Best Indoor Bug Sprays

We all want to keep our homes clean--but even the cleanest homes can suffer from an infestation of insects. Ants, cockroaches, and bedbugs are the most prevalent and pernicious. Fortunately, there is a range of bug sprays that are effective at eliminating insect pests, as well as preventing any infestations later. For ants and roaches, you’ll have to take precautions by not leaving food out and attracting them. If you have an infestation of blood-sucking insects, such as bedbugs, ticks, and fleas, you’ll have to find long-term methods to get rid of them. They can go for months without food--that is, blood--so you’ll have to get them where they hide out, to eliminate them and their larval offspring. There are a number of bug sprays that are primarily for indoor use. Some are even safe around children and animals.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting an indoor bug spray. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of indoor bug spray,

• See useful tips about that particular type of indoor bug spray,

• Read reviews of different indoor bug sprays, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of indoor bug spray, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

We can classify sprays by their principal bug that is targeted:

• Ants: There are products that employ Bifenthrin, which is known for being effective against the troublesome red fire ant. One product that employs this is the Ortho Home Defense MAX Insect Killer Spray. It is also effective against roaches, spiders, stinkbugs, and centipedes.

• Roaches: Other products employ Zeta-cypermethrin, which is an effective neurotoxin that kills ants and roaches. The Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer Spray contains this compound as well.

• Bedbugs: If your bedding has been infested with bedbugs, there are a number of products for eliminating them. One active ingredient is what is contained in the J.T. Eaton Water-based Bedbug spray. It uses Deltamethrin, which is effective against bedbugs, fleas, ticks, spiders and other insects. You’ll find both water-based and oil-based treatments. The oil-based solution is designed to kill on contact, and it leaves no residuals behind. The water-based treatments provide residual protection for up to 12 months. You spray the water-based treatments where bugs could be hiding. It should be applied to crevices, cracks, and wall joints, besides on box springs and mattresses.

• Organic treatments: Eco-Defense makes an organic and natural spray, which is safe around children and pets. It has the dual action of killing bugs on contact, as well as preventing against future invasions. Its active ingredients are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (= SLS) together with geranium oil and peppermint oil. The SLS acts together with the oils and is found to effectively kill cockroaches and bedbugs in around 45 seconds.

• Odor: Since you’ll be using these sprays inside your house, you don’t want something with an offensive odor that lingers for a long time. Fortunately, the bug spray companies are sensitive to this. Eco Defense’s Pest Control has no irritating fumes. And the Ortho Home Defense Max Spray is odor-free and will not stain fabrics.

• Avoid doing things to attract bugs: To ensure not attracting bugs, it’s advised to store food in sealed containers and Ziploc bags, which don’t let food aromas escape. That decreases the risk of insects being attracted to the food. Also, garbage and waste should be stored in covered bins, and if you have a compost pile, make sure that it is not located near your home.

• Decide on your mode of operation: Raid divides their products into three modes of operation. Each type of product demands a different method of application:

  • Attack: These are products that will kill all insects on contact. You’ll apply it to places of your home where you see that there is an infestation. These products have a residual effect for a month after application. There are insecticides for killing ants, roaches, fleas, waterbugs, silverfish, and more.

  • Control: These products employ a bait that will kill bugs that you don’t see, that have taken up residence in walls or crevices. Insects will take the bait to their nest, and hopefully spread it amongst their entire colony. An example is Raid’s Flea Carpet and Room Spray. It will remain in the room for up to a month. That will take care of any fleas that hatch out of eggs over the course of that month. Besides sprays, there are also gels and foggers for this purpose.

  • Prevent: These products create a barrier around your home, to make sure that insects won’t lay eggs or create colonies inside your home. You can apply them around the outer perimeter of your house, or along the walls or baseboards, where bugs love to hide. These insecticides have a long-lasting effect, some continuing to work for up to 12 months. Raid has two such products: one primarily for ants and roaches, and another for a wider range of insects. The Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer Spray has a convenient comfort wand, that helps you apply the insecticide in precise spots.

Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer. Note the wand that allows you to spray precise areas.

• Ortho is a brand of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, which was founded in 1868 by Orlando Scott in Marysville, Ohio. They make products for the lawn and garden. Their many products include plant fertilizers, hydroponic solutions and treatments for insect pests, weeds, and plant diseases.

• Eco-Defense make pesticides with bio-based ingredients, as a substitute for the chemical solutions on the market. They have products for eliminating bed bugs, home pests, lice, and rodents.

• Raid is the brand name of a line of insecticides made by S.C. Johnson & Son. S.C. Johnson is a maker of household cleaning supplies and insecticides, based in Racine, Wisconsin. They started the Raid line of products in 1956.  There are Raid products that are effective for a wide range of insects.

• J.T. Eaton is a maker of repellents and pesticides. They were founded in 1932 by Jasper T. Eaton, and have their headquarters in Twinsburg, Ohio. They make solutions for dealing with rodent infestations, bed bugs, mosquitoes, and more.