Can you wash bed bugs out of clothes? Home & Garden | Bed bug infestations are on the rise in the U.S., and coming up with effective ways to deal with these nocturnal pests has become a big topic around the water cooler. Although bed bugs can hitch a ride on just about anything, including shoes, handbags and luggage, clothing is a common target. It's possible to eradicate bed bugs from laundered clothing, bedding and household textiles like drapes and area rugs, but it takes heat to do it. A sustained temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit will kill all stages of the bed bug's lifecycle. Some experts suggest maintaining the heat for at least 20 minutes while others recommend continuing high temperatures for an hour. That's good news if you're trying to get bed bugs out of your clothes: Washing your clothes in hot water will probably kill them, and spinning your clothes in a hot dryer will certainly kill them. In fact, just stuffing your bug infested clothes in a trash bag, sealing it and putting it out in the sun on a hot day will kill any critters inside.
Just make sure the interior of the bag reaches a sustained 120 degrees Fahrenheit by checking the temperature with an instant read thermometer. If you're dealing with dry-clean-only garments, the dry-cleaning process kills bed bugs, too, but it's probably a good idea to let the dry cleaner know there may be bed bugs in the clothing you're leaving at his facility. He may want to quarantine your clothes before treating them. If there will be a delay in cleaning your garments or dropping them off at the dry cleaner, keep them in a sealed trash bag in your garage to make sure you don't spread them to multiple areas in your home. These tips don't just work for clothing, either. Washing and drying with hot water, dry cleaning and heat treating will kill bed bugs in bedding, draperies, pillows, cushions, area rugs and other household textiles, too. Just make sure that the heat penetrates all the layers of the items you're cleaning.Here’s what I know about bed bugs in clothes:Many experts feel that that you need to wash and then dry all clothing, bedding and other items on hot for a very long time.
You then need to seal them in airtight bags. Space bags, sealed properly, can be airtight but must be treated and stored with care. ) work well for sealing and re-sealing, but sometimes come open without warning. Some prefer 2 gallon ziplocs with individual outfits inside. Superthick 3mm lawn trash bags are very strong, and can be used with cable ties (from a hardware store) to provide an airtight seal. But do not use normal garbage bags and twist ties. They will not be airtight. Rubbermaid type plastic boxes and dry cleaners’ bags are also not airtight. After this writing, it became well known based on expert research that drying items on hot alone is sufficient to kill all life stages of bed bugs in clothes and other fabrics. Note that tests were done on clean, dry socks, in which bed bugs were killed in 5 minutes. Since thicker items may take longer, I hear a general recommendation of 20 minutes or so (some say 30) on hot, if starting with clean, dry items. For more on various options, including using a washer only for those without access to a dryer, see this FAQ.
Some of us like to use long term solutions to store most things (bagged with cable ties or space bags) and then keep washing and using a few days’ worth in ziplocs. But it depends largely on what your lifestyle is like and how spartan you can be. Whatever you do, do not put your freshly washed and dried or dry-cleaned stuff back in a dresser or closet as is. You must seal them up, or your clothing will be reinfested. (Also, don’t seal clothing and linens that have not been treated; you may be storing bed bugs which can come out later, when you think your pest problem is gone.) How long to dry? I dry items for an hour. Others do 2 hours (which I don’t because I assume it will ruin stuff!) In any case, you should dry on hot until the item is bone dry, really hot and dry. And then do 20 minutes MORE. No one has verified exactly how long it will take. And don’t believe anyone who tells you they know for sure– there is a lot of misinformation out there that people claim is correct about bed bugs.
I’ve seen a document provided by the Australian government online which says temps below 48F or above 96F kill bedbugs and this is absolutely NOT true. Even seemingly reliable sources are often incorrect about how to deal with bed bugs–because remember, they are “new” to most western and northern countries after not being around much for decades. So my advice is conservative: an hour will probably do most cloth items. 20 minutes after the thing is totally dry is safer. 2 hours is most conservative. And another thing: we’re told dry cleaning will kill bed bugs. However, the possibility of infesting the dry cleaners is a real one. Be sure you warn the dry cleaner the items may contain bed bugs, so they will treat them carefully before cleaning. (I have not heard anyone say their dry cleaner turned them away when they said this.) Be cautious with thick items, like comforters, pillows, down jackets. Even if you dry these on hot for a long time (as above) or dry clean them, be aware that it may be harder to eradicate bed bugs from these.
If you are trying to save an expensive comforter, down jacket, etc. then have it cleaned as above, but be aware that we’ve had one reader, S., who believes a comforter came out of dry cleaning, and harbored bed bugs which emerged 6 months later. There’s no way she can know for sure that this happened, but it really appears to be the case. Perhaps the dry cleaning was done improperly. Or perhaps the dry cleaner did not keep it separate from someone else’s infested stuff (good reason to come clean with your cleaners!) It is also possible that drying and dry cleaning thicker, denser items is just harder. The best thing is to be aware of this possibility. Better you discover this right after eliminating your infestation, rather than 6 months later when you pull the item out of storage, as S. did.Bedbugs are very hard to get rid of. If you do have bedbugs, it is strongly recommended that you hire a licensed professional pest control operator. If you are a tenant and have bedbugs, you should tell your landlord right away.
