Kissing bugs might sound harmless, but these blood-sucking insects can carry a dangerous parasite that causes Chagas disease. These pests are becoming more common in homes across the southern United States, making it important to know how to get rid of kissing bugs before they become a serious problem.
Getting rid of kissing bugs requires a smart approach that combines prevention, treatment, and ongoing maintenance. These nocturnal insects hide during the day and come out at night to feed on humans and pets. While they got their name from biting people around the mouth and eyes, they can actually bite anywhere on the body.
The good news is that there are many effective ways to eliminate these dangerous pests. From simple home repairs to natural treatments and professional solutions, this guide goes over methods that will help protect your family and home from kissing bugs.
1. Seal All Entry Points and Cracks
The first step in how to get rid of kissing bugs is blocking their way into your home. These insects are excellent at squeezing through tiny openings, so even small cracks can become highways for invasion.
Start by walking around your entire house and looking for any gaps or cracks. Pay special attention to areas around windows, doors, and where pipes or cables enter your home. Check the foundation carefully since kissing bugs often crawl up from ground level.
Use high-quality caulk to seal small cracks around windows and door frames. For larger gaps around utility lines, copper mesh works better because it blocks insects while still allowing for some movement. Replace any damaged weather stripping around doors and windows.
Don’t forget about less obvious entry points like attic vents, crawl spaces, and areas where the roof meets the walls. Even tiny gaps in these areas can let kissing bugs into your home. The time spent sealing these openings now will save you from much bigger problems later.
Check your work every few months since buildings naturally shift and settle over time. New cracks can appear, and old repairs might need touch-ups. This ongoing maintenance is key to keeping kissing bugs out for good.
2. Install and Repair Window and Door Screens
Good screens are your home’s first line of defense against flying insects, including kissing bugs. Many kissing bugs can fly, especially during their mating season, so intact screens are essential for keeping them outside where they belong.
Inspect every screen in your home for holes, tears, or loose edges. Even tiny holes can let insects through, so don’t ignore small damage. Replace any screens that have multiple holes or large tears since patching might not be reliable enough.
When buying new screens, choose fine mesh with at least 16 squares per inch. This mesh size is small enough to keep out kissing bugs while still allowing good airflow. Standard window screening from the hardware store usually works well for this purpose.
Make sure screens fit tightly in their frames with no gaps around the edges. Kissing bugs are persistent and will find even small openings. If screens don’t fit properly, add weather stripping or adjust the frame to eliminate gaps.
Don’t forget about less obvious screens like those covering crawl space vents, attic vents, and exhaust fans. These areas are often overlooked but can be important entry points for kissing bugs seeking shelter during the day.
3. Change Your Outdoor Lighting
Kissing bugs are strongly attracted to bright lights, especially white and blue lights commonly used around homes. Changing your outdoor lighting is a simple but effective step in getting rid of kissing bugs.
Replace bright white bulbs with yellow or amber LED lights. These colors are much less attractive to insects while still providing good visibility for safety and security. Bug lights, specially designed to be less attractive to insects, work even better.
Consider installing motion sensors for outdoor lights so they only turn on when needed. This reduces the total amount of time lights are attracting insects to your home. Timer switches can also help by automatically turning lights off during peak insect activity hours.
Position lights away from doors and windows when possible. If bugs are attracted to a light that’s far from your house, they’re less likely to find their way inside. Pole-mounted lights in the yard work better than lights mounted directly on the house.
Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights, especially decorative lighting that doesn’t serve a safety purpose. The fewer lights you have on during evening hours, the less likely you are to attract kissing bugs and other unwanted insects.
4. Remove Outdoor Hiding Spots
Kissing bugs love to hide in piles of wood, rocks, leaves, and other debris during the day. Cleaning up your yard removes these hiding spots and makes your property much less attractive to these pests.
Move firewood piles at least 20 feet away from your house, and store wood off the ground on a rack. Kissing bugs often live in wood piles because they provide good shelter and are close to potential food sources like pets and wildlife.
Clear away brush piles, leaf litter, and overgrown vegetation near your home’s foundation. These areas provide perfect daytime hiding spots for kissing bugs. Keep grass and shrubs trimmed back so they don’t touch the house.
