Published July 12, 2024 • Updated December 23, 2025
Reviewed by Julie Miller, BA in Language Arts, Editorial Lead, Dr. Killigan’s
TL;DR: Bug bombs may kill what’s exposed, but they often fail where infestations start and they coat a room in chemicals to do it. If your priority is protecting your family and pets, skip the fog and use targeted control instead: spray for bugs you can see, powder for where they hide and travel. If pests keep coming back, the fix usually starts outside and at entry points, not with more fog indoors.
Bug bomb questions, answered
Do bug bombs work?
Sometimes they knock down what’s exposed, but they often miss where infestations start: cracks, cabinets, under sinks and appliance gaps. They also spread pesticides across the whole room, which is a big tradeoff when your goal is protecting kids and pets.
Are bug bombs safe?
They’re not “set it and forget it.” Bug bombs are designed to disperse pesticide throughout a room, which means you’re choosing a whole-room chemical event, not a targeted treatment.
If reducing exposure is the goal, targeted treatment is usually the better fit.
Is bug bomb residue dangerous?
Potentially, yes. Foggers leave residue because airborne pesticide has to settle somewhere, often on floors and counters. That creates exposure through touch and normal household contact, especially for kids and pets.
How long does bug bomb residue last?
There isn’t one universal timeline. In plain terms, residue can remain until you remove it. It comes off hard surfaces with normal cleaning, but it can cling longer to carpets, upholstery and other porous items—meaning it may stay present until those materials are washed, steam-cleaned or fully aired out.
Will a bug fogger damage electronics? Do I need to cover them?
Foggers usually won’t “destroy” electronics, but they can leave a fine film on vents, screens and keyboards. That residue is hard to clean out of crevices, which is why many people unplug and cover electronics before fogging.
What to use instead (choose your tool)
If you want to avoid blanketing your home and focus on where pests actually live and travel, use the tool that matches the bug and the location.
Use a spray when the insect is exposed
Six Feet Under Plant-Powered Insect Spray
Best for insects you can see, quick spot treatment, touch points and high-traffic areas.
Use a powder where pests hide and travel
Dust to Dust Plant-Powered Insect Powder
Best for cracks, crevices, voids, baseboards, under appliances and entry points.
Want prevention too? Start at the perimeter
Six Feet Under: Barricade Household Insect Kit
Best when bugs keep coming back: use it to reinforce entry points, treat the perimeter and then handle indoor sightings with targeted spray + powder.
Simple rule: spray for what’s exposed, powder for where they hide, barricade for where they get in. (Always use as directed.)
What exactly are bug bombs?
Bug bombs, also called total release foggers, are aerosol cans that empty all at once to fill a room with pesticide. They’re marketed as a “reach everywhere” shortcut, but the reality is messier: you can end up treating everything in the room while still missing the hidden source of the problem.
What ingredients are in bug bombs?
Bug bombs vary by brand, but most rely on pyrethrins or pyrethroids as the main insect-killing ingredients. On labels, you’ll often see names like permethrin (a pyrethroid) and other related actives.
Why that matters: these are pesticides that target the insect nervous system. That’s how they work, but it’s also why exposure can be a real concern in a home setting. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are associated with irritation and other symptoms when people are exposed. Permethrin is also particularly hazardous for cats, which is one more reason many pet owners don’t want it floating through a room.
Many foggers also include piperonyl butoxide (PBO). PBO is not there to kill bugs by itself. It’s there to boost the insecticide by interfering with the enzymes insects use to break it down, effectively making the other ingredients hit harder. EPA has also classified PBO as a possible human carcinogen based on animal data, which is another reason some families prefer to avoid using it as a whole-room mist.
Beyond the active ingredients, foggers often contain propellants and solvents. These help the product disperse through the air, which is exactly the problem: the delivery method is designed to make the pesticide airborne, increasing the chance it’s inhaled and that it settles as residue on the surfaces you touch most.
Why foggers feel like a big tradeoff
- They treat the whole room, not the real problem. Foggers are designed to coat a space, not target the exact hiding places pests use.