Tenants who have bedbug-related issues should speak with a public health officer for help in dealing with the infestation. If you live in a multiple-unit dwelling and building management has asked you to prepare your unit for bedbug treatment, this usually includes emptying storage furniture to make it easier to inspect, organizing your belongings and placing them in bags, washing all your clothes and bedding, and moving furniture away from the walls. The pest control operator will usually give you specific instructions to prepare for an inspection or treatment. Professional pest control operators can use a variety of tools to control bedbugs. These include liquid insecticide sprays, aerosol insecticide sprays, insecticidal dusts, diatomaceous earth, pressurized carbon dioxide snow, and steam and heat treatments. Whichever treatment is used, it will only be effective if physical control methods and preventative measures are used together. How to find a professional pest control operator
Contact information for exterminators or pest control operators can be found by contacting the Canadian Pest Management Association or your provincial pest management association. Learn more about bedbugsHow do I prevent an infestation? How do I make sure they don't come back? How do I avoid them when travelling? Where do I go for more information? Physical methods of controlling bedbugs include steam cleaning, vacuuming, heating, freezing, washing, and throwing out items. Steam cleaning should be done before vacuuming, as the steam will flush any bedbugs not killed out of hiding. Heat treatments should be left to the professionals. Infested (but intact) mattresses, upholstery and plush items that cannot be washed with hot water and detergent should be steam cleaned. Bedbugs die at 50°C and steam cleaners generally emit steam at a temperature of at least 100°C. Dry steam or low vapour steamers are better because they leave behind less moisture. Steam will only kill the bedbugs that it reaches, so move the steam cleaner slowly to maximize depth.
Avoid excess moisture, which could lead to mould. Putting small items in the freezer or outside is sometimes effective. However, freezing temperatures must be kept for a prolonged period (4 days of consistent cold at -19°C), and may not kill all of the bedbugs. Place small non-washable items and dry-clean-only items in a hot dryer for 30 minutes or more. Wash mattress pads, bedding, bed skirts, infested clothes, curtains, and so on in hot water and dry them on the hottest dryer setting. Store clean, dry items in light-coloured sealed heavy duty plastic bags or plastic storage bins with secure lids to avoid infesting other areas. Throw out any items that can't be washed, heated, or steam cleaned. Vacuum daily following the directions below. Handheld vacuums, vacuums with a cloth bag, and vacuums with hoses that are made of fabric are not a good idea for bedbug clean-up because these vacuums can become infested. For households with family members who have allergies or asthma, it's best to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to avoid putting insect and dust allergens back into the air.
Bedbugs cling to wood and fabric, and their eggs are cemented to the surface where they were laid. Using a stiff brush attachment and a back-and-forth scraping motion on the surface of the mattress, and a nozzle for the seams and crevices, carefully vacuum all sides to remove bedbugs and eggs. This includes the mattress, box spring, bed frame, baseboards, non-washable furniture cushions, any rugs and carpeting, around heating units and baseboards, and the inside and underneath all drawers and furniture. Let the vacuum run for a bit to make sure all bedbugs have been sucked into the bag, then dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed white plastic bag (white plastic makes it easier to spot a bedbug), in a garbage bin with a lid. Stuff paper towel in the end of the vacuum hose and seal it with tape to prevent any bedbugs from escaping. Wash all vacuum attachments in hot water and detergent. Store the vacuum in a large plastic bag and seal it. For a bagless vacuum cleaner, follow the instructions above, but also empty the canister contents into a plastic garbage bag, seal and dispose of the bag right away, and wash the dust container in hot water with detergent.
Health Canada regulates pesticides in Canada. We make sure that each pesticide registered for use meets Canada's high standards for health and environmental safety, and that the product works as claimed on the label. Each registered pesticide comes with a detailed label that provides directions on how to use the product safely, which pests it controls, where and on what it can be used, and how to apply it properly. To see if a pesticide has been registered for use in Canada, check the label for a Pest Control Products (PCP) registration number. If the product label does not have a PCP registration number, do not buy or use it. Unregistered pesticides are illegal in Canada and their safety and effectiveness have not been reviewed by Health Canada. Follow these precautions when using pesticides: Carefully read the label before buying or using pesticides, to figure out which products are best for your situation and to use the product safely. Use only pesticides registered by Health Canada and only as directed on the label.
Never use any treatment on people, pets or bedding unless the pesticide label specifically says to do so. For example, pesticides registered for use on bed frames are not meant to be used on mattresses or box springs. Do not use pesticides on baby cribs, playpens, or toys. Do not use homemade pesticides. While they may seem simple and harmless, many homemade pesticide recipes can be dangerous both to make and to use. They could harm you and your family. For more information on pesticide use and regulation, contact Health Canada's Pest Management Information Service. Ozone generators are machines that produce ozone gas. Manufacturers and vendors may claim that they can kill bedbugs and get rid of mould and indoor air pollution. However, Health Canada is warning Canadians: do not use ozone generators. These devices are not safe. They can cause respiratory problems that include: irritation of eyes, nose and throat No ozone-generating devices have been approved for use on bedbugs in Canada.