Does Raid Spray Kill Bed Bugs?

With so many different brands and products on grocery store shelves for pest control, it can be hard to pick the right one to deal with the bed bug infestation in your household.

 Raid is one of the most popular brands in the U.S. used to deal with annoying insects produced by SC Johnson. They also have a line of products designed to eliminate bed bugs. All are lab-tested, and it is easy to see where the spray scientifically formulated to kill pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs is.

But does Raid spray kill bed bugs, or is it just a temporary solution? Let’s find out!

Raid Products for Bed Bugs

Raid has a line of insecticide products they claim are effective in killing bed bugs, are long-lasting, work as a spot treatment, and can stay in places for up to four weeks. These include:

• Raid Bed Bug Foaming Spray – These sprays, once sprayed on surfaces, the bed bug foaming spray product will start foaming up, and thus the foam expands into any nearby hard-to-reach places like crevices. When the foam expands, it will not stain water-safe fabrics and surfaces and can be used for direct spray application and a spot treatment; a 16.5 oz spray bottle costs less than $10.

• Raid Max Bed Bug Crack & Crevice Extended Protection Foaming Spray – Pyrethrin and other ingredients in this bed bug foaming spray product are active ingredients. It works similarly to the previous one, getting in hard-to-reach places, but it claims to provide extended protection of up to 8 weeks.

• Raid Max bed bug Extended Protection – another product with 8-week-long protection; it comes in the form of a liquid spray; it costs slightly more than its foam counterparts – around $20.

• Raid Bed Bug Detector and Trap – while this product doesn’t eliminate bedbugs, it can help stop them from climbing on surfaces and your bed, as well as confirm your suspicions if you’re not sure you have them in your home.

• Raid Essentials multi-insect killer – Will kill flying and crawling insects.

• Most insects have a quick life cycle; therefore, a rapid insecticide is required. All of these products claim to be efficient not only for killing bed bugs but also for killing their eggs, as well as specimens that have developed a resistance to pyrethroids. 

Killing bed bugs With Raid bed bug foaming spray

Precise application instructions for using the Raid bed bug foaming spray can be found on the packaging itself. However, if you’ve ever used another insecticide or pesticide, chances are that you’re already familiar with the process:

• Shake the Raid bed bug foaming spray bottle before use.

• Hold the bottle around 10 inches away from the area you want to spray with the nozzle pointed away from yourself.

• Spray the area with Raid bed bug foaming spray until damp.

• Let the Raid bed bug foaming spray air dry.

While the foaming spray is drying, ensure kids and domestic animals don’t come in contact with it. If swallowed, it could cause serious health issues.

Use Raid bed bug max spray for indoor use only in non-food areas where all the bedbugs hide, for instance, hard-to-reach places; they like to hide in indoor cracks and crevices, sleeping areas, mattresses seams, box springs, upholstered furniture, bed frames, window frames, closets, wall hangings, carpet, non-washable items like luggage shoes, and backpacks.

Avoid spraying Raid max bed bug near food, put food and pet food away, and do not contaminate water. Remove pets and birds, and cover fish aquariums before spraying in the room. After use, wash your hands before eating, chewing gum, drinking, or using the toilet.

If you can still smell Raid bed bug spray after a while, ventilate the room.

Use Raid max bed bug killer every week for around eight weeks to ensure all the eggs and nymphs are sprayed in the treated area and will not mature. This is important because a bed bug can survive for a long time between meals and always complete the course.

The Issue with Pesticides

Pesticides are most people’s go-to solution for pest infestation, including bedbugs. These products were specifically designed to deal with this issue, so it’s reasonable to believe they will do a much better job than other DIY solutions. But is this really the case?

There are specific issues with pesticides most people aren’t aware of, so if you’ve used them before and they were ineffective, it might be helpful to find out the reason why. 

Most commercial insecticides are based on one of two groups of chemicals – pyrethrins, and pyrethroids. However, insects can be pretty good at developing resistance to these. Even if only a handful of bugs in your home are pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs, a pyrethroid-resistant bed bug could be enough to start another colony. 

On the other hand, even though most brands will tell you that their product will kill eggs and bed bugs on contact kills bed bugs on surfaces, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will kill them.

