Don't Vacuum the Stink Bugs (Do This Instead)
Invaded by Stink Bugs? Don't use the vacuum! It will ruin the machine. Learn the 'Jar Method' to kill them silently without releasing the odor.
It's Autumn. You look at your curtains and see a shield-shaped bug. Then you see three more on the lamp shade.
It is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, and they are looking for a warm place to sleep for the winter.
Your first instinct is to grab the vacuum cleaner.
Stop.
The Smell That Lingers
If you suck a stink bug into a vacuum, the stress causes it to release its defense mechanism: a foul-smelling chemical that resembles rotting cilantro or old gym socks.
The problem is that the smell coats the inside of your vacuum canister and filter. Every time you turn the vacuum on for the next six months, your house will smell like burnt rubber and cilantro. It is incredibly hard to wash out.
The Pheromone Trap
Also, don't squash them. When you crush one, it releases an aggregation pheromone. This scent tells other stink bugs, "Hey, we are over here!"
The soapy Water Trick
There is a simple, silent way to kill them without the smell.
Take a jar or a plastic cup. Fill it halfway with water and a squirt of dish soap.
Stink bugs have a reflex: when they are disturbed, they drop straight down.
Hold the jar under the bug. Tap the curtain. The bug will fall straight into the soapy water. The soap breaks the surface tension, so they sink and drown instantly. No smell. No mess. You can clear a whole room in five minutes.