How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs Indoors

How do you get rid of stink bugs in the house right now?

The bugs already inside are best removed by hand, one batch at a time. University of California IPM says vacuuming works well, that you can brush single bugs into a container of soapy water, and that live bugs sealed in a bag can be frozen for 2 days ^[2]. Here is how to do each one without stinking up the room:

1. Vacuum them. A hand-held or shop vacuum picks up live and dead bugs from walls, ceilings and window frames. UC IPM notes that some people slip a nylon stocking into the vacuum tube to catch the bugs before they reach the bag. Penn State warns that the vacuum may keep a stink bug smell for a while afterward, which is why UC IPM mentions that some people keep a separate vacuum just for stink bugs ^[1]. Empty it into an outdoor trash can, as University of Illinois Extension suggests ^[4].
2. Use a soapy water jar. Fill a wide jar or tub partway with water and a little dish soap. Hold it under the bug and tap or brush the bug in. The soap breaks the surface tension, and the bug cannot climb out.
3. Try a light trap in a dark room. UC IPM describes a foil pan of water with a few drops of dish soap placed under a lamp in a darkened room; the bugs fly toward the light and drown.
4. Do not crush or flush them. A crushed stink bug releases its odor, and Penn State reports that crushing them on bare skin can cause a skin reaction in a small share of people. UC IPM advises against flushing them or putting live bugs in the trash.

The best way to remove a stink bug is to vacuum it or drop it in soapy water, never to squash it.

After you clear a room, watch where the next bugs appear. They tend to crawl out of cracks under or behind baseboards, around window and door trim, and around exhaust fans and ceiling lights ^[1]. Penn State recommends sealing those indoor openings with caulk so the bugs hiding in the walls cannot crawl out into the living space.

Is it really a brown marmorated stink bug?

Most stink bugs that pile into U.S. homes are brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys). Penn State describes adults as about 17 mm (0.66 inch) long, shield shaped, and brown on top and underneath ^[1]. UC IPM gives about 5/8 inch and points to the clearest clue: two white bands on each antenna ^[2]. University of Illinois Extension adds smooth "shoulders" and a black and white pattern along the edge of the abdomen ^[3].

Several other bugs look similar, and the fix is much the same for all of them (vacuum, seal, wait for spring). Still, it helps to know what you have:

Bug	Size	How to tell it apart
Brown marmorated stink bug	about 5/8 inch	white bands on the antennae, smooth shoulders, banded abdomen edge
Rough stink bug	similar	rough, toothed shoulder edge; no white antenna bands
Consperse stink bug	about 1/2 inch	smaller; banded abdomen edge but plain antennae
Boxelder bug	about 12 mm (1/2 inch)	flatter, brownish black, with three red-orange stripes behind the head

Stink bug details from UC IPM ^[2]; boxelder bug details from Penn State ^[6]. If you are still unsure, try the bug identifier tool or read the stink bug profile and the boxelder bug profile.

Why are stink bugs in my house, and when do they come in?

Stink bugs come inside for shelter, not food. Penn State says adults begin searching for overwintering sites in September and October, and warm fall days draw them to the outside walls of houses, sometimes in large numbers ^[1]. They squeeze into wall voids, attics and other protected spaces and stay mostly still through the winter.

That is why you may see a few crawling on a window or buzzing around a lamp in December or February. University of Illinois Extension explains that the warmth of the house confuses the bugs and breaks their winter rest, and that they do not feed or reproduce while they are inside ^[4]. In spring, adults leave to find host plants. Penn State puts that emergence in late April to mid May, followed by egg laying from May through August.

The bug itself is an invasive species from East Asia. University of Illinois Extension says it was first reported in the United States in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1998 and has spread to more than 40 other states ^[3]. The StopBMSB research project reports it had been detected in 47 states and 4 Canadian provinces as of 2021, with the greatest crop damage in the mid-Atlantic region ^[5]. Detection does not mean every state has large numbers; home invasions are most common where the bug is well established.

How do you keep stink bugs out of the house?