Remove unnecessary items from around your home like old furniture, unused building materials, or broken equipment. These items create shelter that attracts both kissing bugs and the small animals they feed on.
If you have rock gardens or decorative stone features, consider relocating them away from the house or replacing them with plants that don’t provide hiding spots. The goal is to create a clean zone around your home where kissing bugs can’t easily hide.
Maintain this clean zone regularly since debris tends to accumulate over time. A weekly yard cleanup prevents new hiding spots from developing and keeps your defenses strong against kissing bugs.
5. Apply Bug Spray Around Your Home
Residual insecticides create a chemical barrier that kills kissing bugs when they try to enter your home. These products stay active for several weeks, providing ongoing protection against these dangerous pests.
Mix one ounce of a pyrethroid insecticide like deltamethrin with one gallon of water in a pump sprayer. This mixture will treat about 1,000 square feet and is effective against kissing bugs and many other insects.
Spray around your home’s foundation, going three feet up the walls and three feet out onto the ground. Also treat door frames, window frames, and other areas where insects might try to enter. Pay special attention to cracks and crevices where kissing bugs like to hide.
Apply this treatment every three months for best results. Weather and time will reduce the effectiveness of the insecticide, so regular reapplication is important for ongoing protection.
Always read and follow the label directions on any insecticide product. Wear protective equipment like gloves and long sleeves when applying these chemicals. Keep people and pets away from treated areas until the spray has dried completely.
Focus your spraying efforts on areas where you’ve seen kissing bugs or where they’re most likely to hide. Don’t waste time and product treating areas where kissing bugs are unlikely to go.
6. Use Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder made from tiny fossilized organisms. It works by cutting the outer shell of insects and absorbing their body oils, causing them to dry out and die. This makes it an excellent natural option for getting rid of kissing bugs.
Buy only food-grade diatomaceous earth since other types can be dangerous to breathe. Sprinkle a thin layer in cracks, crevices, and other areas where kissing bugs might hide or travel. Don’t make thick piles since insects will just walk around them.
Apply diatomaceous earth behind baseboards, around door frames, and in corners where walls meet floors. These are common hiding spots for kissing bugs during the day. Also treat areas around pet sleeping spots since kissing bugs are attracted to animals.
Wear a dust mask when applying diatomaceous earth to avoid breathing the fine particles. While food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe, inhaling any fine dust can irritate your lungs.
Reapply diatomaceous earth after cleaning or if it gets wet from rain or humidity. The powder needs to stay dry to be effective against insects. Check treated areas regularly and add more powder as needed.
This natural method works well alongside other treatments and is safe to use around children and pets when applied properly. It might take longer to see results compared to chemical treatments, but it provides lasting protection without toxic residues.
7. Make Natural Essential Oil Sprays
Essential oils are a safe, natural way to repel kissing bugs without using harsh chemicals. Many oils that smell pleasant to humans are strongly disliked by insects, making them effective deterrents.
Mix 10 to 15 drops of peppermint essential oil with one cup of water and one teaspoon of mild dish soap in a spray bottle. The soap helps the oil mix with water and stick to surfaces better. Shake well before each use.
Citronella, tea tree, and neem oils also work well for repelling kissing bugs. You can use these oils alone or mix several together for potentially better results. Always test a small area first to make sure the oil won’t stain surfaces.
Spray the mixture around windows, doors, and other entry points where kissing bugs might try to get inside. Also treat areas where you’ve seen kissing bugs or where they might hide during the day.
Reapply essential oil sprays every few days since they lose their strength over time. Rain, humidity, and sunlight all reduce the effectiveness of these natural repellents, so regular reapplication is important.
This method works best as part of a larger plan rather than as the only treatment. Essential oils are great for maintaining protection and reducing the appeal of your home to kissing bugs, but they might not eliminate an existing infestation on their own.
8. Use Heat to Kill Bugs in Items
Heat is deadly to kissing bugs at all life stages, from eggs to adults. While professional heat treatment for entire homes is expensive, you can use heat to treat clothing, bedding, and other items that might harbor these pests.
Wash infested items in hot water (at least 120°F) and dry them on the highest heat setting your dryer allows. The combination of hot water and high heat will kill any kissing bugs or eggs hiding in fabrics.
