Top 10 Bed Bug Sprays | Safest and Most Effective Options

If you’ve suffered from tedious bed bug infestations, it’s time to put an end to these little creatures. Although bed bug sprays aren’t as strong as in comparison to a bed bug heat treatment, these sprays can still annihilate bed bugs from your bed, mattress, clothes, nooks, and crannies. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the best bed bug sprays in 2023.

We’ve made a list that has only the best bed bug sprays that you can get for a reasonable amount of money. Also, if you are looking for natural versions of bed bug sprays click on this link. Before further ado, let’s jump straight into the nitty-gritty of the article and see what are your best options.

Bedlam Plus Bed Bug Spray

Bedlam Plus Bed Bug Spray is one of the most popular and best-rated bed bug sprays out there. This little boy represents a killing machine for bed bugs and it can exterminate even the most stubborn infestations. Aside from smelling terrible, this spray is very effective at killing bed bugs on contact.

However, this terrible smell is, in many cases, a characteristic of very strong sprays. Unlike many other bed bug sprays, this one can also kill both adult bed bugs, as well as their eggs, thanks to its powerful formula that can pierce through every defensive wall of bed bugs.

For those worried about the residual effects, Bedlam offers a 2-week residual effect on average. This means that for two weeks, bed bugs that step over this spray can die immediately. On top of that, as this is a very strong spray, some irritations on your skin may appear upon use, so be careful not to come into direct contact with it after applying the spray.

FenvaStar Ecocap

Made by Rockwell Labs, FenvaStar Ecocap represents a fine example of a vegetable oil spray that kills bed bugs with astonishing residual effects. Because it uses a special technology called microencapsulation, this spray won’t kill bed bugs on contact. Instead, it slowly delivers a fatal dosage to bed bugs, making them die sometime after you’ve applied the spray.

This means that there’s no satisfying quick kill but it should not refract you from buying this product. Since this spray has this fancy technology, it also comes with a residual effect, so it can kill bed bugs even after it’s applied. Just worth noting is that you’ll need a pump sprayer to properly apply the chemical to the surface.

Other than not killing bed bugs on contact, this spray has no tangible drawbacks.

Harris Bed Bug Killer

If you want an odor-free spray, look no further than Harris Bed Bug Killer. This bed bug spray became very popular for its yellow packaging that packs a spray for killing bed bugs, including their eggs. Since this is an odorless spray, it’s great for use on furniture, clothes, and carpets.

The residual effects are also present, although the manufacturer didn’t mention how long they last. Still, having some residue to kill bed bugs for days to come isn’t a bad thing. One issue with this spray is that it’s a bit harder to setup. 

Furthermore, much as the aforementioned product on the list, this one also requires multiple treatments to be effective. For bed bugs hiding in plain sight or on accessible places, this is an amazing spray but for those hiding underneath inaccessible places, Harris isn’t one of the best.

Bayer Advanced Pest Killer

Bayer Advanced Pest Killer is exactly what it sounds like. It’s an advanced killer made not only for killing bed bugs but other types of pests that might invade your home. Even the advertisement for this spray never mentions bed bugs but hey, we found that it’s capable of killing them, which is important for you.

Once again, we have an odorless spray that can also be used as a barrier outside of your house. Thanks to its residual effects, it can serve as the strongest wall of protection, to help repel the bed bugs. Aside from bed bugs, roaches and ants can also be killed, so you can kill two flys with one hit.

One issue many people reported is that the sprayer is a bit janky and sometimes won’t work properly. Aside from that, it has some pretty nasty fumes, so we suggest wearing a fumigation mask while applying it.

Ortho Home Defense Max Bed Bug Killer

Ortho Home Defense Max Bed Bug Killer contains 3 items – Trap, Spray and Powder. It represents a versatile product for stopping the bed bug infestation in its tracks.

Given the enormous amount of spray in the packaging, some would think that it can’t kill bed bugs on contact. Well, they would be wrong. Ortho can kill not only bed bugs but also their eggs on contact, so it’s great for spraying on various surfaces, such as furniture, carpets, crevices, and cracks.

The unique part of this spray is its battery-operated wand. The wand is used for continuous spraying across your curtains and mattresses. You’ll also appreciate the fact that it’s odorless, so you won’t have to inhale possibly-poisonous fumes and you don’t have to wear a fumigation mask while applying it.

Eco Defense Bed Bug Killer

Eco Defence Bug Killer is light but packs a strength of dynamite. I think there’s no better description than this. Those who want a natural bed bug spray without harsh chemicals should look at this product.

