How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs: The Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

By Jeffrey Grill |Last Updated: January 4, 2026 | Medical Review: Referenced against EPA & National Pest Management Association standards.

Bed bugs are among the most difficult pests to eliminate because they can survive for months without feeding and hide in cracks as thin as a credit card. A single treatment is rarely enough. Successful eradication requires an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach: combining chemical sprays, heat treatment, and mechanical cleaning. You must inspect adjacent rooms (above, below, and beside) as bed bugs can travel up to 20 feet to find a new host.

The first signs of a bed bug infestation are often bite marks on the arms or legs. However, bites are an allergic reaction, so sensitivity varies. You must find physical evidence to confirm the pest.

Fecal Spots: Look for brown or black specks on mattress seams, sheets, and the headboard. These are fecal stains (digested blood).

Live Bugs: Adult bed bugs are the size of an apple seed (approx. 1/4 inch). They are reddish-brown, wingless, and flat.

Eggs: White, pearly specks the size of a pinhead (1mm). They are glued to surfaces and resist vacuuming.

Click here to see more Bed Bug Pictures to verify your pest.

To permanently get rid of bed bugs, you must break their lifecycle. You must kill the adults to stop egg production and kill the eggs to prevent a new generation.

We recommend buying a Bed Bug Kit to save money, or purchasing these specific items individually:

Important: Do not move items out of the infested room unless they are in a sealed plastic bag. This prevents spreading the infestation.

Vacuuming reduces the population, but steam kills the eggs. Use a steamer on the mattress seams, bed frame, and furniture. You must move slowly (1 inch per second) to ensure the heat penetrates deep enough to kill.

Spray the mattress seams, tufts, and folds with a contact killer like Sterifab. Do not soak the mattress; a light mist is sufficient. Turn the box spring over, remove the dust cover (gauze), and treat the inside wood frame. This is a primary hiding spot.

Once dry, encase both the mattress and box spring in bed bug proof covers. Do not remove these for at least one year.

Remove drawers from nightstands and dressers. Spray the inside tracks and corners with a residual spray like Bedlam or Phantom. These products leave a residue that kills bed bugs for weeks.

Apply a fine layer of CimeXa or Diatomaceous Earth into cracks, behind baseboards, and behind electrical outlets. If a bed bug walks through this dust, it will dehydrate and die.

Place ClimbUp Interceptors under the legs of your bed. Check them weekly. If you see no bugs for 21 days, you have likely succeeded.

If the infestation is large or inside the walls, you may need a professional. Here is what to expect in terms of cost:

Tip: Always ask if the exterminator offers a warranty. Bed bugs often require a follow-up treatment.

Review and even print these brochures for more information on how to get rid of bed bugs in your home or apartment.

What to Expect From Bed Bug Treatment

What to do when you find a bed bug in your home or apartment.Written by:Dini M. Miller, Ph.D., Department of Entomology, Virginia TechAvailable in a freeEbook

Bed Bug Do's and Don'ts

Advice on how to control bed bugs at home and when you travel..Written by:Contra Costa CountyAvailable in a freeEbook

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How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs: The Step-by-Step Guide (2026)