How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in a Mattress?

Bed bugs are a common pest in the United States, and one of the most difficult to get rid of. Easily concealed in tiny hiding places and able to last months without food, bed bugs can travel from place to place, and it only takes one before you have an infestation.

In our article, we share information about bed bugs and how to tell if they’re in your home, plus treatment methods and preventative measures to remove and keep these pests out.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

Once you’ve confirmed the presence of bed bugs in your home, the next step is treatment.

If the problem isn’t too severe, home remedies may solve the problem. For more severe, wide-spread cases, you’ll need a professional pest control company.

1: Home Remedies

A practical method is removing and cleaning all bedding and the area around the mattress:

1. Pull the bed away from the wall.
2. Remove all bedding (sheets, pillowcases, comforters, etc.) throw in the washing machine and dryer at the highest possible temperature to kill bed bugs and eggs. If articles are not machine-washable, toss in the dryer for 30 minutes on the highest possible heat. Use a laundry bag to transport infested linens to prevent spreading bugs around your home. Wash and dry on high heat, as bed bugs can’t survive temperatures above 120°F (49°C).
3. Using a stiff brush, brush the mattress, headboard, baseboards, and furniture, paying particular attention to mattress seams and crevices to loosen bugs and eggs. Be thorough—bed bugs often lay eggs in hard-to-reach spots and cracks. Brushing also helps dislodge eggs that are glued to surfaces.
4. Vacuum the mattress with the hose attachment, paying close attention to mattress seams and crevices. Avoid using the brush attachment, since bugs and eggs may attach to the bristles and spread the problem instead of removing it.
5. With the vacuum cleaner, clean floors, and furniture surrounding the infested areas. Pay special attention to rugs, carpets, and upholstered furniture, where bed bugs may hide deep within fibers. Run the hose along cracks in the floor, behind baseboards, and inside any nearby drawers or nightstands.
6. Empty the vacuum bag into a plastic bag (double bag if necessary), before placing inside a trash can outside. Disinfect your vacuum nozzle and hose using rubbing alcohol or a bleach solution to kill any lingering bugs or eggs. Never empty the vacuum indoors, as this could reintroduce bed bugs into your home.
7. Place your mattress and box spring inside a bed bug proof encasement with a zipper to prevent bed bugs from escaping. Keep encasement on for at least one year to make sure bed bugs and eggs are destroyed. Choose a high-quality encasement that is labeled as bed bug–proof—not just dust mite–resistant—and ensure it has a secure zipper lock to prevent bugs from escaping or entering.

Additional Remedies That Can Help

Monitor the infected areas every week for up to one year to ensure bugs are entirely dead.

Use sticky bed bug traps or interceptors under bed legs to monitor activity. These devices help detect if bugs are still present or returning from nearby areas. If bugs are caught in traps over multiple weeks, further treatment may be necessary.

It’s also helpful to reduce clutter around the bed and room. Bed bugs love to hide in piles of clothes, books, boxes, or under the bed. Keeping your space tidy limits hiding spots and makes inspections and treatment more effective.

An extra step you can take is steaming—hot water kills bugs and eggs on contact. After following steps 1 through 4, use a steamer to clean the mattress and box spring. Wait until completely dry before adding a bed bug proof mattress cover and clean bedding.

Use a commercial-grade steamer that reaches at least 200°F (93°C). Slowly pass the steam wand across seams, tufts, and crevices at about 1 inch per second for best results. Avoid using on sensitive items like electronics or laminated wood, which could be damaged by moisture.

In addition to steaming, sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of the bed, cracks in the walls, and baseboards. This natural powder penetrates the bed bugs’ outer shell, dehydrating and killing them over time. Leave it in place for several days, then vacuum it up carefully. Repeat as needed.

You can also try essential oil sprays—such as tea tree, lavender, clove, or peppermint oils—diluted with water and sprayed in affected areas. While not as potent as steam or diatomaceous earth, they may help repel bugs and provide relief between deeper cleanings.

Lastly, expose small infested items (like shoes, books, or toys) to high heat in a sealed plastic bag left in direct sunlight or a closed car on a hot day. This can help kill bugs when other methods aren’t possible. A temperature of at least 120°F (49°C) must be maintained for several hours for this to be effective.

As a precaution and for more severe cases, an EPA-registered insecticide like pyrethroids or diatomaceous earth might be necessary.

2: Pyrethroids

Most common chemicals for killing bed bugs. Some bed bugs may be resistant to this pesticide. These synthetic insecticides work by targeting the nervous system of bed bugs, delivering a quick knockdown effect.

They’re typically available in sprays, aerosols, or dust formulations. While effective in many cases, overuse has led to resistance in certain populations, so results may vary. Always follow label instructions carefully.

