Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (2024)

Ortho Home Defense is best known for killing nasty pests indoors, such as bugs, termites, and carpet beetles. However, does Ortho Home Defense kill bed bugs and finally give you a good night’s rest?

We’ve researched and compiled everything you need to know about Ortho Home Defense – from its ingredients, effectivity, and how you can use it.

Contents

  • Can Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer Get Rid of Bed Bugs?
  • What is Ortho Home Defense?
  • What’s the Active Ingredient in This Bed Bug Killer?
  • How To Use It
  • Is Ortho Home Defense Really Effective?
  • What Can It Kill Aside From Bed Bugs?
  • FAQs
    • How long does it take Ortho to kill bed bugs?
    • How long does Ortho Home Defense for bed bugs last?
    • How often should you use Ortho Home Defense?
  • Key Takeaways

Can Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (1)

Yes, Ortho Home Defense may be effective in eliminating bed bugs. If you’ve already tried everything and the home remedies to get rid of bed bugs didn’t work, another alternative is a chemical treatment like the Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer. This chemical solution effectively kills indoor and outdoor insects in as fast as 24 hours.

Discovered centuries ago, bed bugs are nocturnal parasites that feed on human and animal blood [1]. These insects can live for months even without feeding on blood. Once they have found a food source, bed bugs will continuously feed on their host and reproduce.

If you’ve already tried everything and the home remedies to get rid of bed bugs didn’t work, another alternative is a chemical treatment like the Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer. This chemical solution effectively kills indoor and outdoor insects in as fast as 24 hours.

What is Ortho Home Defense?

Ortho Home Defense is a chemical product designed to kill insects that invade homes, from ants to bed bugs. The solution contains an active ingredient that can kill pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs and their eggs, which are the most difficult to eradicate.

Through Ortho Home Defense, you can ensure that your home is protected from insect infestation by spot treating the areas they hide in, such as bed frames, mattresses, baseboards, cracks, and crevices. Also, it doesn’t only eradicate insect problems but acts as a barrier to keep them out of your home.

What’s the Active Ingredient in This Bed Bug Killer?

Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (2)

Ortho Home Defense contains Bifenthrin. This active ingredient is a neurotoxin and insecticide, directly affecting insects’ nervous systems and killing them. In short, once bed bugs get in contact with Bifenthrin, they will eventually die.

While bed bugs don’t spread disease to humans, their bites are irritating and itchy, which may cause insomnia or lack of sleep [2]. This means that eradicating your bed bug problem is necessary before it worsens.

If you’ve tried many solutions to get rid of bed bugs and none of them works, the Ortho Home Defense is very efficient as it contains a generous amount of Bifenthrin.

How To Use It

If you’re to treat a bed bug problem or eliminate insects infesting your home, follow the steps below on how to use Ortho Home Defense indoors:

  • Identify the infected areas.
  • Shake the product well before applying.
  • Place the spray nozzle into an indoor setting.
  • Hold the sprayer 12 inches from the surfaces needed to be treated.
  • Apply the product in a 4-inch band in the interior of your home, where insects are commonly found.
  • Spray the product until slightly wet but not soaking.

For outdoor application, follow the steps above but apply a 12-inch band on the exterior perimeter of your home, especially on areas where insects are commonly found.

Is Ortho Home Defense Really Effective?

Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (3)

Yes, Ortho Home Defense is effective as it contains an active chemical that instantly kills insects. However, the product’s effect may vary depending on what type of insect you’re trying to eliminate. In addition, the proper application should be considered since it can affect the product’s efficacy.

If you’re applying the product a bit far away from infected areas, it may not completely kill insects. Temperature and weather should also be considered during application as they can lessen the effect of the chemical once diluted by rain or burned by direct sunlight.

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What Can It Kill Aside From Bed Bugs?

Since Ortho Home Defense is created to protect homes from infestation, it can kill other insects such as Eastern Sprucegall Adelgids, ants, aphids, bees, beetles, borers, Boxelder bugs, Bristletails, caterpillars, centipedes, and Hairy and Southern Chinch bugs.

Furthermore, it can eradicate different types of co*ckroaches, cat and dog fleas, flies, fungus gnats, grasshoppers, hornets, lace bugs, leaf-footed squash bugs, leafhoppers, leafrollers, mealybugs, midges, millipedes, mites, mole crickets, mosquitoes, moths, plant bugs, scorpions, ticks, termites, wasps, yellowjackets, and more.

Do’s & Don’ts When Using Ortho Home Defense

Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (4)

  • Apply around bed frames, headboards, floors, carpet, baseboards, furniture, walls, molding, and ceilings.
  • Moist the tufts, edges, folds, seams, and sides for an infested mattress.
  • Spot treat luggage, closets, drapes, windows, and wall appointments.
  • Apply on pets sleeping areas, beds, carpets, floor, and floor covers.
  • Apply on entry points, including doors, windows, and water pipes.
  • Do not mop or wipe the treated areas.
  • Do not move treated clothing or furniture to prevent the spread of bed bug infestation.
  • Do not spray near electrical equipment due to shock hazards.
  • Do not spray on areas where humans often stay.
  • Do not spray to bed linens or areas where humans will have direct contact.
  • Do not use it as a broadcast spray.
  • Do not apply to humans and animals.

