How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs in Your House (Without the Smell)

To get rid of stink bugs in your house, gently catch them in a jar of soapy water or use a vacuum you keep just for bugs, then seal the cracks where they get in. Do not squash them, because that releases the smell. And skip indoor bug sprays, since they do not keep new stink bugs out.

Stink bugs are annoying, but they are harmless. They do not bite, they do not eat your food, and they do not damage your home. They are just looking for a warm place to spend the winter, and your house looks like a great spot.

This guide shows you easy ways to remove them without the stink, a simple trap you can make at home, and how to keep them out for good.

Why stink bugs come inside

The stink bug most people find at home is the brown marmorated stink bug. It came to the United States from Asia and was first found here in the late 1990s. Since then, it has spread to most states.

In late summer and fall, as days get shorter and cooler, stink bugs look for a sheltered place to spend the winter. In nature, they hide under tree bark. Around homes, they crawl into:

• Gaps around windows and doors
• Cracks in siding and under roof trim
• Spaces around pipes, cables, and outdoor faucets
• Attic and wall vents
• Torn window screens

Once inside, they settle in walls and attics. On warm winter days, they wake up and wander into your living space, often near windows and lights.

How to tell if it is a stink bug

Stink bugs are easy to spot:

• About half an inch long
• Shaped like a shield
• Mottled brown or gray color
• Light and dark bands on the antennae and on the edges of the body
• A strong smell, a bit like cilantro, when disturbed or crushed

9 ways to get rid of stink bugs in your house

1. Drop them in soapy water

This is the easiest method and makes no smell in your home.

1. Fill a jar or plastic bottle about a third full of water.
2. Add a good squirt of dish soap and stir.
3. Hold the jar under the stink bug and gently tap or brush it in.

The soap breaks the surface of the water, so the bug sinks and cannot climb out. When you are done, flush the water down the toilet.

Tip: A plastic water bottle with the top cut off works well for bugs on walls and ceilings.

2. Use a vacuum for bugs only

A vacuum is great when you have lots of stink bugs, like on a sunny window. The downside is that the vacuum may smell for a while after.

• Use a shop vac or an old vacuum that you keep just for bugs.
• Or slide a knee-high stocking into the vacuum hose and hold it with a rubber band. The bugs get caught in the stocking, and you can tie it off and throw it away.
• Empty the bag or canister outside.

3. Pick them up with a tissue, gently

For a single bug, pick it up with a tissue without squeezing it. Put it outside or drop it into soapy water. If you squeeze, you will smell it.

4. Make a simple light trap

Stink bugs are drawn to light at night. You can make a trap with things you already have.

1. Fill an aluminum pan or shallow baking dish with water and a few drops of dish soap.
2. Place it on the floor under a desk lamp in a dark room.
3. Turn off all other lights.
4. In the morning, dump out the bugs.

This works best in attics, spare rooms, and other places where the bugs gather.

5. Seal cracks and gaps

This is the most important step. Penn State Extension says that keeping bugs out, called exclusion, is the best way to stop them.

• Caulk cracks around window frames, door frames, and siding.
• Seal gaps where pipes, cables, and outdoor faucets enter the house.
• Fill larger holes with expanding foam or steel wool.

The best time to do this is late summer, before the bugs start moving in.

6. Fix screens and add weatherstripping

• Repair or replace torn window and door screens.
• Add weatherstripping around doors and windows.
• Put a door sweep on the bottom of outside doors.

7. Screen your vents

Cover attic vents, soffit vents, and exhaust vents with fine window screen. Check that dryer vent flaps close all the way.

8. Check window air conditioners

Window AC units leave gaps where bugs can crawl in. Remove them before fall if you can, or seal around them with foam strips.

9. Keep outdoor lights low

Bright outdoor lights near doors draw bugs close to your home. Use yellow "bug" bulbs, or turn off porch lights when you do not need them.

What not to do

• Do not squash them. This releases the smell, and it can stain walls and fabric.
• Do not spray insecticides indoors. Penn State Extension advises against it. Dead bugs inside walls can attract carpet beetles and other pests.
• Do not use bug bombs. They do not reach bugs hiding inside walls.
• Do not flush live bugs without soapy water. They can survive a plain water flush.

Should you call pest control?

For most homes, the tips above are enough. A pest control company can spray the outside of your home in late summer to cut down on how many bugs get in, but this does not stop them all. Sealing gaps still does most of the work.

Think about a pro if:

• You find hundreds of stink bugs every day
• They are getting in through places you cannot reach, like high roof lines
• You also see other pests, like ants or mice

Stink bugs in winter and spring

If you still see stink bugs in the middle of winter, they are coming out of your walls or attic on warm days. Keep catching them with soapy water. In spring, they will try to leave to go back outside. Open windows with screens can help them find their way out, but keep sealing the gaps you find so fewer come back next fall.

Other bugs can show up when the weather changes too. If you see tiny flies around your fruit bowl or houseplants, our guides on getting rid of fruit flies and stopping gnats in your home can help.

The bottom line

Stink bugs come inside in the fall to stay warm, but they are harmless. Remove them by dropping them into soapy water or using a bug-only vacuum, and never squash them. Then seal cracks, fix screens, and cover vents so fewer bugs get in next year. A little work before fall can keep your home almost stink bug free.