For items that can’t be washed, try the black plastic bag method. Place items in black garbage bags and leave them in a hot car or sunny location where temperatures reach at least 120°F for several hours. Check with a thermometer to make sure the temperature gets hot enough.
Small items can be treated in a regular oven set to 120°F for about two hours. This works well for shoes, books, and other items that won’t be damaged by moderate heat. Always check that items are oven-safe before trying this method.
Professional heat treatment equipment is available for rent or purchase if you need to treat larger items or whole rooms. These units can reach the high temperatures needed to kill kissing bugs throughout an entire space.
Heat treatment works quickly and doesn’t leave chemical residues, making it a good choice for items that come into close contact with people or pets. Just make sure to reach lethal temperatures for long enough to kill all life stages of the bugs.
9. Set Up Simple Light Traps
Kissing bugs are attracted to light sources, especially at night when they’re most active. You can use this behavior against them by creating simple traps that lure bugs to their doom.
Fill a shallow pan with soapy water and place it under a bright light in areas where you’ve seen kissing bugs. Position the light so it shines directly on the water surface. Bugs will be attracted to the light, fall into the water, and drown.
Make a bottle trap by cutting the top off a large plastic bottle and inverting it into the bottom half like a funnel. Add soapy water to the bottom and place a small light or glow stick inside. Bugs will crawl in toward the light but won’t be able to get out.
Set up these traps in dark areas where kissing bugs like to hide during the day, such as basements, crawl spaces, or storage areas. Place them near potential entry points like doors and windows where bugs might come inside.
Check traps daily and empty them as needed. Replace the soapy water regularly since it can become less effective over time. Move traps to different locations if you’re not catching bugs in certain spots.
Light traps work best when combined with other methods since they only catch bugs that are actively moving around. They’re particularly useful for monitoring whether your other treatments are working and for catching any bugs that make it past your other defenses.
10. Vacuum Regularly in Key Areas
Regular vacuuming is a simple but effective way to remove kissing bugs, their eggs, and nymphs from your home. This mechanical removal method works immediately and doesn’t require any chemicals or special equipment.
Focus your vacuuming efforts on areas where kissing bugs are most likely to hide. This includes baseboards, corners where walls meet floors, cracks around door and window frames, and areas under and around furniture.
Pay special attention to pet sleeping areas since kissing bugs are attracted to animals. Vacuum pet beds, the areas around them, and any cracks or crevices nearby. Also vacuum areas where pets spend a lot of time resting.
Use the crevice tool attachment to get into tight spaces where kissing bugs might hide during the day. Don’t forget to vacuum inside furniture cushions and behind headboards where bugs can easily hide.
Immediately dispose of vacuum bags or empty bagless canisters into sealed garbage bags after vacuuming. Kissing bugs can survive inside vacuum cleaners and might escape if not properly disposed of. Tie garbage bags tightly and put them in outdoor trash containers right away.
Vacuum these areas daily if you have an active infestation, or weekly for prevention. Regular vacuuming removes bugs before they can reproduce and helps you monitor whether your other treatments are working effectively.
11. Use Treated Bed Nets
Bed nets treated with long-lasting insecticides provide excellent protection against kissing bugs while you sleep. This method is especially important in areas where these bugs are common or if you’ve had problems with bites in the past.
Choose bed nets that are treated with permethrin or similar insecticides that remain effective for many months. These chemicals kill kissing bugs on contact and also repel them from the area around your bed.
Install bed nets so they completely surround your sleeping area with the edges tucked under the mattress. Make sure there are no gaps where bugs could crawl through. The net should not touch your body while you sleep since bugs can bite through the material.
Check bed nets regularly for holes or tears that could let bugs through. Even small holes can compromise the protection, so repair or replace damaged nets promptly. Keep the nets clean but avoid washing them too frequently since this reduces the insecticide effectiveness.
Retreat nets with insecticide according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually every six to twelve months depending on the product used. Some nets come pre-treated and last for several years, while others need more frequent treatment.
This method is particularly valuable for children and elderly family members who might be more vulnerable to the health effects of kissing bug bites. Bed nets provide reliable protection throughout the night when kissing bugs are most active.