FAQs

How long does it take Ortho to kill bed bugs?

While the Bifenthrin is known to kill insects in as fast as 24 hours, Ortho Home Defense should be applied for 2-4 treatment sessions in 3-6 weeks to eliminate bed bugs completely. However, it may take longer than this, depending on the severity of the infestation.

How long does Ortho Home Defense for bed bugs last?

Ortho Home Defense offers a specific chemical product to kill bed bugs for up to 16 weeks if applied to ceramic areas.

How often should you use Ortho Home Defense?

Applying it after 3 months for re-treatment is recommended if you use Ortho Home Defense. The Ortho Home Defense chemical products should be used as a preventive treatment or if insects are recurring in certain areas for long-lasting protection. Learn how to prepare for a bed bug treatment here.

Key Takeaways

If you’re into DIY treatment, the Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer chemical product is a great alternative solution to eliminate and prevent bed bug infestation. This is a step-up treatment solution if your bed bug problem is still controllable.

However, if your home has a severe bed bug infestation, the chemical products will only cost you more money and time, making you even more frustrated. So, if you wish to eliminate bed bugs in your home completely, it is ideal to ask for help from pest control experts.

References:

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7345932/
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html

Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (5)

Alene Schill

Alene Schill is a property manager from Columbus, Ohio, who has dealt with numerous pest control agencies. She helps families find the perfect homes and knows very well that bed bugs are an ultimate deal-breaker. She enjoys cycling around Scioto Mile during her spare time.

Does Ortho Home Defense Kill Bed Bugs? (2022 Updated) (2024)

FAQs

Does Ortho Home Defense work on bedbugs? ›

To kill hard-to-reach bed bugs on contact, apply Ortho® Home Defense Max® Bed Bug & Flea Killer Powder. Dust product in empty dressers and clothes closets, around wallpaper edges, and where wall-to-wall carpeting meets wall edges and baseboards. It kills bed bugs by contact and controls them for up to 8 months.

How long does it take for Ortho Home Defense to kill bed bugs? ›

The active chemical in Ortho Home Defense, Bifenthrin, is an insecticide and neurotoxin that directly affects the nervous system of insects, killing them within a 24-hour timespan. Put simply, it will kill bed bugs that come in contact with it, but with some downsides you must be aware of prior to application.

What spray do professionals use for bed bugs? ›

Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids: Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are the most common compounds used to control bed bugs and other indoor pests. Pyrethrins are botanical insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethroids are synthetic chemical insecticides that act like pyrethrins.

What's the best defense against bed bugs? ›

Carefully vacuum rugs, floors, upholstered furniture, bed frames, under beds, around bed legs, and all cracks and crevices around the room. Change the bag after each use so the bed bugs can't escape. Place the used bag in a tightly sealed plastic bag and in an outside garbage bin.

How often should you spray your house for bed bugs? ›

You should treat every two weeks until activity is gone. 43 of 60 people found this answer helpful.

What kills bed bugs permanently? ›

Heat is one of the best ways to kill bed bugs. Pest experts use professional heating elements to kill bedbugs. You can also use a steam cleaner with a diffuser to kill bed bugs hiding in fabrics and baseboards.

Is Ortho Home Defense as good as an exterminator? ›

A Do-It-Yourself Pest Control Option

Ortho Home Defense is a very good product, but it's not quite as good as the label would have you believe. While it will definitely help keep pests away, quite simply it will not last for up to 12 months – no commercially available poison will.

Can I use Ortho bed bug spray on my couch? ›

A: We appreciate your interest in Ortho Home Defense Bed Bug, Flea & Tick Killer. Home Defense can be applied to the folds, seams, and edges of your couch but it is not recommended that you make broadcast applications to surfaces that will have prolonged human contact.

How often can you use Ortho Home Defense? ›

Use anytime as a preventative treatment or after you see evidence of insect activity for long-lasting control. Re-treatment is recommended at least once per season (3 months) outdoors.

Is there any bed bug spray that really works? ›

There are no magic sprays that kill bed bugs very well. Most commercial insecticides will kill bed bugs if applied carefully and directly to the insects and their hiding places. An exception is “Bug bombs”, or aerosol foggers. Foggers are mostly ineffective in controlling bed bugs.

How can you tell if bed bugs are gone? ›

One of the questions that we are frequently asked is: “when can I be sure the bed bugs are gone?” The short answer is that if you have had a professional treatment and if it has been three weeks since the end of the treatment with no signs (i.e. bites, live bugs, new fecal matter or casts skins) of continuing ...

What baking soda kills bed bugs instantly? ›

How to Kill Bed Bugs With Baking Soda Mixture - YouTube

Can bed bugs go through a plastic mattress cover? ›

Protecting an infested mattress or piece of furniture with a plastic covering can indeed help to contain an infestation to that area. If noticed early, trapping bed bugs at the source of the infestation under plastic can starve and suffocate them before they have the opportunity to spread any further.