- The “booster” effect cuts both ways. PBO is literally added to increase potency, which is not what most people want drifting around kid spaces and pet spaces.
- If you’re trying to reduce exposure, fogging pushes you the wrong direction. Targeted control keeps the fight where the bugs are, not everywhere your family lives.
What are eight issues with using bug bombs?
Bug bombs (total release foggers) are marketed as a shortcut. In real homes, they often create a bigger mess than they solve. Here are the eight biggest drawbacks, especially if you care about kids, pets and exposure.
1. Health risk is built into the delivery method. Foggers are designed to put pesticide into the air. Once it’s airborne, it can be breathed in. It can also settle as residue on the same surfaces your family touches every day, increasing the chance of chemicals ending up where you didn’t intend.
The CDC has documented thousands of illnesses and injuries linked to total release foggers. In its review across 10 states (2007–2015), it reported:
- 3,222 fogger-related illness or injury cases
- About 93% involved exposure to pyrethroids (78%) or pyrethrins (24%)
- Common symptoms included cough, upper respiratory irritation, shortness of breath and GI symptoms (vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain or cramping)
- Four cases were fatal
Many incidents were tied to preventable mistakes like leaving too late, coming back too soon or poor ventilation. That’s also the point: foggers create a situation where one mistake can matter more than people expect.
2. They often miss where pests actually live. Fog moves through open air. Many pests are not in open air. They are in cracks, wall voids, under appliances, inside cabinets and other protected spots that fog does not reliably penetrate. This can lead to reinfestation and the need for additional treatments.
3. Residue lands on the things you touch most. What goes airborne has to land somewhere. That can mean a settling film on floors, counters, toys, pet bowls and bedding.
Foggers force you to treat your home like a containment zone. If you’re doing it “right,” you’re covering or removing toiletries, food surfaces, pet items, plants and electronics because the fog can settle anywhere. If the prep list is that long, it’s worth asking whether fogging is the right tool in the first place.
4. Fire and explosion risk is real. Foggers use aerosol propellants. If a pilot light, flame or spark is missed, you can create a dangerous situation fast.
5. Human error is common and the margin for error is small. Whole-room treatment has more steps, more prep and more cleanup. The more steps involved, the more chances something gets missed.
Even regulators treat misuse as a real problem. The EPA now requires stronger fogger labels and clearer directions (including pictograms) to reduce preventable mistakes. The takeaway is simple: foggers aren’t foolproof and the process leaves little room for error.
6. It can create collateral damage. Fog can settle onto fabrics and finishes. Even if nothing is “ruined,” fogging can add cleanup, odors and uncertainty.
7. Short-term knockdown, long-term frustration. Even when foggers reduce what’s visible, they often don’t address the source. If the entry point or hiding place stays active, bugs come back.
8. There are safer, more targeted ways to solve the same problem. If your priority is protecting kids and pets, targeted control keeps the fight where the bugs are, not everywhere your family lives.
How can Dr. Killigan’s help?
Dr. Killigan’s is a safer alternative to foggers. Our approach is simple: don’t blanket your home in chemicals. Treat pests where they live, hide and travel.
- Targets cracks, crevices and hiding spots: Dust to Dust (long-lasting prevention, ideal for baseboards, under appliances and other low foot traffic areas)
- Stop insects you can see: Six Feet Under (kills bugs on contact and has leave-behind killing power on lightly misted surfaces like countertops, floors and window sills)
- Reinforce entry points: Six Feet Under: Barricade (protects from the outside in, target entry points like garage doors, cracks and crevices and windows)
If protecting your family and pets is the priority, skip short-term fogging and choose targeted control that doesn’t leave you wondering what settled where. I'm Dr. Killigan and I'll continue to work until household pests, toxins and unsightly remedies are a thing of the past. Stick with us and keep pests under control.
Explore more
If you’re interested in building a calmer, pest-resistant home using prevention and targeted tools, these resources expand on the ideas covered here.
