Does Washing Bedding and Clothing in High Heat Kill Bed Bugs?

To get rid of bed bugs in your washing machine:

1. Strip the linens off of your bed and sort with other items to be washed.
2. Place each sorted pile into plastic bags and seal. Transport the bag carefully to your laundry room and tip the bag into your machine.
3. Insert a normal amount of your typical detergent.
4. Wash the load at a high temperature (at least 140°F) for 90 minutes.
5. Carefully transfer washed clothes to the dryer and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes.

How to Wash Away Bed Bugs in Illinois and Indiana

One of the most important things you can do to control the spread of a bed bug problem is to run your clothes, bedding, and any other infested items through a wash in hot water. Before doing so, make sure to sort the clothing and linens. After sorting as you normally would, place each sorted pile into separate plastic bags. Seal the bags prior to moving them to your laundry home. This is very important to avoid spreading bed bugs into other rooms in your home.

Tip the sealed bag into the machine, place the plastic bag into another sealed bag, and dispose of the bags carefully.. Wash and dry the clothes on the highest heat possible. Fold your laundry and place in sealed bags to keep them clean and bed-bug free!

Will Bed Bugs Survive in the Washing Machine?

Extreme temperatures are one of the most reliable ways to kill off bed bugs. Therefore, throwing your clothing and bedding in a high heat wash should works extremely well to kill off adult bed bugs, as well as any eggs too. It’s important to exercise caution in moving infested linens during the process to avoid spreading bed bugs to non-infested rooms.

Can you Wash Other Bed Bug-Infested Items?

While washing and drying you bedding and clothes in high temperatures help, obviously this method will not work for all infested items or areas of the home. Complete control of a bed bug infestation requires treating the entire infected area, not just items.