
Vacuuming is an important first step in the battle against bed bugs, but it won’t solve the problem alone. In this article, we delve into how to use a vacuum for bed bugs, with essential tips and techniques to ensure you extract the most out of it, as well as the next steps to eliminate a bed bug infestation.
Can You Vacuum Bed Bugs?
Yes, you absolutely can vacuum bed bugs. Vacuuming serves as a beneficial first step in reducing bed bug populations. Here’s how vacuuming proves its worth in the battle against these persistent pests:
- Targeting clusters: Vacuuming is especially useful in areas where visible groups or clusters of bed bugs are present. It allows for the immediate reduction of bed bug numbers.

- Removing debris: Beyond live bed bugs, vacuuming helps in removing dead bugs, shed skins, and other debris that can accumulate in infested areas. This will help prepare for other treatments and monitor the extent of the infestation.
- Dealing with insecticide-resistant bed bugs: Vacuuming can physically remove bed bugs that may be resistant to insecticides.
However, vacuuming alone is not a silver bullet in the elimination of bed bugs. To effectively combat these pests, vacuuming should be combined with other methods, such as heat treatments and chemical treatments.
How to Vacuum Bed Bugs
Vacuuming must be done correctly to be effective. Below, we outline the steps you should follow:
- Choose your vacuum cleaner: Ideally, use a vacuum dedicated solely to bed bugs to minimize the risk of transferring them to other areas of your home. Opt for vacuums with a HEPA filter, as these are self-contained and sealed.

- Use a crevice tool: Bed bugs like hiding in crevices, so this tool attachment will be your biggest ally.
- Use the strongest suction setting: While this may not capture all bed bug eggs due to their adhesive nature, it will help get the most difficult bed bug adults.
- Focus on key areas: Concentrate your efforts around and under the bed, upholstered furniture, baseboards, and anywhere near the bed.
- Avoid pressing too hard: Pressing too hard on fabrics can cause bed bugs to be flicked away rather than sucked up into the vacuum.
- Proper disposal: Immediately after vacuuming, remove the vacuum bag, seal it with tape, and place it in another plastic bag for disposal. For bagless vacuums, empty the contents directly into a sealed bag.
- Clean the vacuum: Thoroughly wash the canister and filter with hot soapy water to kill any remaining bed bugs or eggs.
You may need to repeat the process a few times, and don’t forget to combine it with other bed bug elimination methods for a comprehensive approach.
Pro tip: Some professionals will vacuum diatomaceous earth after vacuuming bed bugs, to kill the insects inside the bag.
Here’s a helpful video to assist you:
Where to Vacuum for Bed Bugs

In the fight against bed bugs, knowing where to direct your efforts is half the battle. Bed bugs prefer areas close to where humans rest or sleep, as this gives them easy access to their next meal. Here are a few key areas to vacuum:
- Mattress
- Box spring
- Bed frame
- Headboard
- Upholstered furniture
- Carpets and rugs
- Drapes and curtains
- Baseboards
- Luggage and backpacks
- Nightstands
How Often Should You Vacuum for Bed Bugs?
You should vacuum daily for bed bugs if you have an infestation. This will help reduce the population, preventing bed bugs from multiplying and spreading. Combine vacuuming with other treatment methods, and do it until you don’t see any more critters around your home.
The timing is also important. Ideally, vacuuming should be the initial step in your bed bug eradication process. This will ensure you are getting the bed bugs in their undisturbed state, before they scatter in response to chemical treatments or heat.
Pro tip: Keeping your home clean and clutter-free goes a long way in this fight. A tidy home minimizes hiding places for bed bugs, making your vacuuming and other treatment efforts more effective.
Best Vacuums for Bed Bugs
If you’re on the lookout for a vacuum to assist you in the quest against bed bugs, there are a few characteristics you should have in mind:
- HEPA filter: A High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter ensures that even the smallest particles, including bed bug eggs, are captured and not released back into the environment.
- High suction power: The vacuum should have strong suction capabilities to effectively remove bed bugs and their eggs from fabrics, crevices, and other hiding places.
- Bagged design: While bagless vacuums can still be used to remove bed bugs, a vacuum with a bag is preferable. This design allows for easier and safer disposal of the contents, minimizing the risk of reinfestation.
- Attachment for crevices: Crevice attachments are great for reaching into tight spaces where bed bugs like to hide, like seams, cracks, and other difficult-to-reach areas.
Here are a few vacuums to consider:
- Kenmore Intuition BU4022 Vacuum
- Hoover Complete Performace Vacuum
- EUREKA Canister Lightweight Vacuum
- Kenmore 600 Series Lightweight Vacuum
If you already own a canister vacuum and want to use it against bed bugs, here are a few tips from Ohio State University:
Other Methods to Complement Vacuuming
While vacuuming is an important step in the battle against bed bugs, it’s not the only one. Bed bugs are resilient, and dealing with them requires an integrated pest management approach.
To increase your chances of success, consider including the following natural home remedies in your bed bug control strategy:

- Steaming: Use a steam cleaner capable of reaching high temperatures to treat mattresses, upholstery, and furniture. Steaming kills bed bugs and their eggs on contact, penetrating areas that vacuuming alone may miss.
- Clothes dryer: Place clothes and bedding in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes. This method is highly effective in killing bed bugs in all stages of development, from eggs to adults.
- Freezing: For items that can’t be heated, such as books and delicate fabrics, sealing them in a plastic bag and placing them in the freezer for at least three days can kill bed bugs.

- Diatomaceous earth: Using a mask, apply diatomaceous earth in cracks, crevices, and other bed bug hiding places. The substance will dehydrate and kill bed bugs.
- Essential oils: Natural repellents like red thyme, java citronella, and clove oil can deter bed bugs. Spray these essential oils around your room, or add a few drops to your laundry.
If you’ve tried these methods and still find bed bugs around your home, it may be time to call in a pest control professional. They can offer more powerful solutions, like professional heat treatments, to ensure that bed bugs are thoroughly eliminated.
FAQ About Vacuuming Bed Bugs
Can You Use a Bagless Vacuum for Bed Bugs?
Yes, you can use a bagless vacuum for bed bugs if you do not have access to a bagged vacuum and prefer not to buy one just for this purpose. However, it is not recommended.
Bagless vacuums require thorough washing with hot, soapy water after each use to eliminate any surviving bed bugs, and there’s a higher risk of inadvertently spreading these pests when emptying the vacuum.
Can You Dump a Vacuum Bag Outside After Treating for Bed Bugs?
Yes, you can dump a vacuum bag outside after vacuuming for bed bugs. You just have to make sure the bag is sealed as tightly as possible before disposal to minimize the risk of any bed bugs escaping and infesting new areas.
Does Vacuuming Kill Bed Bugs?
No, vacuuming does not kill bed bugs. It merely removes them from their current location. In fact, they can survive for months without food inside the vacuum canister and can even escape through the vacuum hose, hence why it is so important to dispose of them properly.
When to Call a Pro
Vacuuming can be a useful tool in your bed bug battle arsenal. However, if the thought of yet another round of vacuuming leaves you feeling weary, it might be time to bring in the big guns. Call a pest control professional near you to come handle the bed bug problem permanently.
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Main Image Credit:
Background: Africa images / Canva Pro / License
Bed Bug: Mainely Photos / Canva Pro / License
Editorial Contributors
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Maria Isabela Reis
Author
Maria Isabela Reis is a writer, Ph.D. candidate, and plant enthusiast from an area where mosquitoes are as relentless in their pursuit of blood as she is in her quest for knowledge. When she’s not swatting away these buzzing annoyances, she’s playing with her dogs and savoring a cup of tea.
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Sarah Bahr
Editor
Sarah is a writer who has previously worked in the lawn care industry. In her spare time, she likes to garden, create mosquito traps out of five-gallon buckets, and use chickens for pest control in the backyard.
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