How do I ensure I have no bed bugs? ›

Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs. Vacuum frequently to remove any successful hitchhikers. Be vigilant when using shared laundry facilities. Transport items to be washed in plastic bags (if you have an active infestation, use a new bag for the journey home).

What keeps bed bugs from biting you? ›

Washing bed sheets and other bedding in high temperatures

Washing your bed sheets and other bedding such as pillowcases and blankets in hot water is a simple and inexpensive way to stop bed bugs from biting you right at where you sleep every night.

How many treatments does it take to get rid of bed bugs? ›

It typically takes anywhere from 2-4 treatment sessions over a period of 3-6 weeks to completely eliminate bed bugs, depending on the level of infestation and the size of the house. However, each situation is unique.

How long do bed bugs live in a plastic bag? ›

Bug bugs live in plastic, and considering adults can survive approximately five months without feeding, this removal method is not effective. Not to mention that by simply placing bed bugs in plastic bags haphazardly, you risk spreading the infestation from one location to another.

How long do bed bugs live after spraying? ›

How long do bed bugs live after spraying? Results vary depending on the insecticide and whether the bed bugs were sprayed directly or indirectly. If you do not spot any signs of bed bugs or bites for the first three weeks post-treatment, your infestation has likely been contained.

What kills bed bugs instantly DIY? ›

Here are a few steps that may help you reduce the colony of the bedbugs at your home.
  1. Hot water. ...
  2. Vacuum. ...
  3. Steam cleaner. ...
  4. Diatomaceous earth. ...
  5. Baking soda. ...
  6. Black walnut tea. ...
  7. Tea tree oil. ...
  8. Cayenne pepper.
Jul 13, 2022

How do you get rid of bed bugs in one day? ›

As the temperature throughout the house is slowly cranked up to nearly 120 degrees, the bed bugs don't react – they simply sit by and allow themselves to be killed by the extreme heat. For this reason, a heat treatment is the only truly effective way to get rid of bed bugs – and in just about a day.

How long does it take Ortho Home Defense to work? ›

My Ortho Home Defense arrived quickly and with the necessary wand (some reviews mentioned damaged containers or missing wands - that didn't happen for me!). I sprayed inside and outside of my room, creating a barrier like the instructions state to do. About 48 hours later, most bugs had died/left the area.

Can you mop after using Ortho Home Defense? ›

Our best recommendation is to wait 24 hours following the interior treatment for any heavy cleaning. That way you make sure that the treatment is down long enough to work properly.

Can you spray Ortho Home Defense in cabinets? ›

Ortho Home Defense MAX Insect Killer Indoor & Perimeter can only be used along baseboards in kitchens , you cannot use inside cabinets.

How can you tell if your couch has bed bugs? ›

How to Inspect a Couch for Bed Bugs (BBTV #44) - YouTube

How long does ortho bed bug spray take to dry? ›

Leave for 24 hours.

Can you spray Ortho bed bug spray on mattress? ›

Use in large areas including carpet, baseboards, closets, and mattresses. Use for spot treatment on and around bed frames, headboards, box springs, and luggage. Apply to cracks and crevices in bed frames, along baseboards, and near window frames where bugs like to hide.

How long is home defense Good For? ›

Use indoors and as an outdoor foundation treatment. It kills ants, roaches, spiders, fleas, ticks and other listed insects. Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier has up to 12 month control for co*ckroaches on non-porous surfaces.

Can I spray Ortho Home Defense on wood floors? ›

Will stain your tile and hardwood floors! This stuff will leave a waxy appearance wherever you spray it.

Does Ortho Home Defense stain walls? ›

Ortho Home Defense MAX Insect Killer for Indoor & Perimeter1 with Comfort Wand easily kills indoor pests, including ants, co*ckroaches, spiders, fleas and ticks. Use with confidence in kitchens, bathrooms and throughout the house to kill common indoor pests, with no staining or odors.

Is Ortho Home Defense as good as an exterminator? ›

A Do-It-Yourself Pest Control Option

Ortho Home Defense is a very good product, but it's not quite as good as the label would have you believe. While it will definitely help keep pests away, quite simply it will not last for up to 12 months – no commercially available poison will.

Do pheromone traps work for bed bugs? ›

If a synthetic pheromone co*cktail were used in a trap, you could imagine how it may effectively snag the bugs until they could be killed and discarded. In field studies, the researchers found that their traps worked on both male and female bed bugs from all six of the insect's life stages.

Can you spray Ortho Home Defense on furniture? ›

Yes, you most certainly can use Ortho Home Defense Bed Bug, Flea & Tick Killer on hardwood floors or wooden furniture.

How many hours do you need to stay out of your home after spraying for bugs? ›

Once pest control experts are done with their treatment, ask them how long you need to stay out of your home. Usually, one has to wait for two to four hours and 24 hours maximum to stay away from home. After fumigation, you need to stay away for 24 hours and 3 hours if exterminators spray outside.

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