Scientists discover that bed bugs hate this one thing — but these are still the 3 best methods for getting rid of them

A mattress crawling with bed bugs is enough to send most of us screaming to the hills but for the pests themselves, there are few things scarier than a wet piece of tissue.

That's according to recent research from the University of California, at least, that found when bed bugs are confronted with a moist surface they'll run as fast as their myriad legs will carry them.

So is it time to hose down your bed? Not exactly — in fact, this discovery could be bad news for traditional pest removal techniques like sprays and pesticides. Here's what this research means for you and our trusted tips for DIY bed bug removal.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Bed bugs are adverse to moisture, even avoiding wet surfaces soaked in blood (their food source.)
• Moisture acts like an adhesive, sticking bed bugs in place and blocking their respiratory openings.
• This might impact how effective water-based pesticides are, as it's possible bed bugs turn away before reaching the chemical.
• If you suspect you're carrying bed bugs, take a hot bath.
• For at-home bed bug removal, try a hot wash and dry, vacuuming and diatomaceous earth.

What did the study find about bed bugs and water?

Research published in the Journal of Ethology found that bed bugs will avoid moisture, even when in the pursuit of tasty, tasty blood.

The researchers stumbled on this by accident. Bed bugs kept in a vial were given access to blood from a feeder which eventually soaked into tissue paper in the bed bug container.

The pests steered clear of the blood-soaked tissue, turning their backs on water dampened tissue as well. When they did touch moisture, they moved quickly and spent less time on the surface (compared to dry tissue.)

In a statement Dong-Hwan Choe, entomology professor at UCR and paper co-author, explained that water acts as an adhesive to bed bugs, sticking them to their surface and blocking their respiratory openings.

What does this mean for at-home bed bug removal?

So a damp bed is the way to keep bed bugs out? Well, no. First, there's not enough research yet to suggest this will act as an effective deterrent. Second, a wet bed will lead to another host of problems. Mold, anyone?

However, these findings do suggest a new approach to pesticides. If you've been liberally spraying your mattress with pest-killer, bed bugs might turn away from the damp patch before the chemical has a chance to work.

Other popular DIY bed bug removal hacks, like essential oils and rubbing alcohol, might also prove less effective than previously thought.

But the researchers do suggest that if you're worried you have bed bugs on you, the best thing to do is take a bath... and try not to think about what you're sharing the water with.

3 easy methods for bed bug removal

While the research has some interesting future applications for at-home bed bug removal, at the moment we recommend sticking with these methods instead:

1. Hot wash

A hot wash combines two things bed bugs hate: heat and water.

We recommend washing your bedding at a temperature of at least 140°F for a minimum of 90 minutes, for the most effective bed bug removal (although always check the care instructions before washing.)

Follow this up with a spin in the dryer, set to high. If that's not possible, allow your bedding to dry thoroughly in the sunshine.

A hot wash is also one of the best preventative methods. When you travel, bed bugs can hitch a ride into your house. So one of our top tips to avoid bringing bed bugs home is to empty and wash your suitcase at the end of a trip.

2. Vacuum

While bed bugs aren't necessarily adverse to vacuums, they have little resistance against the powerful suction of the best vacuum cleaners.

You want to go over every part of the mattress with your vacuum cleaner, paying close attention to seams, corners and the underside.

And if you have any quilting or tufting decorating your mattress, get right in there — these are ideal hiding places for bed bugs. This is where a dedicated mattress vacuum can come in handy, as these handheld devices allow you to tackle every stitch of the bed.

Once you've vacuumed the mattress, bed frame, bedding and space under the mattress, be sure to empty the vacuum far away from your home. Otherwise you risk simply moving the critters around the house.

3. Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth takes the opposite approach to water — but bed bugs still hate it. Consisting of ground up fossilized algae, it sticks to the exoskeleton of bed bugs and draws out moisture, causing them to dehydrate and die.

To use it, scatter a layer of food grade diatomaceous earth over your mattress, then cover it all with a mattress encasement (we got hands-on with the Linenspa Mattress Encasement and recommend it for protecting your bed against pests.)

Follow this by creating a diatomaceous earth barrier around your bed, to capture wandering bed bugs.

Diatomaceous earth is considered non-toxic but it can cause irritation so you might want to sleep in a different room after spreading it.

Our bed bug removal must-haves

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