Are Bug Bombs for Home Safe and Easy?

January 4th, 2010 Posted in Organic & Chemical Pesticides


Bug bombs. They’re supposedly easy to use, promising to eliminate pests in your home with little effort on your part. Just activate the can, and it will do its “magic” while you run some errands.

bug bomb for home


But if bug bombs for the home are so simple, why do so many consumers misuse them? And what do bug bombs actually exterminate anyway?

Read on to find out:



Are bug bombs safe and easy to use for home?

Bug bombs for home use are considered a do-it-yourself home pest control option. Intended for eliminating pests, bug bombs, or total release foggers (TRFs), may also harm humans and pets.

Between 2001 and 2006, a study was conducted in 8 states (Florida, California, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington); from this report, 466 people acquired injuries or illnesses while using bug bombs. In one case, an infant died overnight in a home that had been treated with a TRF earlier in the day. The state of New York reported 123 of these 466 cases, and in 2008, banned the pesticide from consumers.

The issue is that many consumers do not follow the directions on the product label. The directions and precautions for home bug bombs are typically extensive, so it’s no surprise that consumers don’t take the time to read them.

Typical misuse of bug bombs include:

  • Using too many TRFs in a space.

  • Not notifying neighbors in a multi-family residence (e.g. an apartment building) where units share a ventilation system.

  • Returning home prematurely or not leaving at all.


home bug bombs


Using too many TRFs in a space.

Bug bombs are extremely flammable as they are highly pressurized. TRF labels advise consumers to extinguish all flames and lights and to call their gas utility or management company if assistance is needed.

But in 2003, a family’s house exploded in San Diego. The family set off a total of 19 bug bombs in their 470-square-foot home, while the pilot light was still on. The couple and their child left the house as directed, stood in the backyard and watched their house blow up. Other bug bomb home explosions have been reported as a result of misuse.

Moral of this story? Heed the product label’s warning.

TRFs claim to disperse throughout an entire 600- to 875-square-feet, even into cracks and carpet fibers. But when activated, a can releases its entire contents upwards into the air and gradually settles onto floors and other surfaces.

But this dispersal method is not very effective for getting into cracks and other pest hiding places, especially depending on how the home is laid out. This may be why some consumers decide to use multiple foggers.

vent


Not notifying neighbors in a multi-family residence with a shared ventilation system.

Bug Bombs for home use direct consumers to take a number of other precautions before treating an area. For example, they direct users to close outside doors and windows and to shut off fans and air conditioners. After activation, users are advised to leave the home for four hours, and upon returning, ventilate the enclosed area for 30 minutes before reoccupying.

Why? According to one TRF warning label, bug bombs may be harmful if swallowed or inhaled, so it is important to avoid breathing vapors, especially people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and reactive airways disease. After breathing fog, people with these conditions may develop serious breathing difficulty and may even require medical attention.

This means that if you share a ventilation system with neighbors, they should take safety measures as well and leave to avoid breathing in the fumes. Unfortunately, this advisement is not included explicitly on bug bomb directions, so consumers do not notify neighbors.

Whether you live in an apartment or a single-family residence, consider leaving a note on your entry door indicating that the home is being fogged. This will alert any roommates and others not to enter. The note will also alert the fire department in case the fog triggers the fire alarm.

In one case, bug bomb fog triggered a fire alarm, eliciting a response from the fire department. No one answered the door and fire fighters entered through a window to check for a fire. Once they spotted the fogger cans, they left but one fire fighter was overexposed to the fumes.

bug bombs for home


Returning home prematurely or not leaving at all.

As aforementioned, most bug bombs direct users to leave their home and not return until four hours have passed since treatment. They also tell consumers to remove pets (e.g. dogs, cats, birds) and cover and turn off airflow systems in aquariums.

Occupants must leave because the pesticides can cause skin and eye irritation. Even after handling the can to activate, users are told to wash contaminated clothing and themselves thoroughly with soap and water.

With all of these precautions, it may seem obvious that occupants should stay away for at least the recommended four hours.

But leaving for that long is quite an inconvenience, unless your family, pets included, plan to run some errands or make a day trip. But this doesn’t give consumers much freedom, which is likely why consumers enter a treated area prematurely.


Do bug bombs work for exterminating home pests?

Not only are they potentially harmful to humans and pets, but bug bombs aren’t the most effective home pest extermination method.

Home bug bombs direct users to open all drawers, cabinets and closets in areas where pests may live. But very little insecticide penetrates into the cracks and hidden locations in which pets, like cockroaches, usually infest.

Also, the ingredients within bug bombs tend to be repellent, which causes pests to disperse away from the fumes and move deeper into hard-to-reach areas.

dead roach



Alternatives to bug bombs for home

A more effective alternative is to use a direct treatment bug spray that kills pests on contact.

Have pantry pests, for example?

