Do Bug Bombs Really Work

Do Bug Bombs Really Work

You may have seen them in the aisle near the laundry soap, by the mouse traps, or on TV… And you may have started thinking about the roaches you’ve seen around the house. Bug bombs – They seem like a great idea. Just pull the pin and set it up, close the door, and when it’s done doing its thing all the pests in the room are dead.

To humans, it makes perfect sense. If we were in there with it, we sure wouldn’t like it. It’s natural to imagine an impenetrable cloud of pesticide taking care of your problem for good. Does it really work that easily? In this article, we’ll cover the pros and cons of the bug bomb approach to pest control.

What Are Bug Bombs?

Bug bombs, pest foggers, automatic saturators… Whatever you want to call them, the idea is the same: You have a canister of pressurized insecticide that releases a fog on an extended-release. You pull a tab or twist a nozzle, and the bug bomb begins to deliver its payload. The idea is that you keep the fog in the room you’re bombing long enough for any insect inside to die.

Are Bug Bombs Safe?

Because the product works by filling the air with poisonous chemicals, you shouldn’t inhale them. The fumes are harmful; if used incorrectly, the chemicals can damage furniture and fabric. The substances are also flammable, especially in large concentrations or in small spaces. If you have pets, they’re particularly susceptible to damage from a bug bomb.

Do Bug Bombs Work?

The bug bomb is a great idea. The bugs don’t stand a chance if all of the air in a room is poisoned. Right? Well, unfortunately, the truth is a bit disappointing. Most pests are intelligent creatures, and more importantly, they’re very small. The poison doesn’t get into cracks and often leaves safe spaces under furniture. Forget about it getting into the walls.

What tends to happen is insects in a room retreat to their usual hiding spaces. When they find they can’t return to their established feeding grounds, they seek greener pastures. This means they spread throughout your house. Even worse, many pests these days are resistant to the chemicals in most commercial foggers. Let’s take cockroaches, for example.

You’ve heard that they can survive nuclear fallout, we’re sure. They can often comfortably occupy spaces where a bug bomb is deployed. Worse still, killing the weak roaches only leaves you with pests resistant to pesticides.

Alternatives to the Bug Bomb

While a bug bomb might work for a storage unit or similarly small, sealed space, they don’t do the trick at home. Instead, focus on disturbing the pests’ environment. Remove clutter, reduce moisture and humidity, and keep food sealed. All pests should be controlled from your home by filling outside entrances.

A good, healthy environment for people usually isn’t great for pests. If you still have problems coming in, don’t hesitate to get professional help. Repeat infestations signify a colony living somewhere in the home you can’t get to. You can read more about some of the sneaky ways pests hide on our website.

If you’ve got a pest issue that won’t go away, skip the bug bomb. Call Total Pest Solutions instead!