Among the most hated, annoying parasites are bed bugs. Once they get into your home or office, getting rid becomes an uphill task. In the efforts to eliminate the bugs, you require a good vacuum cleaner. In this article, we look at the best vacuums for bed bugs in 2024.
We have also included the best steamer for bed bugs.
For a truly effective job, you have to use spray or powder pesticides alongside a steamer to completely eliminate bed bugs. Vacuums are a great way of sucking in a large number of bugs (dead or alive) as well as their eggs before spraying.
Best Vacuum Cleaners for Bed Bugs – Comparison Table
Before we take a look at the best vacuums for bed bugs, here is a quick summary of the 6 products in this review:
| Product Name | Our Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Atrix Bug Sucker HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner (Editor's choice) | 4.5* | |
| 2. Housmile Upgraded UV Anti-Dustmite Vacuum Cleaner | 4* | |
| 3. Atrix Ergo HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner VACBP1 | 4* | |
| 4. Atrix Lil Red Portable Canister Vacuum Cleaner AHSC-1 | 4* | |
| 5. Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum Cleaner | 3.5* | |
| 6. Vapamore MR-100 Primo (Steamer) | 4.5* |
Reviews of the Best Vacuums for Bed Bugs 2024
These are the 5 best vacuums for bed bugs that you can buy in 2024:
1. Atrix Bug Sucker HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner – best vacuum for bed bugs
Atrix International is a household name when it comes to making and selling the best backpack vacuums. When it comes to dealing with bed bugs and their eggs, the Atrix Bug Sucker backpack vacuum is among the best. It is suitable for regular folk as well as professional exterminators.
Being a backpack vacuum, it is easy to use once strapped on. Moreover, it weighs just 10 pounds making it one of the lightest backpack vacuums in the market. Also, it comes with a carpet attachment ideal for cleaning carpets and crevice tool so that you get to all bugs hiding in cracks and crevices. It also has a very strong suction thanks to a 110 Volt, 12 Amps motor.
To ensure that the air remains clean and fresh, this cleaner uses a HEPA filter bag. HEPA filtration captures up to 99.97 percent of chemicals, bacteria, and bug feces and allergens. Also, the vacuum has a large 8-quart capacity. This means that you can remove bed bugs from several locations without replacing the HEPA bag.
Apart from bed bugs, this vacuum is ideal for all kinds of insects and parasites such as dust mites, roaches, spiders, ants, and bees. It can be used virtually anywhere – in homes, cars, schools, hospitals, commercial and industrial buildings.
Features
- Backpack vacuum
- Weighs 10 pounds
- HEPA bag
- Capacity: 8 quarts
- Power cord length: 16.5 feet
- 110V, 12 Amps, 1400 Watt motor
- 18-foot power cord
- Hose plugs
- Filter plugs
- 1-year limited warranty
Pros
- Lightweight
- Powerful suction
- Ideal for bed bugs and other parasites
- Large capacity
- Easy to carry and use
- Relatively quiet (70dB)
- HEPA filtration
- Can be used as a blower
Cons
- The power cord is very short (only 1.5 feet). You have to use an extension cord
Click here to see its current price.
2. Housmile Upgraded UV Anti-Dustmite Vacuum Cleaner – best for mattresses and bedding
This small, compact, lightweight gadget by Housemile is efficient in fighting bed bugs, bacteria, dust mite matters, viruses, and pollen. Moreover, you can get this UV vacuum for less than 100 bucks.
Here, powerful UV light is used to penetrate and kill bed bugs, mites, and other microorganisms. Compared to its predecessor, this cleaner has 20 percent more UV light and an energy cover. This takes its overall efficiency to about 99.97 percent.
In addition to UV light, this vacuum uses high-frequency rotation to agitate the parasites and dislodge them from blankets, duvets, sheets, pillows, and mattresses. Then a powerful suction takes care of the rest. Also, the Housmile Upgraded UV Anti-Dustmite Vacuum Cleaner uses HEPA filtration to ensure that up to 99.97% of pollutants are captured and retained in the unit.
This UV vacuum for bed bugs and other parasites can also be used on couches.
Features
- Weighs 4.5 pounds
- 200ml capacity
- Handheld
- HEPA filtration
- UV light
- Energy cover
- Suction: 10.5KPa
- Brush rotation: 6000cycles/min
- Air outlet uses twice activated carbon filtration
- One-year limited warranty
Pros
- Lightweight
- Inexpensive
- Small and compact
- Easy to use – handheld
- Washable filters
- Efficient in killing and sucking in bed bugs
Cons
- Given that it’s supposed to be held using one hand, it may be heavy for some people
Click here to see its current price.