3: Diatomaceous Earth

Destroys the bugs’ outer coating, causing it to dry out and die. It works slowly, but bed bugs are not resistant to it.

This fine, natural powder is made from crushed fossilized algae and acts as a desiccant. Once bugs crawl through it, they begin to dehydrate and typically die within a few days. It’s best used in dry, undisturbed areas like behind headboards, under baseboards, or along bed frames and wall edges. For safety, make sure you’re using food-grade diatomaceous earth—not the type used for pools.

Other EPA-approved options include desiccant dusts like silica gel, insect growth regulators (IGRs) that disrupt the bed bugs’ life cycle, and cold-press essential oil sprays made with ingredients like neem or geraniol. These can be used in combination for a more thorough treatment.

If the bed bug problem persists, it might be time to call in an exterminator.

4: Professional Help

Pest control companies who specialize in bed bugs have better access to chemicals not widely available and the ability to apply other methods like heat treatments (heating a room between 135 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit). Their pest management skills may be more effective and have a long-term effect.

Professional exterminators are trained to identify all stages of bed bugs—eggs, nymphs, and adults—and locate even the most hidden infestations using inspection tools, bed bug-sniffing dogs, or monitoring devices.

They typically begin with a thorough inspection of your home to assess the severity of the infestation and develop a custom treatment plan. This may involve a combination of high-powered steamers, industrial-strength insecticides, and whole-room heat remediation, which kills bed bugs in all life stages without the need for toxic chemicals.

Heat treatments, in particular, are highly effective and chemical-free. They involve heating the entire room or home to a sustained temperature of around 135–145°F (57–63°C) for several hours—enough to kill bugs hiding in walls, furniture, and floor cracks.

Professionals may also offer follow-up treatments, monitoring traps, and advice on preventing re-infestation. Hiring an experienced, licensed pest control company is often the fastest and most reliable way to eliminate bed bugs, especially in cases where DIY methods have failed or the infestation is widespread.

Although professional services can be costly, they often save time, money, and stress in the long run by thoroughly eradicating the problem.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are small, flat, oval-shaped insects, ranging between light brown and reddish-brown in color. Bed bugs hide during the day and come out at night to feed. They start as 1-millimeter eggs, growing up to 6.5 millimeters long—visible to the naked eye.

Lifespan

Female bed bugs lay eggs after a blood meal, roughly 200 eggs, three to four times a day. Bed bug eggs are typically found inside cracks, crevices, and other isolated shelters. Bed bug eggs hatch within one to two weeks.

Newly hatched bed bugs, or nymphs, feed immediately and take about 14 to 30 days to reach adulthood. During this time, nymphs shed their skin five times.

Once nymphs reach adulthood, they’re able to mate. The average lifespan of adult bed bugs is 6 to 12 months, with bed bugs feeding every ten days. Bed bugs have a high reproduction rate and can survive months without food.

Signs of Bed Bugs

The first sign of a bed bug infestation are their bites; red, itchy spots often mistaken for mosquito bites. While bed bugs don’t transmit diseases, they may elicit allergic reactions in some sleepers and cause discomfort.

Other signs to look for include small, rust-colored spots (bloodstains from a bed bug’s last meal), dark spots (bed bug droppings), small skins (yellowish to brown in color, from molting), and tiny, pale yellow eggs.

You might also notice a musty, sweet odor in infested rooms, which is caused by bed bugs’ scent glands. Clusters of bites often appear in a line or zigzag pattern, especially on exposed skin like arms, neck, and legs. In severe cases, live bed bugs—small, oval, and reddish-brown—may be visible in mattress seams, headboards, or cracks and crevices around the bed.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?

Bed bugs are primarily found in mattresses and box springs. Still, they can hide anywhere with cracks, crevices, and mattress seams as thin as a credit card, including furniture (bed frames, chairs, nightstands), clothing, carpets and rugs, luggage, and baseboards.

They may also nest behind electrical outlet covers, inside wall cracks, picture frames, curtain folds, and even inside electronics like alarm clocks and TVs. Bed bugs can squeeze into the joints of wooden furniture, behind peeling wallpaper, under loose tiles, or beneath wall-to-wall carpeting at the room’s edges.

In shared living spaces like apartments or hotels, they can travel between rooms through wall voids, plumbing, and electrical wiring pathways. Because they are nocturnal and excellent at hiding, infestations can grow significantly before becoming noticeable. Their flat bodies allow them to go undetected for weeks, and they often stay within five to ten feet of a sleeping human host.

How to Prevent Bed Bugs?

Once you’ve rid your home of bed bugs, or if you’re concerned about the possibility of bed bugs, taking the following preventative measures can protect your home from an invasion.

