How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?
How Long To Remove Bed Bugs?: What You Should Know
One common question people ask about bed bugs is how long it takes to actually remove them from your home. Depending on the infestation severity and treatment method chosen, eliminating bed bugs typically takes between 2-6 weeks.
At Advanced Bed Bug Preparation, we want to ease your mind about your bed bug problem by providing all the necessary information you need to know! Here's what homeowners need to know about the timeline for bed bug removal:
The Timelines for Different Bed Bug Treatments
1. Heat Treatment Timeline
Heat treatment is a highly effective method for eliminating bed bugs, despite their general attraction to warmth. Heat treatment can eliminate bed bugs in a single day, though follow-up inspections are recommended after 2 weeks.
Both adult bugs and eggs begin dying at approximately 120 degrees, with eggs showing slightly more resilience. As a chemical-free solution, heat treatment stands out as one of the most reliable options, though it requires careful preparation since high temperatures can damage household items.
The process of using heat to kill bed bugs involves strategically placing portable heaters throughout the home, raising the temperature to around 120 degrees for 1-3 hours. This method effectively reaches bed bugs hiding in cracks and crevices as heat distributes throughout the space.
2. Insecticide Treatment Timeline
Professional chemical treatments usually require 2-3 visits over 3-4 weeks. Initial treatment kills visible bugs, while follow-up treatments target newly hatched insects. Eggs take only 6-10 days to hatch, making multiple treatments necessary.
Conventional insecticide treatment remains popular for its speed and cost-effectiveness. However, these chemicals cannot kill bed bug eggs, leading exterminators to incorporate them as part of a broader pest management strategy.
During treatment, the team applies insecticide formulas—whether powder, liquid, or aerosol—throughout the home, concentrating on bed frames, mattresses, and box springs where bed bugs typically feed. Often used as a follow-up to heat treatment, insecticide applications may require multiple treatments for complete elimination.
3. Fumigation Treatment Timeline
For widespread infestations, professionals often turn to fumigation. This method effectively eliminates all bed bug life stages, including eggs. However, it requires residents to vacate the property for at least 24 hours and involves visibly tenting the home.
The process of fumigation treatment entails sealing the home with an airtight tarp before releasing fumigant gas throughout the structure.
4. Freezing Treatment Timeline
Cold treatments can also eliminate bed bugs effectively. Research shows 100% mortality when bed bugs experience temperatures of 3.2 degrees for 80 hours, with faster results at lower temperatures. However, freezing treatments may miss pests hiding in heavy fabrics.
The process involves applying frozen liquid carbon dioxide throughout the home, focusing particularly on areas around beds.
5. Steam Treatment Timeline
Steam treatment offers another approach, typically combined with other methods for optimal results. While steam's high temperatures kill bed bugs on contact, thorough elimination requires extra attention, and the method proves less effective against bugs hidden within walls.
Bed bug extermination technicians use equipment that produces steam or steam foam exceeding 200 degrees, methodically treating each room and focusing on typical hiding spots.
6. DIY Treatment Timeline
DIY approaches generally require 6-8 weeks or longer, and as you can imagine, this form of treatment has lower success rates than professional treatments. This reduced effectiveness stems from bed bugs' resistance to over-the-counter products and the difficulty in accessing all potential hiding spots.
Factors Affecting Treatment Duration
Before an exact timeframe for bed bug removal can be determined, your local bed bug extermination company will need to take the following into consideration:
Infestation size
Home size and clutter level
Building type (apartments require coordinated treatment)
Resident cooperation with preparation steps
Treatment method effectiveness
Bug resistance to chemicals
Depending on the bed bug extermination method chosen, the removal process may take a single day (with follow up inspections), or multiple visits over several weeks. If you have more questions about which type of treatment is right for your situation, please refer to the article linked here.
Post-Treatment Monitoring & Prevention
Following the bed bug removal, we encourage you to continue monitoring for at least 2 weeks.
Your bed bug removal team will also be in touch with you about follow up appointments to double check that the treatment has worked. Complete bed bug eradication is confirmed when there are no signs of bugs (bites, fecal matter, or live bugs) for 8 consecutive weeks.
After a successful bed bug treatment, you should maintain vigilance through regular inspections, protective mattress covers, and prompt action if signs reappear. Professional monitoring services can provide early detection of new infestations.
We detail more about bed bug prevention in our article linked here.
How We Can Help
To get started, please contact Nikki directly at Advanced Bed Bug Preparation! We are a bed bug preparation company, meaning that we schedule a consultation with you to get your home prepared for the removal service (we don’t handle the extermination ourselves), and then will perform the bed bug preparation process (which takes us about one business day).
Our team will refer you to local experts who can safely and effectively remove the bed bugs from your home or rental property. When that process is complete, we will then arrive at your location to perform a restoration (optional).
Contact Us to Discuss Bed Bug Preparation & Removal!
The Advanced Bed Bug Preparation team proudly services the Appleton, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Fond Du Lac, and Green Bay areas. We are skilled in prepping for bed bug removal, cleaning, laundry treatment, and more.
If you have any questions or concerns about how long it takes to remove bed bugs from your home or rental property, please reach out to us at (920) 355-1535.
Related: How Do Bed Bugs Travel?
