What kills bed bugs immediately?

What kills bed bugs immediately includes high heat, steam, and certain contact insecticides, though no single method guarantees 100 percent elimination of all life stages including eggs hidden in cracks without thorough application and follow-up. The fastest way to kill bed bugs on contact is heat, as bed bugs die instantly at temperatures above 120 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, so steam treatment above 200 degrees applied directly to mattress seams, box spring cracks, and crevices kills bugs and eggs on contact, and professional heat treatment heating entire rooms to 120 to 135 degrees for several hours kills all stages. Boiling water kills on contact but can damage furniture. Contact insecticides labeled for bed bugs such as pyrethrins and some pyrethroids kill on contact when sprayed directly, but many populations are resistant and eggs are not killed, so follow-up is needed. Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol 70 percent kills on contact when sprayed directly, but it is flammable and not recommended for large areas and does not kill eggs, and it is not a residual solution. Vacuuming with strong suction immediately removes bugs and eggs physically. Desiccant dusts like CimeXa kill within 24 to 48 hours by dehydrating, not immediately. The most reliable immediate kill is steam and professional heat, combined with encasing mattress and box spring in bed bug proof encasements and washing bedding on high heat for 30 minutes.