mattress out can spread bugs through the home. A better approach is to encase the mattress and box spring in a certified bed-bug-proof encasement, which traps any bugs inside to die and prevents new ones from getting in. If you do discard a mattress, wrap it in plastic first and mark it as infested so no one else takes it.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs: A Step-by-Step Plan That Works

Written & researched by Derek Holt Home & Appliances Editor

Updated February 2026

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To get rid of bed bugs, use an integrated plan rather than one product: confirm the infestation, launder and heat-dry all fabrics at high heat (118 F kills bugs and eggs), encase the mattress and box spring in a certified bed-bug-proof cover, vacuum seams and cracks thoroughly and dispose of the bag outside, seal hiding spots, and monitor for six to eight weeks. Expect it to take several weeks and repeated effort, because the eggs hatch after the first pass. A widespread infestation needs a licensed professional.

Bed bugs are one of the hardest household pests to eliminate, and the reason is not that they are tough to kill on contact; it is that they hide in dozens of tiny cracks within 20 feet of the bed and their eggs survive many treatments. The EPA recommends an integrated pest management approach that combines several methods at once. Doing one thing thoroughly and skipping the rest is why so many DIY attempts fail. Here is the full plan.

Step 1: Confirm it is actually bed bugs

Before you tear the room apart, confirm the diagnosis. Bites alone are not proof, since many things bite. Look for:

Live bugs — apple-seed-sized, flat, reddish-brown adults in mattress seams and crevices.
Dark spots — pepper-like fecal stains on sheets, the mattress, or the box spring.
Shed skins and eggs — pale cast skins and tiny white eggs in seams and cracks.
Rusty smears on bedding from crushed bugs.

Check the mattress seams first, then the box spring, bed frame, headboard, and nearby baseboards and outlets. A flashlight and an old credit card to drag along seams help flush them out.

Overhead view of a person smoothing a duvet across a made bed, in soft overcast light

Step 2: Heat and launder everything washable

Heat is your most reliable weapon, and it is free. Bed bugs and their eggs die at sustained temperatures around 118 F, per University of Minnesota Extension research.

Bag infested bedding, clothing, and soft items right at the bed so you do not spread bugs walking to the laundry.
Wash on the hottest safe setting, then dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes.
For items that cannot be washed, run them through the dryer on high for 30 minutes anyway; dry heat alone kills all stages.
Seal cleaned items in fresh bags until the room is clear, so they are not reinfested.

Step 3: Encase the mattress and box spring

Do not throw the mattress out. Instead, zip it and the box spring into a certified bed-bug-proof encasement. These trap any bugs already inside so they die without feeding (bed bugs can survive months without a meal, so leave the encasement on for at least a year), and they present a smooth surface with no seams for new bugs to hide in. Encasing is one of the highest-value single steps and far cheaper and safer than replacing the mattress, since discarding it rarely solves the problem and can spread bugs through the home. Our ranked options are in best mattress protector for bed bugs.

Low-angle view of a person smoothing a duvet across a made bed, in warm evening lamplight

Step 4: Vacuum and treat hiding spots

The population lives beyond the mattress, so treat the whole zone around the bed:

Vacuum thoroughly along mattress and box spring seams, the bed frame, headboard, baseboards, and any cracks. Use the crevice tool and go slowly.
Empty into a sealed bag immediately and dispose of it outside, so captured bugs cannot crawl back out.
Scrub seams with a stiff brush before vacuuming to dislodge eggs, which cling tightly.
Steam can be used on seams and crevices; the heat kills what the vacuum misses.

Step 5: Reduce hiding places

Action	Why it helps
Seal cracks in walls and baseboards with caulk	Removes prime hiding spots
Tighten or seal loose outlet covers	Bugs shelter behind them
Reduce clutter around the bed	Fewer hiding places, easier inspection
Pull the bed away from the wall	Cuts off a travel route to and from the bed
Use interceptor cups under bed legs	Traps bugs climbing up, and monitors progress

Interceptor cups under each bed leg do double duty: they catch bugs trying to climb into the bed and they show you whether the population is shrinking week to week.

Step 6: Monitor for weeks, not days

This is the step impatience ruins. Eggs hatch after your first efforts, so you must keep checking and re-treating for six to eight weeks. Even professional treatment usually takes two or three visits spaced about two weeks apart for exactly this reason. Check the interceptors, inspect the seams, and re-launder if you see activity. Declaring victory after a week is how a knocked-back infestation comes roaring back.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person smoothing a duvet across a made bed, in bright midday sun

What not to do

Panic makes bed bug infestations worse, and a few common reactions actively backfire:

Do not set off bug bombs or foggers. The EPA cautions that total-release foggers are largely ineffective against bed bugs, which hide deep in cracks, and can drive them into neighboring rooms or units while posing fire and health risks.
Do not throw out the mattress and furniture. It rarely solves the problem, is expensive, and moving infested items through the home spreads bugs. Encase instead.
Do not move to another room to sleep. Bed bugs follow the carbon dioxide and warmth of a sleeping person, so relocating just seeds a new area of the home.
Do not overuse pesticides or mix products. Layering chemicals is dangerous and encourages resistance; follow labels exactly or use a professional.
Do not assume one treatment worked. Eggs hatch after the first pass, so stopping early lets the population rebound.

Preventing bed bugs from coming back

Once you have won, keep them out. Bed bugs are hitchhikers; they arrive on luggage, secondhand furniture, and clothing rather than from poor hygiene. Practical prevention:

Situation	Precaution
Traveling and hotels	Inspect the mattress seams and headboard on arrival; keep luggage off the bed and floor, on a rack or in the bathroom
Returning from a trip	Unpack in the garage; run travel clothes through a hot dryer before they enter the bedroom
Secondhand furniture	Inspect thoroughly before bringing it in; never take a mattress left at the curb
Apartments and shared walls	Seal cracks and outlet gaps; report any building infestation early
Ongoing	Keep mattress encasements on for at least a year; use interceptor cups as an early-warning monitor

When to call a professional

DIY works for a small, early, single-room infestation caught quickly. Call a licensed pest control professional when the infestation is widespread or in multiple rooms, when you still see live bugs after two to three weeks of diligent effort, when it is in a shared building where neighbors may be a source, or when anyone in the home has a health condition that makes the stress and bites a serious concern. The EPA cautions against overusing foggers and pesticides, which can drive bugs deeper and pose health risks; a professional using an integrated approach is safer and more effective for a real infestation. Never mix multiple pesticide products in a panic.

Prevention going forward leans on encasements and good bedding hygiene. See do mattress protectors stop bed bugs and how to wash bedding for the routine that keeps them from returning. Our ranked protectors are in best mattress protector. More at the bedding and sleep hub; our method is in how we rank.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs