FAQ: Killing bed bugs with steam

Steam can be used to kill bed bugs on contact. Many professionals use steam, often before applying residual pesticides and dusts, and sometimes in lieu of pesticides (where necessary). You can also use steam yourself, but we recommend doing your research. This FAQ provides information, links to further information, and examples of tools.

WARNING:

• If you plan to steam but are being treated by a pest control professional (which we recommend), you must clear this with them before using steam, and about when and where it is safe and useful for you to steam. If you steam without clearing it with your PCO, you may clean away or render useless pesticide and dust treatments that have already been applied!
• Besides, obviously, being hot enough to burn you, steaming has potential dangers related to the vaporization of chemicals; it can also cause mold growth.  Read the overview below and the recommended resources and take precautions in order to avoid harming yourself and your family. 
  

Essential information on technique for killing bed bugs with steam can be found in the following articles:

• The article “Killing Them Softly” provides essential tips. (Most important: use the larger head on the steamer nozzle; Dr. Potter et. al. note that the smaller heads can simply spread live bed bugs around–very bad news.)
• More technical tips from Stephen Doggett’s Bed Bug Code of Practice, 2nd Ed. The steam section is on pages 26-28.
• Forum discussions tagged as “steam” and “steamers” may also be useful for fellow Bedbuggers’ experiences with steam.

Overview of advice culled from professional articles and forum discussions on killing bed bugs with steam:

• Several of our members feel that steam is useful in the fight against bed bugs.
• Do your research before using steam (see links above).
• Steam is a contact killer that can kill bugs and eggs.
• Dry steam is of the utmost importance: all steam methods increases the likelihood of mold growing in the home, but steamers labeled as producers of “dry steam” significantly reduce the mold potential.
• You can steam most furniture, floors, baseboards, walls, ceiling, etc.
• Do not try to steam electrical outlets.
• Many PCOs offer steam services, or you can steam your home yourself as a complement to what your PCO is doing—but you should coordinate with the PCO about it.
• Heat may break down the chemicals the PCO is using, thus undermining their residual effect. (Some PCOs use steam only and no pesticides. This is a choice you need to make for your own treatment.)
• You should wear a respirator as noted in this article (click for PDF). Truthfully, we should be wearing respirators any time we paint a wall or handle any chemicals like pesticides, herbicides or bleach. But steam, specifically, is going to vaporize any chemicals on surfaces, be they pesticide or household cleaning products, etc. PLEASE NOTE: the respirator is not the same as a basic dust mask. It is specifically labeled for “paint and pesticide vapors.” I was able to purchase one at my local hardware store for 30 bucks.
• Temperature is important. Steam at 120 F must hit bed bugs directly. (Editor’s note: Does 120F provide an instant kill?) If you are purchasing a steamer, the manufacturer should list a temperature at the tip of being over 200F. It may also be possible to purchase an infrared thermometer (aka infrared laser thermometer) to check your steamer temperature at tip. Stephen Doggett’s Revised Bed Bug Code of Practice (see above) says:
  

  As with all equipment, the steam machine must be properly maintained and the operating temperatures should be regularly checked with the aid of an infrared thermometer. Immediately after steam treatment the surface should be recording at least a temperature of 70 to 80 degrees C (=158 to 176 degrees F)

• Steam is dangerously hot. Don’t forget to stay focused and safe.
• Steam should be used as one piece of the integrated pest management puzzle. Professional pest control assistance and coordination with your landlords and neighbors (if applicable) is still essential.

Key things to look for in a steamer:

• Dry Steam
• Heat at the tip is >200F degrees per manufacturer
• Large water chamber to cut down on starts and stops in process
• A decent length of cord (or purchase an extension cord)
• A good warranty on the boiler

This is the White Wing Steamer that S mentioned in this thread; needtosleep also uses it.

This is the Reliable T730a that reader pleasehelp had seen recommended by a PCO.

This is the Reliable T630 Enviromate Steam Cleaner (which appears to be similar in many ways, and which Bedbuggers including bugbasher have also recommended).

Other steamers recommended by forum participants included:
Amerivap (specifically the Amerivap Steamax line which runs about $400-500)
Rowenta Pro Compact (note: this is not a dry vapor steamer)

Readers often ask about dry vapor steamer rentals. It looks like the firm Simplex in Québec rents the Polti VAP 2000, which looks to be a dry vapor steamer, for $46 CAN per weekend. We’d welcome tips on other sources of professional dry vapor steamer rentals worldwide.

Mangycur used an AO R95 paint / pesticide respirator mask from her hardware store. This appears to be the same model.

This is a similar pesticide respirator mask from 3M.

Collette, a reader, shared her success story about using steam to get bed bugs out of her home.You can read it here.

Many thanks to Mangycur who wrote most of this FAQ, providing the helpful and succinct overview, suggestions about shopping for a steamer, and information about respirator use above.

Thanks also to everyone else who contributed information to this FAQ, including hopelessnomo, needtosleep, bugbasher, pleasehelp, Winston O. Buggy, Lieutenantdan, and S.

Please add additional links, suggestions, corrections in the comments below.

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