3. Atrix Ergo HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner VACBP1
This bed bug vacuum is named “Ergo” due to the ergonomic design that makes it easy to carry and use. Also, it only weighs 10.3 pounds making it suitable for use by most people. This cleaner can be used in homes, hospitals, schools, libraries, hotels, commercial buildings, industrial installations – virtually anywhere.
The Atrix Ergo HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner comes with a variety of accessories. The attachments include an extension wand, 3 blower nozzles, a furniture nozzle, a crevice tool, a round brush, a floor brush, and a turbo brush. These accessories allow you to reach every nook and cranny as you locate and capture bed bugs.
The vacuum also has a very strong suction thanks to a powerful 120V 12 amp motor. Also, a large 8-quart HEPA bag allows you to complete several bed bug elimination jobs before getting a replacement. Overall, the vacuum employs a 4-stage HEPA filtration system to ensure that up to 99.97 percent of particles and allergens are captured.
Features
- Backpack vacuum
- Weighs 10.3 pounds
- 12 amp, 120V, 1400 Watt motor
- 4 level HEPA filtration
- 6-foot hose
- Capacity: 8 quarts
- Numerous attachments
- Hose and filter plugs
- Shakeout bag
- Extension cord strain relief
- 1-year limited warranty
Pros
- Powerful suction
- Lightweight
- Ergonomic design
- You can switch hands easily
- Can be converted into a blower
Cons
- Very short power cord. You need an extension cord
Click here to see its current price.
4. Atrix Lil Red Portable Canister Vacuum Cleaner AHSC-1
This is another Atrix vacuum that is aimed at getting rid of bed bugs and other parasites efficiently. In fact, there are only a few differences with the Atrix VACBP1. This one is very light, compact and is carried by lifting it by the handle on the top. However, the features are almost similar.
First, it uses a 3-stage HEPA filtration system to deal with allergens. Given the size of the vacuum, the bag is expectedly small. An indicator light lets you know when it’s time to change the bag. There are attachments to help you clean all areas in the house. These include a telescoping wand, a dusting brush, an upholstery nozzle, and a crevice tool.
This bedbug vacuum cleaner sucks in bed bugs, their eggs, and other parasites from cracks and crevices in cars, homes or offices with ease.
Features
- Weighs 6.5 pounds
- 3-stage HEPA filtration
- Capacity: 2 Quarts
- 120V, 1200 Watt motor
- 6-foot hose
- 1-year limited warranty
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Powerful suction
- Easy to carry
- Lightweight and compact
- Full bag indicator light
- The motor speed is adjustable
- Retractable power cord
Cons
- The power cord could be longer
Click here to see its current price.
5. Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum Cleaner
This Kenmore is the only conventional or regular vacuum in this list. While it does a good job on both carpets and hard floors, it can also be used for bed bugs and other parasites. This is down to the strong suction and the available attachments.
The strong suction is provided by a 2-motor system. Also, the vacuum comes with accessories that help you do a more comprehensive job. These include a dusting brush, a crevice tool, and a Pet PowerPate tool.
The vacuum uses HEPA filtration which is great for tackling allergens. HEPA filters capture up to 99.97 percent of pollutants. At the same time, they are not allowed to get back into air circulation. This is great for the asthmatic and any allergy sufferers in the home, school or office. Also, the HEPA bag is great because any bugs sucked in will not be able to escape.
While this may not be the best vacuum for bed bugs, its strong suction and HEPA bag give it an edge over regular vacuums.
Features
- Weighs 22.6 pounds
- 12-amp motor
- HEPA bag
- 3 accessories
- 28-foot power cord
Pros
- Powerful suction
- HEPA filtration
- Long, retractable power cord
Cons
- Heavy
- Relatively loud
- The canister often tips over
Click here to see the current price of the Kenmore 81614.
6. Vapamore MR-100 Primo Steam Cleaning System – best steamer for bed bugs
This is not a vacuum. However, we feel that we have to include it in this review. The reason is that to completely get rid of bed bugs, you may also need to use a steamer. Based on our research, the Vapamore MR-100 stands out as the best steamer for killing bed bugs in 2024.
Once you are vacuum a particular infested area, you can use this steamer to kill any bed bug that has somehow survived.
Features
- Weighs 10.5 pounds
- Capacity: 1.6 liters
- Power cord length: 18 feet
- Steam hose length: 6 feet
- Maximum steam time: 60 minutes
- Steam pressure: 3.5 Bar
- Takes about 11 minutes to heat up
- Max steam temperature: 220 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros
- Easy to use
- Fairly quiet
- Easy to move
- Kills bed bugs and other parasites
- No need for chemicals
- Many accessories
Cons
- Expensive
Click here to see its current price.
