To fumigate means to use special smoke, gas, or vapor to kill pests like insects, mice, or harmful germs in a building or area. When a house gets infested with termites eating the wooden beams, pest control experts might fumigate the entire house by filling it with a gas that kills the termites but won't harm the structure. The family has to leave for a day or two while the fumigation happens, and then the house gets aired out before it's safe to return.

Ships carrying grain sometimes get fumigated to kill any insects hiding in the cargo. Greenhouses might be fumigated to protect plants from disease. Hotels occasionally fumigate rooms to eliminate bedbugs.

Today's fumigation usually involves chemicals in gas form that spread into every crack and corner, reaching places where sprays can't go. A fumigator is someone trained to do this work safely, since chemicals strong enough to kill pests need careful handling to keep people and pets safe.