About Exhale
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Exhale is a non-toxic bed bug activator developed by Skatek. It works by releasing carbon dioxide and human-scent compounds that closely mimic the presence of a sleeping person - the primary signal bed bugs use to locate a host. When Exhale is deployed in a room, it triggers bed bugs to leave their harborage and move toward the device, making detection faster, more reliable, and significantly more accurate than passive monitoring methods.
Unlike conventional pest control products, Exhale contains no pesticides, insecticides, or harmful chemicals of any kind. It works entirely through biology - exploiting the same kairomone signals that bed bugs have evolved to follow without posing any risk to people, children, pets, or the environment.
How It Works
Bed bugs locate their hosts primarily through CO₂. A sleeping person exhales carbon dioxide continuously throughout the night, and bed bugs can detect this signal from several meters away. Exhale replicates this using a precision-dosed dispenser calibrated to imitate human respiration - creating an artificial host signal that draws bed bugs out of hiding on demand, regardless of whether a person is present in the room. This makes Exhale uniquely effective in situations where passive monitoring fails: vacant apartments, hotel rooms between guests, and any space where low bed bug activity makes interception-based monitors unreliable.
Four Key Use Cases
Exhale is used at four critical stages of the bed bug management process. Before treatment, it confirms the presence and location of an infestation, giving pest control operators a clear picture of where activity is concentrated. After heat or chemical treatment, it provides post-treatment verification - run for 48–72 hours, a clean result gives strong documented evidence that the job is done. In vacant or low-occupancy spaces, it provides ongoing monitoring capability where passive monitors would show nothing. And during treatment preparation, it helps ensure no active areas are overlooked before equipment is positioned.
Scientifically Validated
Exhale's efficacy has been independently confirmed in two peer-reviewed studies. Research by Dr. Richard Naylor, one of the UK's leading bed bug scientists, demonstrated that Exhale significantly increases bed bug foraging activity and improves detection in real-world conditions. A second study at the Department of Entomology at the University of California, led by Professor Dong-Hwan Choe, confirmed these findings in a controlled laboratory environment. Both studies are available in full on our Research page.
Who Uses Exhale?
Exhale is used by professional pest control operators across Europe as a monitoring and verification tool, and by property managers, hotels, and housing associations who need a reliable, non-toxic solution for ongoing bed bug surveillance.
