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Changing weather often drives bugs inside, but some bugs seek ingress to your home all year long. Although most bugs hoping to share your abode are harmless, some can trigger allergies, bite, cause damage, or transmit diseases. Even the most innocuous bugs constitute an unwanted intrusion.
If faced with an overwhelming invasion of ants or termites, for example, is vacuuming them a good way to get rid of the swarms? The short answer is yes. “Vacuuming can be an effective short-term solution for removing visible bugs and reducing their numbers inside your home,” says Faith Rock, SEO specialist for Alta Pest Control.
It’s a Quick Fix
Vacuuming is a good way to quickly get rid of an army of invaders, offering immediate relief from masses of unwanted creatures. Vacuuming is particularly useful for capturing spiders, ants, and other small insects you can see, Rock says. It’s also one of the best ways to clean up swarms of stinkbugs and bedbugs.
Rock’s list of bugs you should vacuum includes:
“Vacuuming is particularly effective against fleas by removing adults, larvae, and eggs from carpets and upholstery,” Rock says.
Do vacuums kill bugs? Yes, the sucking and mechanical action of the vacuum will immediately kill many, though not all, bugs. Other bugs may suffocate when they’ve landed in the dust-collection bag or canister.
The vacuum is less effective, of course, against flying insects such as flies or mosquitoes, which are difficult to capture effectively with a vacuum. You’d also have a hard time getting to insects that are within your home’s walls, or other structures.
“Frequent vacuuming can help keep pest populations under control,” Rock says. She suggests focusing first on the areas where pests are commonly seen, such as baseboards, corners, and entry points. It’s also useful to use long, thin attachments, including crevice tools, to reach the ceiling, high sections of walls and curtains, as well as behind and under furniture.
Before You Start Vacuuming
Give your extermination efforts a head start by doing a bit of prep work before you begin vacuuming. Dusting the affected areas with talcum powder, boric acid, or diatomaceous earth, for example, may start the elimination process for you, as would using any of a number of other insecticides, such as a soap or vinegar and water solution.
Post-Vacuuming Cleanup
It’s essential to properly dispose of the vacuum bag or canister contents immediately after vacuuming bugs. One reason is to eliminate any odors that the dead bugs may produce. Ladybugs, for example, emit a strong odor when crushed, and sometimes the scent of a dead bug can attract other bugs—not what you want.
Furthermore, bugs that survived the trip through the vacuum’s inner workings can crawl out, and you’d be right back where you started. “It’s important to empty the vacuum immediately after use to prevent any surviving insects from escaping back into your home,” Rock advises. Typically, it’s easier for bugs to crawl out of a bagless vacuum, but it’s good practice to empty either type right away.
Remove the vacuum’s bag if it has one, or empty the canister into a bag that you then tie up tightly. Immediately deposit in an outdoor trash bin.
The Bigger Picture
Rock says that vacuuming alone may not eliminate an infestation because it doesn’t address the underlying causes or prevent future occurrences. It’s important to diagnose and terminate the conditions that invite pests into your home.
If it becomes necessary to call in the pros, Rock says it’s important to get out the vacuum again. “After a professional pest control treatment, vacuum thoroughly to remove any dead pests, eggs, or debris, enhancing the effectiveness of the treatment and reducing the likelihood of re-infestation.”