• Cover your mattress and box spring with a bed bug encasement for all-around protection. Make sure to choose encasement specifically designed for bed bugs—they are typically made from tightly woven fabric and feature reinforced zippers that prevent bugs from escaping or getting in. These encasement not only trap any bugs already inside but also act as a protective shield against future infestations. Keep the encasement on permanently or for at least one year.
• Pick up and put away any clutter on the floor. Clutter creates the perfect environment for bed bugs to hide and breed. Items left under the bed, in corners, or along walls become easy hiding spots. Organizing your living space not only makes cleaning easier but helps you detect signs of bed bugs more quickly. Use sealed plastic containers for storage rather than cardboard boxes, which bugs can easily crawl into or lay eggs inside.
• Regularly vacuum and wash bedding, furniture, curtains, and carpets. Vacuum all carpeted areas, mattress seams, box springs, baseboards, and upholstered furniture weekly. Use the crevice tool to target deep cracks and corners. Dispose of vacuum bags or contents immediately in a sealed plastic bag. For laundry, always wash on hot and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Don’t forget to clean throw pillows, blankets, pet bedding, and decorative items.
• Seal cracks in baseboards, around electrical outlets, and walls. Bed bugs are excellent hiders and can squeeze into spaces as thin as a credit card. Use silicone caulk or expanding foam to fill gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and outlets. This is particularly crucial in apartment buildings, where bed bugs often migrate between units.
• Check hotel rooms for bed bugs to prevent bringing them home—alert hotel personal immediately and ask for a new room if you find bed bugs. Before unpacking, inspect mattress seams, box springs, behind the headboard, and in nightstands using your phone flashlight. Check upholstered chairs, curtain folds, and wall hangings. If you find evidence like dark spots or shed skins, ask to move to a room far from the current one, preferably on a different floor.
• Immediately wash any used bedding or clothing after a trip. Place all clothing in a plastic bag before bringing it into your home. Once inside, dump clothes directly into the washer. For suitcases, vacuum thoroughly—especially in seams and pockets—and leave them in a hot, sunny area if possible. Some people store their luggage in the garage or a sealed bin between trips as an extra precaution.
• Inspect second-hand furniture for bed bugs before purchasing. Use a flashlight and magnifying glass if needed to inspect seams, joints, and folds. Be wary of wooden furniture with joints or cracks, which are ideal hiding spots. If you’re unsure, avoid bringing secondhand items indoors until they’ve been thoroughly cleaned or professionally treated.
• Never bring home discarded bed frames, box springs, mattresses, or furniture. Even if an item looks clean or gently used, it could be harboring an infestation. Bed bugs can survive for months without feeding and may hide deep inside furniture where visual inspection is impossible. Many infestations begin this way—especially in college towns or densely populated areas.

FAQs

What causes bed bugs?

Traveling is the number one cause of bed bug infestations. These minuscule insects easily hide on people, clothing, and luggage, lasting for days without food. You might want to take a moment to inspect your luggage before you bring it inside your house.

What is the first sign of bed bugs?

The first sign of bed bugs is small, rust-colored spots on the bed—bloodstains left from bed bugs feeding. You’re not likely to feel bed bugs bite because they excrete a type of anesthetic, making bites unnoticeable until hours later. Dark or rusty spots on your bed could also be bed bug excrement.

Can you sleep in a bed with bed bugs?

Although many may shudder at the thought of continuing to sleep in an infested bed, it might be for the best until you’ve taken measures to eliminate any and all bed bugs. If you sleep elsewhere in the house, the bed bugs may migrate in search of you or another host to feed upon. It’s more difficult to eradicate all of the bugs if they’re spread across your home.

You may even bring some bugs with you if you temporarily move out to sleep in a hotel or at a friend’s place.

Why do bed bugs bite me and not my partner?

Bed bugs could be feeding on your partner just as much, but your partner’s body may react less and show little evidence of bites. Bed bugs can also have a preference for blood types. For example, if the bed bugs in your room grew up feeding on your AB positive blood, they might find your partner’s O negative blood unappealing and stick to feeding on you.

How fast do bed bugs spread?

Bed bugs can cover a few feet in just a minute, so they can move throughout your house quickly. Females can lay eggs every few days, and once the eggs hatch it only takes a few weeks for them to mature. If left unchecked, you can be dealing with generations of bed bugs within a year.

Conclusion

Bed bugs are tiny, oval-shaped insects that fit into crevices and cracks in luggage, furniture, even clothing. Bed bugs flourish inside box springs and mattresses because they’re close to their favorite food source—you.

Keeping your home clean and washing any clothing after a trip prevents the likelihood of an infestation. Never bring any used mattresses, box springs, or furniture without first checking for bed bugs. Finally, if you suspect you have bed bugs, contact your local pest control.