Sealing is the step that actually prevents the problem. Penn State calls mechanical exclusion the best method to keep stink bugs from entering homes and buildings. It recommends good quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk for cracks around windows, doors, siding, utility pipes, behind chimneys and under wood fascia, and repairing or replacing damaged screens ^[1]. UC IPM adds foam sealant, weatherstripping, screening over gable vents, and gaps around air conditioners and vents ^[2].

A few practical points make sealing work better:

• Do it in late summer. Penn State's timeline puts the home invasion in September and October, so August is the time to caulk.
• Work from the top down. UC IPM notes stink bugs prefer high, cool hiding spots, so roof edges, soffits, attic and gable vents matter as much as windows.
• Check the inside too. Caulking around baseboards, window trim, ceiling lights and exhaust fans keeps bugs that are already in the walls from reaching your rooms.
• Turn down outdoor lights. UC IPM says the bugs gather around lights at night, so fewer lights near doors and windows mean fewer bugs at the gaps.

University of Illinois Extension admits the job is hard because the bugs squeeze through very small cracks ^[4]. Even partial sealing cuts the numbers, and every gap closed this year stays closed. The same steps also keep out other fall invaders, which our living room pest guide covers.

Do stink bug sprays, foggers or traps work?

Mostly no, at least indoors. UC IPM states that indoor sprays are not recommended because they are generally ineffective. Penn State goes further: it is not advisable to use an insecticide inside once bugs are in wall voids or the attic, and sprays aimed into cracks and crevices will not stop the bugs from coming out ^[1]. It also notes two side effects:

• Foggers kill the bugs that are on walls and ceilings at that moment, but more tend to emerge afterward, so they are not a long-term fix. The National Pesticide Information Center adds that foggers do not reach into the voids, cracks and crevices where pests hide, and that fogger contents can catch fire and explode, so pilot lights and other ignition sources must be off ^[7].
• Dusts in wall voids may kill many bugs, but the dead bugs can feed carpet beetles, which can then damage wool and stored goods. Read about carpet beetles if you see small round beetles on window sills.

Outdoors, the picture is only slightly better. UC IPM says sprays around entry points may deter bugs for a short time but break down within days, and sealing works better ^[2]. Penn State says exterior treatments may give minor relief where full sealing is hard, applied by a licensed pest control operator in the fall just before the bugs gather. If you or a professional use any insecticide, use only an EPA-registered product labeled for that site and pest. Read and follow the label. The label is the law. Keep children and pets away from treated areas until the label says it is safe.

What about traps? UC IPM says pheromone traps are useful for monitoring when the bugs are present or peaking, but catching many bugs does not mean the problem is solved. The light-and-soapy-water pan described above is a simple indoor option that uses no pesticide.

Are stink bugs harmful, and when should you call a professional?

Stink bugs are a nuisance, not a danger. UC IPM states that brown marmorated stink bugs are not harmful to people, houses or pets and that they do not bite, sting, suck blood or spread diseases to people or pets ^[2]. Penn State adds that they will not reproduce inside or damage the structure. The main health issue is the smell: Penn State notes the defensive odor can cause allergy symptoms such as a runny nose or itchy eyes in sensitive people, especially those also sensitive to cockroach or lady beetle odors ^[1]. If you have allergy symptoms that do not settle, talk to a doctor.

Most households can manage with a vacuum, a soapy water jar and a caulk gun. Call a licensed pest professional when:

• Hundreds of bugs keep coming out of walls, ceilings or the attic even after you seal the indoor openings.
• The gaps are high or hard to reach, such as soffits, roof edges and chimneys, and you cannot work safely on a ladder.
• You want an exterior treatment in early fall. Penn State recommends that these be applied by a licensed pest control operator.
• Someone in the home reacts badly to the odor and you need the numbers down quickly.

Spraying inside the house will not end a stink bug problem; sealing the outside of the house will.

For more fall and winter invaders, browse our How to Get Rid Of guides, check the garden pest guide for what stink bugs do outdoors, or see the full pest library.