To get rid of pantry pests with a bug bomb, the process is involved:

  1. Remove or cover exposed foods, dishes, and food preparation surfaces in entire room.

  2. Vacuum pantry area to remove any food crumbs, eggs and larvae.

  3. Close outside doors and windows.

  4. Shut off any fans and air conditioners.

  5. Turn off all flames, like a pilot light, and lights, or any electronics that turn on and off automatically.

  6. Place bug bomb in center of room. Do not place a bug bomb in a cupboard or pantry or under a table.

  7. Activate bug bomb and leave home for four hours.

  8. Return to ventilate home for 30 minutes.

  9. Clean all food preparation surfaces after use.

With a targeted spray, users can spray directly in a pantry—no need to treat an entire room.

safe


Take EcoSMART Home Pest Control, for instance. Made from organic plant oils, it kills bugs naturally, and is a safe pest control option, even for use around children and pets; so unlike when you use bug bombs for home, you don’t have to leave your house for four hours. Instead, you can conveniently stay in the comfort of your home.

In the case of treating a pest infested pantry, the list of preparation steps is short and simple:

  1. Remove food from pantry or cupboard.

  2. Vacuum affected area to remove any food crumbs, eggs and larvae.

  3. Wash shelves with soap and water.

  4. Spray EcoSMART Home Pest Control.

  5. Put food back.

Since EcoSMART Home Pest Control doesn’t leave pesticide residue, you can put food back right away, worry-free.




  1. 30 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!

  2. By James Bergstrom on Jan 4, 2010

    Hello,

    Here’s one for you: I have a trailer that is permanently parked on a piece of remote land in southern Arizona at 4,550 ft. elevation.

    Last week we were sleeping in our trailer and heard our dog moving around a lot under our bed, his sleeping “den” place.

    The next day, while re-arranging his bed quilt, we found an engorged Reduviidae beetle, sometimes called a “Kissing Bug”. It had been feeding upon our poor dog throughout the night.

    Which product would you like us to test in response to this insect challenge?

    James Bergstrom

  3. By Isabel Behrmann on Jan 19, 2010

    I’ve had bad past experiences with bug bombs in my home. For the most part they were not as effective as I’d hoped for. In addition, one of the bombs left quite an unpleasant odor which in effect swore us off of bug bombs ever again!

    Isabel B.

  4. By Kevin Craven on Mar 31, 2010

    My dogs fleas make me need to use a bug bomb.

  5. By chris bains on Apr 20, 2010

    We live in a mobile home in rural so-cal,lately we’ve been experiencing a moth infestation they’ve even gotten into unopened boxes of dry goods in our pantry and laid eggs,will your product eliminate these pests and keep them away?

  6. By EcoSMART Megan on Apr 21, 2010

    Dear Chris,

    Sounds like you have pantry pests, this article, Get Rid of Pantry Pests with Organic Bug Sprays, will have more helpful information for you.

    And yes, EcoSMART works on pantry pests!

  7. By Serenity Lane on Jun 6, 2010

    HELP! I have a few issues. Camel Crickets/Grand Daddy Long Legs & EARWIGS! The earwigs are AWFUL, I find them everywhere. I have a dog as well so I need something I can use inside as well as outside that is safe for humans & pets. Can your products help?

  8. By Laura Hagood on Jun 24, 2010

    I would definitely like something to kill off ants, roaches, stinging insects, and spiders. I despise them all and would like only to use a product that will not harm my dog or cat in any way.

  9. By Ashley on Jul 3, 2010

    We live in a basement duplex and have earwigs EVERYWHERE!! We have tried everything on the market, as well as spraying both inside and outside. Will your product work on earwigs?

    Ashley

  10. By Rebecca Smothers on Jul 29, 2010

    I have noticed some little bugs in our bathroom and its flea season I really would like to get ahead of the battle before its to much I live in a mobile home and am not sure about bombing

  11. By Debi Hein on Jul 29, 2010

    I live in an older mobile home there are a lot of stray cats around and I’m worried my dog will bring fleas in to the home with him and do not want to bomb

  12. By Lisa Duncan on Aug 6, 2010

    Here in Florida we get a lot of pests that prefer it indoors. My 9 year old is allergic to roaches and with a 5 month old I’m worried about using a lot of chemicals. I’d love to test EcoSmart and review it on my blog.

  13. By April on Aug 8, 2010

    We just recently bought a home that was built in 1908. It was unoccupied for over a year before we moved in. There was a horrible spider problem and so I used bug bombs. They sort of worked, I found lots of dead spiders afterwards. But now they seem to be coming back as well as other bugs. We have a 6 month old baby, a dog, and two cats so I don’t want to set off any more bombs but I need my bug problem fixed!

  14. By Jessi McKenna-Snyder on Aug 17, 2010

    Oddly enough, I just saw this product in the store (clearance shelf) for the first time yesterday afternoon while on a search for a safer bug bomb. I have pets and two, young children. We are infested with flies right now, and they are venturing into all of my room. I would love to be able to try this, as my daughter also has bronchial problems, and I greatly dislike having to cover up all of the kids’ toys or wash them all.

