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Bed bugs: the bites, finding them, and getting rid of them safely
For anyone who woke up with bites, found a bug they think is a bed bug, or has bed bugs at home, in a shelter or in an apartment building. Bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home, and they are not known to spread disease. This page passes on, by name, what CDC’s page About Bed Bugs says, what the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) bed bug pages say, and what the MedlinePlus summary says (from the National Library of Medicine): the bites and the itch, the signs and where they hide, EPA’s steps to get rid of them and what never to use, telling a landlord, and how to keep them out. It builds the words to tell a landlord, shelter staff or a doctor and prints a record card to keep.
Right now
- Trouble breathing, or swelling of the face, lips or throat after bites? Call 911. That line is ours: CDC says a severe allergic reaction to bed bug bites is rare, and to speak with a healthcare provider about an allergic reaction.
- Don’t panic, and don’t throw everything out. Most things can be treated and saved; throwing things out costs money and can spread the bugs (EPA).
- Never use rubbing alcohol, kerosene or gasoline, and never try to heat the home with the thermostat, a space heater or the fireplace to kill them: EPA says these are dangerous. Bug bombs only with extreme care, and only if bed bugs are on the label (EPA).
- Make sure it is a bed bug: an extension agent can identify a sample at no cost. If you rent, tell your landlord: the units near yours should be inspected (EPA).
- For the itch: bites usually need no medical treatment; antiseptic creams or lotions and not scratching help (CDC).
More help
- A severe allergic reaction: the signs and what to do. An emergency of another kind: First aid: what to do right now.
- Your landlord: Write to your landlord (a repair request, in writing). Facing eviction: what to do.
- Another rash or itch: A rash, an itch, or something going around at home: find the right page · Scabies · Head lice.
- A place to sleep tonight: A place to stay. No insurance: When you need a doctor and can’t pay.
- All our free tools.
A rash or an itch, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for a rash, an itch or something going around at home, on one list.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor, nurse or pest control professional has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 14, 2026 on government pages: About Bed Bugs on cdc.gov (reviewed April 26, 2024); EPA’s bed bug pages on epa.gov, chiefly How to Find Bed Bugs (updated September 8, 2026), Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control (updated August 10, 2026), Top Ten Tips to Prevent or Control Bed Bugs, Protecting Your Home from Bed Bugs, Safety Issues in Controlling Bed Bugs, Bed Bug Myths, Protecting Yourself from Bed Bugs in Public Places, What Landlords Need to Know about Bed Bugs and Local Resources for Bed Bug Assistance; and the summary of the MedlinePlus health topic Bed Bugs, from the National Library of Medicine. The 911 line is ours: no source page gives one. Medicines: CDC names only antiseptic creams or lotions and an antihistamine; no name and no amount is given here. What we left out: product and brand names, home remedies, any state’s or city’s rules about landlords and tenants (EPA says to check the housing codes and laws where you live), and EPA’s how-to for making interceptor traps (it is on EPA’s page). This page saves nothing and loads no trackers.