You wake up to a row of red bites on your arm. You change the sheets and spray the room, and a few days later the bites are back. That is usually the story of bed bugs: small insects that live right beside you in bed and feed on your blood while you sleep. The real problem is how well they hide, so many people think they have got rid of them, only to see them return.
This guide shows you what bed bugs look like, the signs to look for and where they hide, where they come from, and then a step-by-step plan to get rid of them for good.
What are bed bugs?
The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is a small insect that feeds only on blood and usually comes out at night while people sleep. Its body is so flat that it fits into cracks as thin as a bank card.
- It cannot fly or jump: it only crawls, or travels in belongings and luggage.
- It can go hungry for a long time: it may survive for months without feeding, so leaving a room empty does not solve the problem.
- It breeds fast: a female lays eggs almost every day, so an infestation grows within weeks.
What bed bugs look like: adults, nymphs and eggs
- Adults: about the size of an apple seed, 4 to 5 mm long, oval, flat and brown, turning red and swollen after feeding.
- Nymphs (young): smaller and paler, almost translucent, with blood visible inside after feeding.
- Eggs: whitish-yellow, about 1 mm long, glued into cracks and mattress folds.
For detailed pictures of every stage, read What Bed Bugs Look Like: Adults, Eggs and Nymphs.
Signs of bed bugs in your home
- Small blood spots on sheets and pillowcases.
- Tiny black dots, like ink marks, on mattress edges and the bed frame. These are bed bug droppings.
- Empty shed skins left after molting.
- Small white eggs inside cracks and seams.
- A sweet, musty smell in heavy infestations.
- Bites in a line or cluster on the arms, neck and back.
Bites alone are not enough to confirm bed bugs, because fleas and mosquitoes can leave similar marks. To tell them apart, read What Bed Bug Bites Look Like.
Where do bed bugs hide? Inspect in this order
- Strip the sheets, then check the mattress seams and folds with a bright flashlight, sliding a thin card into the cracks.
- Flip the mattress and check its base, the bed frame, screws and joints.
- Check the headboard and behind frames and pictures near the bed.
- Move on to sofas, upholstered chairs, carpet edges and electrical outlets near the bed.
- Note every spot where you find a sign, so you can treat it precisely and re-inspect it later.
Where do bed bugs come from?
Bed bugs do not come from dirt. They enter the home with belongings. The most common routes are:
- Travel: they hide in luggage and clothes from an infested hotel or apartment.
- Secondhand furniture: especially mattresses, sofas and beds.
- Visitors: in their bags or clothing.
- Neighbours: in attached buildings they can move between units through cracks and service lines.
That is why bed bugs can appear in the cleanest homes. More detail in Why Bed Bugs Suddenly Appear.
Why do bed bugs seem to appear out of nowhere?
An infestation starts with one or two bugs hidden in a bag or a piece of furniture, and nobody notices them until weeks later, when they have multiplied and the bites begin. The fix is to find the source and treat it.
How to get rid of bed bugs for good
1. Find the infestation before you spray
Inspect the bed and nearby furniture as described above. Spraying the whole room without inspecting wastes insecticide and leaves the bugs in their hiding places.
2. Prepare the room
- Wash sheets and nearby clothing in hot water, then dry them on high heat, because heat kills bed bugs and their eggs.
- Seal anything that cannot be washed in tight bags until it is treated.
- Do not move items from the infested room to other rooms.
3. Treat mattresses and sofas with steam
Hot steam kills bed bugs and eggs inside seams and cracks, and it is the best treatment for mattresses and sofas because it leaves no insecticide where you sleep.
4. Spray insecticide into cracks and hiding places
- Spray the bed frame and joints, cracks, corners and carpet edges.
- Do not spray sheets, pillows or bedding.
- Choose an insecticide registered for bed bugs and follow the dose on the label.
- Avoid skin-irritating actives, such as lambda-cyhalothrin, in sleeping areas.
To compare methods by where the infestation is, read How to Choose a Bed Bug Insecticide.
5. Repeat the treatment after 10 to 14 days
Eggs usually survive the first spray and hatch within about two weeks. The second treatment kills the young before they grow and lay eggs.
6. Follow up for a month
Check the same spots every week, and only consider the infestation over after 3 to 4 weeks with no bites and no new signs.
Why do bed bugs come back after spraying?
- How Do Bed Bugs Spread?
- Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?
- Eggs: the treatment was not repeated after hatching.
- Partial treatment: the mattress was sprayed but the bed frame or a nearby sofa was not.
- Moving belongings: bugs travelled with clothes to another room.
- Resistance: using one weak active again and again. It is better to rotate between different actives.
How bed bugs harm you
Bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, but the daily harm is real: repeated bites and itching, lost sleep and anxiety about sleeping in your own bed, and skin that can become inflamed from scratching. If you develop a severe allergy or infection, see a doctor.
How to stop bed bugs coming back
- When travelling, check the mattress and headboard before opening your bags, and keep luggage away from the bed.
- When you get home, wash travel clothes in hot water and dry them on high heat.
- Inspect any secondhand furniture or mattress thoroughly before bringing it inside.
- Reduce clutter around the bed, since it gives bugs extra hiding places.
Bed bugs, dust mites or fleas?
Many people confuse them. Bed bugs are visible, live in the bed and bite at night. Dust mites are invisible to the naked eye and do not bite, but they trigger allergies. Fleas jump and usually live on cats and dogs. The full comparison is in Bed Bugs, Fleas or Dust Mites?
Do bed bugs go away on their own?
No. Bed bugs do not disappear by themselves, for these reasons:
- They can survive months without feeding while hiding in cracks.
- Females lay eggs almost every day, so numbers grow over time.
- Leaving the room or changing the bed is not enough, because bed bugs travel with belongings and clothes.
- The solution is a complete treatment: cleaning, heat and a bed bug product applied two or three times.
How many days do bed bugs take to die after spraying?
- Adult bed bugs walking on a treated surface usually die within hours to two days.
- Eggs are not affected by most insecticides and hatch in about 7 to 10 days.
- That is why you need a second treatment after 10 to 14 days to catch the hatchlings.
- Full results usually show within 3 to 4 weeks of the first treatment.
- Do not wipe treated areas during this period, because the residual effect does the work.
If you are not sure the bites are from bed bugs, see Insects That Bite at Night: Mosquito vs Bed Bug vs Flea Bites.
Products from Orkida
- Temprid SC by Envu (formerly Bayer)
- Optigard Flex by Syngenta
- POLTI Italian steam machine Express, 3 L
- K-Othrine Partix by Envu (formerly Bayer)
- POLTI Italian steam machine for mattresses
- Professional Bed Bug Control Bundle
- Economy Bed Bug Control Bundle
Bed bug FAQs
Can I see bed bugs with the naked eye?
Yes, adults are the size of an apple seed, but they hide in cracks, so you only see them if you look for them.
Do bed bugs fly or jump?
No, bed bugs cannot fly or jump. They crawl and travel in belongings.
How long can bed bugs live without food?
They can survive several months without feeding, so leaving a room empty is not enough.
Does sunlight kill bed bugs?
High heat kills them, but putting a mattress in the sun does not heat its inside enough, so do not rely on it alone.
Will cleaning alone get rid of bed bugs?
Cleaning reduces hiding places and makes inspection easier, but it is not enough on its own. Bed bugs need steam and insecticide treatment with re-inspection.
Do bed bugs mean my home is dirty?
No. Bed bugs arrive with belongings and travel, and they can appear in the cleanest homes.