  15. By Jessi Beeson on Sep 8, 2010

    We moved into a home that was not cleaned on a regular basis by the prev. owners. Now we have a problem with spiders. They are everywhere. I make the bed in the morning & by night, there is at least one spider in the sheets. If I fold a blanket in the living room, the next day spiders fall out of it when I pick it up off the couch. I have a son & a dog so I am looking for a way to kill the bugs without harming the family.

  16. By Delina on Sep 15, 2010

    Hi. We have been having lots of problems with spiders, crickets, bettles and sugar ants. Will the spray work after it dries or is it a contact only spray? If not how often would you have to re-spray?

    I really would like to get rid of the bugs and bombs are out becuase we live in an apartment and traps are out because I have a very curious two year old! I would love to find something to get rid of these bugs for good!

  17. By heather on Sep 25, 2010

    I just found my first centipede in my kitchen! I moved to kauai recently and still hate the bugs! will this product work on centipedes and cane spiders? I’d like to test it because I also have a pet.

  18. By heather on Sep 25, 2010

    I just found my first centipede in my kitchen. My place doesn’t have baseboards and I need something that will keep all the hawaiian bugs out (centipedes. Roaches. Cane spiders…) I would love a natural product to protect my cat.

  19. By Jennifer on Oct 6, 2010

    I would like to rid our unfinished basement of spiders, centipedes, and cockroaches- in a safe manner!
    I really hope this works- I do not want to use chemicals in my home.

  20. By Dayle on Nov 10, 2010

    We have just moved into a new home after having a lot of our possessions in storage. We are finding that we are getting every kind of bug appearing every day!
    I doubt highly its the house more the boxes that have been in storage. As the house is clean will your products help eradicate these pesky bugs?

  21. By Diego Sainz on Nov 12, 2010

    We are fighting an infestation of fleas. We have used multiple powders, sprays, etc. Washed our cat so many times he avoids the bath areas. I am not looking forward to bombing the house but we are at wits end.

  22. By Angela on Jan 27, 2011

    We are looking for something that will eliminate roaches and sometimes ants. We’ve tried Raid and Bengal products and was thinking about a Bomb.

    Your suggestions please.

  23. By EcoSMART Kait on Feb 2, 2011

    Hi Angela,

    You should try using EcoSMART Ant and Roach Killer before going the bug bomb route. You can find it at your local Walmart or Home Depot. It is also available online at http://www.ecosmart.com.

  24. By Kevin on Mar 21, 2011

    I would love to test EcoSMART bug eliminators. What would work for spiders? I don’t have any other problems in my condo EXCEPT for spiders. Can this product help me get rid of them for awhile? I have 2 dogs and their safety is a top priority. If not to test, I’ll happily buy the product after your advice.

    Thank you!

  25. By EcoSMART Kait on Apr 8, 2011

    Hi Kevin,

    EcoSMART Spider Blaster should do the trick. However, it may not yet be available in your area. This is from our website:

    NOTE on AVAILABILITY: EcoSMART is launching many new products and working with states that require registration of EPA exempt products. As a result, this product may not be available in all states at this time. Please check with EcoSMART for updates on availability.

    If it’s not available in your state, you can try other EcoSMART products like EcoSMART Home Pest Control to see if it helps in the meantime.

    Good luck!

  26. By Susan Bliss on Jun 12, 2011

    I like eco-friendly products that work. We may have several brown recluse under our modular home. I considered a bug bomb, but after reading about how your product works, I am definitely interested in a test run.

  27. By jeremy on Aug 20, 2011

    i have problem with black carpet beetles. i would love to try your product to see if is effective. bought bug bombs but am nervous using them around my kids and pets

  28. By Michelle on Sep 4, 2011

    We have a huge problem with spiders and now a growing problem including crickets and other pantry bugs. We are sure in need of a good product and hope theres one out there. I hope you can reach the 1,000 comments because a lot of us out here are running out of options and are eager to find something that works!

  29. By Kaylee on Sep 6, 2011

    I have never had roach problems. Since I have moved into the apartment complex I am in now and I am experiencing a bad roach prolem. Also, some of the apartments are now having proplems with bed bugs. Will EcoSMART work for these to bug problems?

  30. By Candice on Sep 16, 2011

    We have tons of fruit flies, regular flies and carpenter ants. Do you have 1 product that can be used on all of these insects. Occasionally we have moths as well. I would love to use a safe product as it is not fun to leave for hours and find places to go with a baby and place for our cats!

  31. By Anna on Oct 1, 2011

    My husband and I just moved into a new apartment. I’m 5 months pregnant and have asthma. Our apartment is absolutely infested with German Cockroaches and the apartment manager has already sent out an exterminator. However, whatever spray the exterminator used caused me to have a severe asthma attack several hours after he had left and gave us the all clear. I’m desperate to get rid of these roaches, especially before the baby comes. Hopefully your product will do the trick, if not, I’m tempted to blow this whole place up. :P

30 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers! (details)