12. Remove Wildlife Nesting Areas
Wild animals like rodents, opossums, and armadillos are natural food sources for kissing bugs. When these animals nest near your home, they attract kissing bugs to the area and increase the chances that bugs will find their way inside.
Look for signs of animal nesting around your property such as burrows, nests in sheds or under porches, and areas where animals leave droppings. These spots are likely to have kissing bugs nearby since the bugs feed on the animals living there.
Remove or relocate animal nests when possible, following local wildlife protection laws. Contact a licensed wildlife removal service if you’re not sure how to safely remove animals or their nests. Some animals are protected and require special handling.
Seal openings under porches, sheds, and other structures where animals might nest. Use hardware cloth or other sturdy materials that animals can’t chew through. Make sure to check that no animals are currently using these spaces before sealing them.
Keep pet food and water dishes inside or clean them up immediately after pets finish eating. Food left outside attracts wild animals, which in turn attract kissing bugs to your property.
Trim tree branches and shrubs so they don’t provide easy access to your roof or upper floors. Animals that nest in these areas can bring kissing bugs close to entry points like attic vents or loose roof tiles.
13. Apply Neem Oil Treatment
Neem oil is a natural product that works against kissing bugs in multiple ways. It kills bugs directly, prevents them from reproducing, and makes them less able to carry disease-causing parasites.
Mix neem oil with water according to the label directions and spray it on areas where you’ve seen kissing bugs or where they might hide. Neem oil works on all life stages of kissing bugs, from eggs to adults, making it very effective for breaking the reproductive cycle.
Apply neem oil to plants and landscaping around your home since kissing bugs sometimes rest on vegetation during the day. This creates a protective barrier that kills or repels bugs before they can reach your house.
Spray neem oil solution on outdoor furniture, deck railings, and other areas where family members spend time. This helps protect people from bites when they’re outside, especially during evening hours when kissing bugs become active.
Reapply neem oil every one to two weeks for best results. Rain and sunlight break down the active ingredients over time, so regular applications are needed to maintain effectiveness. Some products last longer than others, so read the label for specific guidance.
Neem oil is safe to use around people and pets when applied according to directions. It has a strong smell that some people find unpleasant, but this odor also helps repel insects. The smell fades within a few hours after application.
14. Make Garlic Spray Deterrent
Garlic contains natural compounds that repel many insects, including kissing bugs. This homemade spray is inexpensive, safe, and easy to make with ingredients you probably already have at home.
Blend several cloves of fresh garlic with two cups of water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh or coffee filter to remove solid pieces that could clog your sprayer. The soap helps the mixture stick to surfaces better.
Spray the garlic solution around entry points like doors and windows where kissing bugs might try to get inside. Also treat areas where you’ve seen bugs or where they might hide during the day.
Apply garlic spray to plants and garden areas around your home since the strong smell will deter bugs from resting there during the day. This creates a protective zone around your house that bugs will want to avoid.
Reapply garlic spray every few days or after rain since the active compounds break down quickly when exposed to weather. The stronger the smell, the more effective the deterrent, so don’t dilute the mixture too much.
This method works better for prevention than for eliminating existing infestations. Garlic spray makes your property less attractive to kissing bugs, but it might not be strong enough to force established bugs to leave on its own.
15. Hire Professional Pest Control
Sometimes the best approach to how to get rid of kissing bugs is calling in professional help. Pest control experts have access to stronger treatments, specialized equipment, and the knowledge to eliminate even serious infestations safely and effectively.
Professional pest control companies can apply commercial-grade insecticides that aren’t available to homeowners. These products are often more effective and longer-lasting than over-the-counter options, providing better protection for your family.
Experienced technicians know where to look for kissing bugs and can identify problem areas that homeowners might miss. They can also distinguish kissing bugs from similar-looking insects to make sure you’re treating the right pest.
Many pest control companies include regular follow-up visits to monitor the situation and reapply treatments as needed. This ongoing service helps prevent new infestations and catches problems early before they become serious.
Professional treatment is especially important if anyone in your household has been bitten by kissing bugs or if you’ve found bugs inside your home. The health risks associated with Chagas disease make professional elimination a smart investment in your family’s safety.
Get quotes from several licensed pest control companies and ask about their specific experience with kissing bugs. Not all pest control companies are equally familiar with these insects, so choose one that understands their behavior and biology.
