How to Bomb Your House for Roaches in 7 Steps

When setting off to shop for your fogger or bomber, read labels carefully. The label of each canister should tell you how much square footage it covers. You should go to the store with a rough idea of the size of your home to be able to calculate how many canisters you'll need.

To calculate the volume of your home's living area, measure the height, width, and length of every room before combining the numbers. A 10 x 10 room with 8-foot ceilings is 800 cubic feet in volume.

Use tarps to cover any furniture, objects, or other surfaces to protect them from the harsh chemicals found in bug bombs. While tarps are best, sheets, towels, and other wide coverings can all work. This is also a time to secure any perishable foods in a tightly concealed space. You cannot eat food that has been left out during bug bombing.

Insect fogging products contain harsh chemicals that are highly flammable. You won't be around to hear the fire alarm or smell smoke if something goes awry during the fogging process. Unplug everything in your home prior to deploying the bomber. You also need to shut off pilot lights, gas valves, and all other ignition spots in your home.

Make a strategy for how to bomb your house for roaches ahead of time. Sketch out your home's layout to start. Next, mark where you'll place foggers. It's also important to factor in your exit strategy when you're placing foggers. To avoid being stuck backtracking in a home after foggers have been activated, it's best to start in the farthest corners of the home before working your way toward your preferred exit.

Foggers should never be placed in closets, cabinets, or other enclosed spaces because this can cause them to explode. 

Here’s a pro tip: don’t go overboard. It's always better to veer on the side of going "too small" with bug bombers instead of overdoing it. Always follow the instructions on the label to determine the ideal number of foggers for your space. This is all that's necessary to target pests correctly.

Using too many foggers will only create additional risks without producing additional benefits.

Don't linger once you've started the fogging process. Once foggers have been activated, you are inhaling toxic fumes every minute that you remain in the home. It goes without saying that pets should never be left behind when defogging your home. Wear gloves, eye protection, and a mask even though you'll be exiting the home immediately.

Once a minimum of a few hours have passed, you may reenter your home to clean up. Ideally, you’ll have stayed away from your home for an overnight. 

Generally, you should only reenter the home briefly to open windows for ventilation before waiting at least another hour before going back inside. Open windows and doors immediately after reentering your home to let out any dangerous fumes that could still be lingering.

Consider keeping family members and pets away for a few extra days after the home is safe to enter again. This will provide you with a chance to fully ventilate the home.

Follow the instructions provided on the label of your fogger canisters regarding proper disposal. Any coverings that were placed over items in your home during bug bombing should be removed and washed promptly. Additionally, you'll need to clean surfaces that were left exposed during bug bombing.