There are only three known ways to kill eggs: crushing them, exposing them to extreme temperatures, or treating them with acid. When you use a pesticide, which doesn’t do any of those three things, the eggs survive, hatch within the next ten days, and you have to deal with an infestation all over again.

This is why commercial insecticides usually have to be reapplied once a week for several weeks to ensure no eggs or bugs are left.

Container disposal instructions

Please do not puncture or incinerate the container. If the container is still partly filled, call your local solid waste agency for disposal instructions.

Other Ways to Kill Bed Bugs

Bed bug sprays such as Raid aren’t the most effective solutions out there, but they are the most readily available and easy-to-use ones. However, if you have enough time and want to make sure the infestation doesn’t come back, there are other ways to go about this.

Heat kills Bed Bugs

Exposing all infested areas to high temperatures is one of the most effective known solutions for killing bedbugs. You can do so by washing your clothes and linen in the washing machine at a high temperature and treating the furniture and the rest of the household with a steam cleaner. You will need to produce heat at around 200°F to make sure you kill both eggs and live bugs.

This treatment needs to be repeated several times throughout the week. You can combine it with other DIY methods listed below to make it even more effective.

Professional heat treatment

A bed bug will die when exposed to high temperatures for some time. Heat treatment is highly effective.

Bed bug pest control professionals heat a room to temperatures as high as 145 F. Industrial-sized heaters produce the heat, and the process can take up to 9 hours.

Due to the intense heat, certain household items will need to be removed from the home.

• Houseplants and pets

• Alcohol, fresh food, and food that can melt (e.g., chocolate)

• All medications

• Anything made out of wax or plastics that could melt

• Anything pressurized (e.g., soda bottles, aerosol cans, propane bottles)

• Flammable items and firearm ammunition

• Wooden musical instruments

• Oil paintings

• Phones, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices

The bed bug control expert will talk to you about the items that need to be removed. They can be placed in bags and left outside during heat treatment. The items may need to be inspected for bugs before they are brought back into the home after the heat treatment.

Some further steps need to be taken before heat treatment to protect belongings.

• Turn off and unplug all electronics.

• Cover computers and TV screens with blankets.

• Air conditioners and fans must be turned off to maintain the heat in the home.

Does a hot box eliminate bedbug infestations?

A hot box kills bed bugs with continuous heat on items like clothing, shoes, linen, and luggage.

When you use a hot box, it is essential to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Pay attention to heat sources and ventilation. Failing could result in fires and damage to your belongings.

Products You Have Around the House Can Help

There is a list of products most people have in their homes that can help get rid of bedbugs. These include:

Bleach

As one of the strongest chemicals in the average household, bleach kills bed bugs, although it can take around a day or two to work. If you decide to use bleach, make sure to follow the instructions for diluting it on the bottle, and always use gloves.

Vinegar

Vinegar kills bed bugs when sprayed directly on the bugs, it can’t get rid of a whole colony on its own, but it can definitely help kill individual insects. Pour some vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it on any bed bug you see. Despite its acidity, vinegar does not kill bed bug eggs.

Lysol 

Much like vinegar, Lysol kills bed bugs if they come into physical contact with it. Spray some Lysol on freshly steamed damp areas to increase its effectiveness. It is also ineffective on bed bug eggs and can stain water-safe fabrics.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is made of fossilized algae; this white powder kills bed bugs. What is great about it is there are no chemicals. It is abrasive and kills insects when they come into contact with it by cutting into their exoskeleton, leading to dehydration and death of the insect.

How to use Diatomaceous Earth for indoor use

Apply food grade Diatomaceous Earth for indoor use on areas of an infestation like mattresses, box springs, bed frames, upholstered furniture, carpet, and surfaces. It can take up to a week to eliminate an infestation. Vacuum areas after treatment. Reapply it and repeat for a few weeks until all the infestation has gone. Do not inhale the powder.

Calling Professionals Is the Best Solution

While all these methods work to some extent, the only way to eliminate a bed bug problem and make sure it doesn’t come back is by calling professionals. Exterminators have the experience, skills, and equipment to deal with bedbugs much more effectively than Raid Spray or cleaning products ever could.