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Key Points
- Baking soda doesn’t actually kill bed bugs.
- Treatments like heat, freezing, pesticides, and diatomaceous earth work better to eliminate bed bugs.
- When in doubt, call a professional.
A bed bug infestation is a huge nuisance and getting rid of them properly is essential in order to make sure they are completely eliminated. Baking soda is commonly regarded as a DIY remedy for bed bugs, but does it actually kill them?
Read on to learn from an expert about what baking soda actually does to bed bugs, what the different DIY elimination methods are, and whether they really work.
Meet the Expert
Sammy Wang is a senior scientist for P&G fabric care.
What Does Baking Soda Actually Do to Bed Bugs
Many people think baking soda kills bed bugs; not only is that wrong, but this ineffective treatment can actually cause them to spread.
“Bed bugs reproduce quickly and using ineffective DIY solutions like baking soda could potentially allow for the infestation to grow and become even harder to treat”, says Sammy Wang, a senior scientist for P&G fabric care.
Because baking soda absorbs moisture, people incorrectly assume that it will dehydrate bed bugs and kill them. Baking soda may stick to their bodies, but it will not dehydrate, hurt, or kill bed bugs.
“We recommend consulting the EPA or the National Pesticide Information Center sites for effective home treatments or contacting a professional pest control service”, Wang says.
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5 Alternatives That Will Kill Bed Bugs
Instead of using baking soda, these five alternative solutions will actually help manage your bed bug problem.
Heat
Heat is the easiest solution for killing bed bugs, but should usually be left to professionals to implement.
Bed bugs will die at 118°F, and their eggs at 122°F. A heat solution of this magnitude should be trusted to professionals, who will usually treat a home at around 125°F for over an hour.
To kill bed bugs on laundry items, use a dryer for articles of clothing on the highest setting.
Freezing
The other temperature extreme for killing bed bugs is freezing them.
Place items such as clothing, accessories, or toys in sealed bags and place them in the freezer for up to a week to kill bed bugs, then immediately discard the frozen bed bugs to ensure they don’t reappear.
Bed Bug Pesticides
Use an EPA-registered bed bug pesticide to kill an infestation.
There are a variety of bed bug pesticides available, some to any consumer, others to professionals only. Look for products that have an EPA registration number on the label and carefully read and follow the directions.
Diatomaceous Earth
For a natural solution, use food-grade diatomaceous earth. It is made from fossilized remains of diatoms, and absorbs moisture and is abrasive.
To use this natural solution, generously sprinkle mattresses, furniture, and other bed bug-infested surfaces in your home with the powder. While this is an effective method, it works slowly and can take anywhere from one to three weeks to kill bed bugs.
Call a Professional
The most reliable method for completely eliminating bed bugs is to call a professional pest control service. They may use a variety of treatment methods including heat, chemicals, and pesticides to kill bed bugs on mattresses, furniture, and the small nooks and crannies in your home.