Thanks to its eco-friendly characteristics, you can use this spray even in the presence of your children or animals. Due to the addition of plant oils, this spray isn’t odorless. Its smell is similar to plants but it’s not too intrusive, especially since we are talking about all-natural ingredients.

One thing that surprised us is that this spray kills on contact and on top of that, it’s eco-friendly, which is a win-win combination. However, the residual effects are non-existent, so you’ll have to rely on other products in conjunction with this one, to see the best results.

Green Rest Easy Bed Bug Spray

Rest Easy Bed Bug Killer comes in a tiny 16 oz bottle that’s great for people who often travel. You never know when you’re going to spend a night in a hotel room with bed bugs in the mattress – don’t ask me how I know!

With that in mind, this tiny beast is here to fend off an infestation while you’re in a hotel room. Since it’s tiny, you can carry it even in your pocket and it will pass all the TSA safety requirements on the road. The best use is on the mattresses and furniture and since it’s very small, it’s not made for preventing a home infestation.

You can also spray it on your shoes or luggage because bed bugs can easily infest these places.

Harris Pyrethroid Resistant Bed Bug Killer

Another product from Harris is Pyrethroid Resistant Bed Bug Killer which comes in compact packaging, ready for use out of the box. Some bed bugs have become resistant to pesticides with pyrethroids and this powerful formula is designed with that in mind, so you can kill even the most stubborn bed bugs.

The residual effect within this formula is perhaps one of the best on our list. It can kill bed bugs for up to 16 weeks!

You can buy this product in a gallon package but we put the 32-ounce bottle package here. The reason for this is that it’s more affordable and does the same job as the gallon package. Since it kills bed bugs on contact and has a strong residual effect, it’s one of the best bed bug sprays on our list.

CimeXa Insecticide Dust

If you don’t want to use diatomaceous earth, CimeXa Insecticide Dust is a worthy replacement. The difference is that diatomaceous earth is made of natural substances, while this one is made of manufactured silica powder. When it comes to killing bed bugs, neither of these is to be taken as a joke. Both of them dry out the skeleton of bed bugs, leaving them dehydrated and eventually dead.

CimeXa drains the water from bed bugs, making them dry and dead within a few days. Strangely enough, many users reported that this powder is more effective than diatomaceous earth, so you can get an idea about its power.

Applying CimeXa powder is a piece of cake. Since this is a powder, its residual effect is far more long-lasting than typical sprays. When bed bugs pass through the powder, even the slightest particle will attach, which is enough for certain death.

Proof Bed Bug Spray

Proof Bed Bug Spray is a natural bed bug spray with a natural alternative – neem oil. This biopesticide comes with 5.5% neem oil in the form of an active ingredient. For those who didn’t know, neem oil is found in the seeds of a neem tree.

Even though this is a ‘natural’ spray, it can kill bed bugs very quickly, so don’t let that natural thing fool you. This is a perfect bed bug spray for various purposes and places, including not only furniture but also holes, clothes, bags, shoes, etc. The residual effect is also here and as the manufacturer says, it lasts about a week.

Despite being natural, this spray also has some terrible fumes and requires constant application to be effective. Just to warn you – the spray can harm you if you inhale it, so keep your children away from the sprayed surfaces.

What to Look for When Buying a Bed Bug Spray?

Residual Effect

The first thing you should look for is the residual effect. In the best-case scenario, your spray should have a residual effect because it will then be able to kill bed bugs long after you’ve applied it. If not, the spray will dry out fast and bed bugs will die only when you apply the spray. On our list, almost every spray has a residual effect.

On-Contact Killing Capabilities

Do you want to kill bed bugs on contact or do you want them to die slowly? Either way, the bed bugs will die and it’s just a matter of personal preference. If you want bed bugs to die immediately, so you can clear up the infestation faster, you should buy a spray that kills on contact.

Odor

Do you want your spray to be odorless? In many cases, the answer is positive. Some people are allergic to odors coming from bed bug sprays, so it’s not recommended that they suffer some odor and bad fumes. If you can’t find a spray without an odor that meets your needs, you can buy a fumigation mask and use it while you’re applying the spray. Alternatively, you’ll need to leave the room for a few days after applying the spray.

List of Sources

Bond, C.; Buhl, K.; Stone, D. (2012). Neem Oil General Fact Sheet. National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services.
Miller D. Using Heat to Kill Bed Bugs. Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech.
Koehler, P.G., Pereira R. M., Pfiester, M., Hertz, J. ( 2011). Bed bugs and blood-sucking conenose. EDIS.