Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol kills bed bugs only when it soaks them directly, and even then not reliably: in a Rutgers University test, a spray containing 91% isopropyl alcohol killed no more than about half the bugs it hit. It evaporates in seconds, doesn’t reach bugs and eggs hidden in seams and cracks, and is highly flammable. People have set their homes on fire using it. The EPA advises against using rubbing alcohol for bed bugs. Vinegar and bleach are no better. Heat, steam, encasements and EPA-registered products work.
Table of Contents
Home Remedies for Bed Bugs Compared
| Remedy | Kills on contact? | Kills eggs? | Lasting effect? | Risks | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rubbing alcohol (70% to 99%) | Sometimes, if soaked | Unreliable | No, evaporates in seconds | Highly flammable; fumes | Don’t use |
| Vinegar (white or apple cider) | Rarely; weak acid | No | No | Low, but wastes time | Doesn’t work |
| Bleach | Only if drenched | Unreliable | No | Toxic fumes, damages fabrics, dangerous mixed with other cleaners | Don’t use |
| Steam (160°F+ at the tip) | Yes | Yes | No | Burns if careless | Works |
| Dryer on high, 30+ minutes | Yes | Yes | No | None | Works |
| Food-grade diatomaceous earth | Slowly, over days | No | Yes, if left dry in cracks | Irritates lungs if overused | Helps as an add-on |
| EPA-registered bed bug sprays | Yes (depends on product) | Some products | Some leave residues | Follow label | Works as part of a plan |
Does Rubbing Alcohol Kill Bed Bugs?
Alcohol can kill a bed bug that is soaked with it, by dissolving the waxy outer layer and drying it out. The problem is getting it onto the bugs. Bed bugs spend most of their time packed into mattress seams, bed frame joints, wall cracks and furniture, where a spray doesn’t reach. Alcohol also evaporates within seconds and leaves nothing behind, so bugs that crawl over the area later are unaffected.
Researchers at Rutgers University tested home and DIY bed bug products. A product containing 91% isopropyl alcohol killed no more than about half of the bed bugs sprayed directly, under ideal lab conditions. Real results in a bedroom are worse.
70% vs 91% vs 99% isopropyl alcohol
Higher-strength alcohol dries out bugs a little faster but also evaporates faster and is more flammable. No strength solves the core problem of reaching hidden bugs and eggs.
The fire risk
Spraying alcohol on mattresses, couches and carpets fills the room with flammable vapor. In 2017 a Cincinnati woman who doused furniture in alcohol to kill bed bugs started a fire that left 10 people without homes, and several similar fires have been reported. The EPA lists rubbing alcohol among products not to use against bed bugs because of fire risk.
Does Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?
No. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar are weak acids. A bug soaked in vinegar may occasionally die, but vinegar doesn’t kill eggs, doesn’t reach hidden bugs and leaves no lasting effect. The smell doesn’t reliably repel them either. Vinegar doesn’t help with bites beyond a brief cooling feeling; washing with soap and water and using hydrocortisone cream work better.
Does Bleach Kill Bed Bugs?
Bleach can kill a bed bug that is drenched in it, but it isn’t a practical treatment. You can’t soak mattresses, couches or carpets in bleach without ruining them, the fumes irritate lungs and eyes, and mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaners creates toxic gas. Adding bleach to a laundry load isn’t necessary; the heat of the dryer is what kills bed bugs in fabrics.
What Actually Kills Bed Bugs
- Heat: a clothes dryer on high for at least 30 minutes, portable heat chambers for belongings, or professional whole-room heat. See bed bug heat treatment.
- Steam: a dry-vapor steamer along seams, joints and cracks kills bugs and eggs on contact.
- Encasements: trap bugs in the mattress and box spring until they die. See mattress encasements.
- Interceptors: catch bugs and show whether treatment is working. See bed bug traps.
- EPA-registered products: sprays and dusts labeled for bed bugs, used on cracks and seams as directed.
- Professional treatment for anything beyond a small, early infestation. See bed bug treatment cost.
The full step-by-step plan is in how to get rid of bed bugs.
Safer alternatives that work
- Dry-vapor steamer kills bugs and eggs on contact
- Mattress encasement traps bugs inside
- Interceptor cups catch and monitor
- EPA-registered bed bug spray for cracks and seams
As an Amazon Associate, Pestbugs earns from qualifying purchases.
FAQs
Rubbing alcohol kills bed bugs only if it soaks them directly, and not reliably. In a Rutgers test a 91% isopropyl product killed no more than about half the bugs it hit. It also misses hidden bugs and eggs and is a fire hazard.
Alcohol can dry out eggs it soaks, but it rarely reaches eggs glued deep in seams and cracks, so it isn’t a reliable way to kill them.
No. Vinegar is too weak to reliably kill bed bugs or their eggs and has no lasting effect.
Bleach can kill a bed bug that is drenched in it, but it damages fabrics, gives off harmful fumes and can’t be used on mattresses or furniture. It isn’t a practical treatment.
Direct steam and high heat kill bed bugs and their eggs instantly. A clothes dryer on high for 30 minutes kills them in fabrics.
Sources
- Texas A&M AgriLife: Rutgers study on DIY bed bug control
- Healthline: Does rubbing alcohol kill bed bugs?
- US EPA: Do-it-yourself bed bug control
Facts in this guide are checked against the sources above and reviewed when they change. See how we research in our editorial policy.
Related guides
- What Do Bed Bugs Look Like? Pictures, Size, Eggs, Shells & Poop
- What Attracts Bed Bugs & things they Hate /Dislike Most
- How do Bed Bugs Spread? Are they Contagious? How Fast/Easily from Person, Room or House?
- How to Kill Bed Bugs with Steam: Best Steamers & Guide + Tips
- What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like? Pictures, Patterns & How to Tell
- Where Do Bed Bugs Hide? 12 Places to Check (Bed, Couch, Car & More)