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If you are worried bed bugs may have come home with you, keep your luggage and belongings contained, put dryer-safe clothes through a high-heat dryer cycle, inspect your suitcase, and store it away from sleeping areas. Washing clothes alone generally does not kill bed bugs. Look for physical signs rather than relying on bites; if you find evidence of an infestation, use an integrated pest management approach and consider an experienced pest-control professional.
What to do when you get home
Bed bugs can hitchhike in luggage and clothing. Until you have checked and treated your belongings, avoid carrying them through bedrooms or setting them on beds and upholstered furniture. Work in a place where you can keep untreated items separate from clean ones.
- Keep luggage contained. Set it on a hard surface away from sleeping areas while you sort through it.
- Put dryer-safe clothing directly into the washer or dryer. EPA advises unpacking directly into a washing machine. The dryer is the important kill step: use high heat. For clothing and bedding that can tolerate it, EPA specifies 30 minutes in a household dryer on high heat when preparing an infested living area. Washing alone generally may not kill bed bugs. See the EPA’s travel guidance and preparation guidance.
- Protect treated items. Once items are dry, keep them sealed or otherwise protected from possible re-exposure while you finish checking your belongings.
- Inspect the suitcase carefully. Check seams, pockets, folds, and other places where a bug could hide. Store the suitcase away from the bedroom, such as in a garage or basement, not under the bed. EPA’s home-protection guidance explains how bed bugs can travel on belongings.
How to treat items that cannot go in a dryer
For an item that cannot safely go in a clothes dryer, EPA says to consider a portable heating chamber and follow that device’s directions. These chambers are not regulated by EPA or other federal agencies, so do not assume a particular unit is EPA-approved or will safely treat every kind of object. Check the item’s heat tolerance and the chamber’s instructions.
A black plastic bag in a hot car may work only under suitable climate and temperature conditions; DIY heat treatment can fail. Do not rely on an improvised method when you cannot establish that the entire item received effective treatment. EPA discusses these limits in Protecting Your Home from Bed Bugs and Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control.
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- READY-TO-USE APPLICATOR: Apply this bed bug spray for homes using the included Comfort Wand to target tight and hard-to-reach places where bed bugs hide
- BED BUG KILLER: Kill bed bugs, bed bug eggs, fleas and ticks with Ortho Home Defense Max Bed Bug, Flea & Tick Killer
- BED BUG SOLUTION SYSTEM: This indoor bug spray is a Step 2 product in the Ortho Bed Bug Solution System; use with Step 1: Detect and Trap and Step 3: Cracks and Crevices products for best results
- KILLS TOUGHEST BED BUGS: This bed bug killer spray kills even the toughest bed bugs (pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs)
- WHERE TO USE INDOORS: Use this indoor bug killer as a spot treatment around bed frames, baseboards and mattress seams, tufts, and folds
How to tell whether bed bugs came home
Inspect belongings and likely hiding places around sleeping and resting areas. Look for bed bugs or physical evidence, rather than treating bites as proof: EPA says bites are a poor indicator of an infestation. Bed bugs may leave hiding places to feed, so check around places where people sleep or rest and keep monitoring if the exposure was credible. EPA’s How to Find Bed Bugs guidance was updated September 8, 2026.
What to do if you find signs of an infestation
Finding evidence calls for a coordinated response, not just another laundry cycle. EPA recommends an integrated pest management (IPM) approach and advises considering an experienced pest-control professional with a good reputation and an IPM strategy. Bed bug control requires careful, diligent participation; follow the professional’s preparation instructions and avoid moving untreated belongings into clean areas. See EPA’s IPM guidance.
Rank #2
- HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, PLANT-POWERED BED BUG KILLER: EcoVenger Bed Bug Killer uses a patented blend of botanical insecticidal compounds to combat tough insects. A published university study ranks it as the #1 most effective natural product against bed bugs among 12 products tested, outperforming traditional pesticides.
- USDA FIELD-TESTED & PROVEN: Vetted through the USDA IR4 PHP Program and field-tested by research entomologists. Recommended for sensitive environments, it's a trusted solution for eliminating bed bugs in public housing and other vulnerable settings.