What’s a bed bug?
A bed bug is basically a parasite. It is an oval-shaped, flat insect which solely survives by sucking blood from mammals and birds by biting through their skin. They are reddish-brown in color (darker when filled with blood), wingless and just a few millimeters long.
Usually, bed bugs attack at night while we are sleeping. Also, they are most commonly found in beds and bedding. That’s where they get the name “bed bugs”.
However, bed bugs do not only hide in beds, mattresses and box springs. They can be found on wall cracks, behind baseboards, electrical switch plates, chairs, couches, upholstery, wallpapers, cars, and even backpacks and clothing. As you can see, they can hide virtually anywhere.
Where do bed bugs come from?
Before they find their way into your home, bed bugs must have come from somewhere. Believe you me, even a single egg or a single bug can be the beginning of unending struggles. These tiny yet frustrating pests can find their way into the house from various sources. These are:
- A visitor whose house is infested can bring them along (clothing and/or luggage)
- Means of transport such as taxis, buses, trains or planes whose seats have been infested
- They can come from the neighbors whose houses are infested
- Wild animals like birds or bats
- You may visit an infested house or area
The bottom line is, these are slippery insects and they can find their way very quickly into your house.
Are there any symptoms or diseases associated with bed bugs?
Normally, bed bug bites will not have severe effects on an individual. Usually, while you are deeply asleep you may not feel the insect biting you. However, you’ll tend to feel some pain if you are awake or when not in deep sleep. Afterward, you will notice red spots which are normally itchy.
Bed bugs normally bite under clothes. However, they still bite other exposed parts such as the neck, hands, arms, legs and even the face.
Whereas bed bugs are not known to spread diseases, you may develop rashes or scarring as a result of persistent scratching. These can be sorted by simple home remedies. Severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, dizziness, fainting or fever may occur, though rarely. If this is the case, you need to seek professional attention straight away.
How to prevent bed bugs infestation
Sometimes, bed bugs can find themselves in your home in the most bizarre of ways. However, there a few things you can actively do to prevent a full-fledged infestation. For example, if you have been traveling, ensure you vacuum your bags and suitcases immediately you get back.
Another thing you can do is to avoid bringing in second-hand couches, chairs, mattresses and box springs into your home. If you have to, ensure that they are thoroughly checked for bugs. You can even hire a professional pest control team to take care of that.
Also, regularly check your pets and where they sleep, your bed, sheets, and mattresses for any signs of bed bugs. Even if you discover one bedbug, keep in mind that there could be eggs or hundreds of more bugs hiding in cracks and crevices. At this point, you need to call in pet control professionals.
All in all, general cleanliness is the most important thing. It is rare for parasites to be found in a house which is cleaned on a regular basis.
How to vacuum properly to get rid of bed bugs
Even if you get the best vacuum for bed bugs, you need to know how to vacuum properly so that you can target and capture the pests. First, do not press the vacuum’s attachment on the mattress or the surface you are cleaning. Remember, that little space you leave will allow the vacuum to suck in the bug. Also, you will avoid knocking off the bug onto the ground.
Again, after you are finished, ensure that you remove any bedbugs that may have remained inside the hose. If you are using a bagless vacuum, empty the contents of the vacuum into a paper bag immediately and seal it with tape. Then, drop it into the trash can.
On the other hand, if you have a bagged vacuum, remove the bag and seal it with tape before throwing it into the trash can (reference).
Lastly, remember that this should not be a one-off affair. After the first round of cleaning, you may not have got rid of all the bed bugs. Also, any remaining eggs could hatch into new bed bugs. So, ensure that to vacuum again and again until the problem is gone completely. More emphasis should be put into the areas that had more bugs.
Verdict
Bedbugs can cause unimaginable pain if they are not exterminated from the house. It would also be quite an embarrassment if one pops up on your clothes in public. How do you get rid of these parasites? You can do it yourself, but the best thing to do is call in professionals.
Part of the efforts put into controlling bed bugs is using a good bed bug vacuum. We have reviewed the best vacuums for bedbugs so that you can have an easy time making the decision. Currently, Atrix vacuums are dominant in this category.
We have also included the best steamer for bed bugs; because you need one to make sure that you get rid of all the bugs effectively.
These are the best vacuums for bed bugs in 2024:
- Atrix Bug Sucker HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner
- Housmile Upgraded UV Anti-Dustmite Vacuum Cleaner
- Atrix Ergo HEPA Backpack Vacuum Cleaner VACBP1
- Atrix Lil Red Portable Canister Vacuum Cleaner AHSC-1
- Kenmore 81614 Bagged Canister Vacuum Cleaner
- Vapamore MR-100 Primo Steam Cleaning System (Steamer)