- KILLS ALL STAGES, INCLUDING RESISTANT BED BUGS: This formula kills bed bug adults and nymphs on contact with 100% efficacy. It's also proven to eliminate bed bugs resistant to traditional pesticides and has the highest performance in destroying bed bug eggs.
- EXTENDED DRY RESIDUAL PROTECTION: A university study demonstrates that EcoVenger's residual formula provides two weeks of extended protection against bed bugs, even after it has dried, offering long-term peace of mind.
- NON-TOXIC, SAFE & ECO-FRIENDLY: Certified as a USDA BioBased insecticide and dermatologically safe. This product is child and pet-friendly, making it safe to use directly on mattresses and box springs without worry.
What not to do
- Do not try to heat the home with household methods. Raising the thermostat, using a propane space heater, or lighting a fireplace will not solve the problem and can be dangerous. Whole-room or whole-house heat treatment requires specialized equipment and care, according to EPA’s DIY control guidance.
- Do not improvise with pesticides. Use only products registered and labeled for bed bug control, read and follow the entire label, and apply them to beds, furniture, clothing, or other surfaces only when the label permits it. EPA has not registered pesticides or repellents for use on human skin against bed bugs. See Stay Legal and Safe in Treating for Bed Bugs.
Reduce the chance of bringing bed bugs home on your next trip
Before sleeping, inspect the mattress and headboard, and check the luggage rack before using it. Keep luggage off beds and floors by using a rack or another hard surface. If you find bed bugs, tell hotel staff. EPA notes that a flashlight can help but is not generally necessary for an inspection; its travelers’ card offers a concise checklist.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- BED BUG TREATMENT: Hot Shot Bed Bug Killer With Egg Kill kills bed bugs and bed bug eggs, adult and pre-adult (larvae) fleas and dust mites.
- USE INDOORS: Spot treat mattress tufts, folds, vent holes, buttons, creases, indentations and seams – do not use on pets.
- WATER-BASED FORMULA: This non-staining formula leaves no odor.
- APPLICATION: Spray intended use areas until damp, but do not saturate – inspect the area and apply every two weeks while bed bugs are present.
- TREAT BED BUGS AS PART OF A CYCLE: For best results, use this product as part of a comprehensive bed bug treatment plan — treating bed bugs as part of a cycle is key to gaining control.
Rank #4
- Tough Formula: Formulated for maximum strength, this Black Label bed bug spray is a powerful solution, designed to kill even the most persistent and pesticide-resistant bed bugs.
- Kills Bed Bugs, Eggs, and Pyrethroid-Resistant Strains: Effectively eliminates all life stages of bed bugs, including hard-to-kill eggs and resistant strains that survive standard treatments.
- Long-Lasting Residual Protection: Provides extended control for up to 16 weeks after application, making it ideal for long-term bed bug management and prevention.
- EPA Registered for Indoor Use: Registered with the EPA (Reg. No. 1021-2597-3) for safe use in homes, apartments, hotels, and other residential environments. Use as directed.
- Complete Home Coverage: Designed for use in bedrooms, living spaces, baseboards, cracks, and crevices to target bed bug hiding spots throughout the entire home.
Rank #3
- BED BUG SOLUTION SYSTEM: Use with Step 1 Ortho Home Defense Max Bed Bug trap to detect bed bugs, and Step 3 Ortho Home Defense Max Bed Bug & Flea Killer Powder to kill bed bugs by contact (sold separately)
- LASTING INDOOR PROTECTION: This indoor bug spray kills quickly and keeps killing for up to 16 weeks on ceramic (non-porous) surfaces
- KILLS TOUGHEST BED BUGS: Kill even the toughest (pyrethroid-resistant) bed bugs and their eggs with Ortho Home Defense Max Bed Bug Killer Spray
- CONTROLS LISTED BUGS: This bed bugs spray works on the toughest (pyrethroid-resistant) bed bugs and their eggs as well as fleas, brown dog ticks, stink bugs, earwigs, clothes moths, carpet beetles and other listed bugs
- EASY TO USE SPOT TREATMENT: Once bed bugs are detected, spray this indoor bug killer around bed frames, headboards, floors, and carpeting as a spot treatment
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