Whether it was a recent trip, visiting a relative’s house, or coming into contact with someone else in your home who has the tiny epidermal pests, chances are you have some clothes that have gotten infested with bed bugs. While this isn’t something you want to hear, you don’t need to live out of plastic bags while waiting for heat treatments and fumigation to do their job. You can do something today! Treat bed bug infestations with an integrated treatment approach for clothes. Whether you are dealing with one or multiple infestation of bed bugs, you have to treat your clothes and bags too. This integrated bed bug clothes treatment may be the best choice for you.

Bed Bug Clothes Treatment

Wash clothes in hot water.

Wash clothes in hot water.

If you have a washing machine, put all of your clothes into it and run them through a wash cycle using the highest temperature setting that’s available. Use laundry detergent specifically designed for bed bug treatment, and add a dryer sheet or two to the load so they can soak up any residual bedbug scent. Be sure to wash all of your clothing items, including socks and underwear—even those that may not be visibly dirty or stained (such as black t-shirts). And don’t forget about bath towels!

Dry on high heat.

Dry your clothes on high heat. Bed bugs are unlikely to survive temperatures exceeding 113°F (45°C), so you can use dryer cycles that exceed this temperature. Make sure you use the highest heat setting (if there are multiple settings) and turn off any moisture-sensing options. This will ensure that your clothes get as hot as possible during every cycle.

If you have clothes that cannot be washed in hot water, or if they must be washed at low temperatures due to their fabric content, then either dry cleaning or tumble drying will suffice for killing bed bugs on these items

Bed bugs are unlikely to survive water temperatures exceeding 113°F (45°C) and high heat drying cycles.

Bed bugs are unlikely to survive water temperatures exceeding 113°F (45°C) and high heat drying cycles.

However, bed bug eggs are more resistant to heat than the adult bed bugs. Bed bugs can live for up to a week in water temperatures of 113°F (45°C).

Put clothes into a dryer on the highest heat setting for 30 minutes.

To ensure your clothes are sanitised, you should put them in the dryer on a high heat setting for at least 30 minutes. Be sure to check your dryer’s maximum temperature setting (most models will have a similar range of 130–150 degrees Fahrenheit), and use that if it’s available. If not, use the highest setting on your machine that is available. Make sure your dryer is in good working condition before attempting this treatment—if there’s an issue with its heating element or thermostat, it may not be able to reach these temperatures safely.

Place infested clothing inside the dryer for 15 minutes.

• Place infested clothing inside the dryer for 15 minutes.
• The heat of a dryer can kill bed bugs and their eggs, so using it is an effective way of removing bed bugs from your clothes. You may need to use a high heat setting if you want to be sure that all stages of the insect are killed. If you use this treatment method, take care not to overheat or scorch your clothing because doing so could damage it permanently. Also keep in mind that some types of fabrics cannot withstand such intense temperatures; if you have any doubt about whether a particular item can be safely dried in a dryer, consult a professional before proceeding with this treatment method (see our guide).
• Dry-clean items that can’t go through the wash cycle—but make sure they haven’t been treated already! Bed bugs do not like hot water or light; both factors will kill them if applied for long enough periods of time (20 minutes on high setting). However, once these pests become trapped inside waterproof materials such as rubber gloves or leather shoes/boots which then get thrown into hot water via washing machines—they will survive because these materials don’t allow water penetration into their inner parts where they hide out during washing cycles which means they’ll continue living there even after drying off again.* Dry-cleaning powders contain chemicals used to kill lice eggs but may not always kill all stages at once (elderly adults who suffer from dementia often forget what kind products are used around them). Sometimes even though it feels like nothing has happened afterwards–some older versions contain ammonia gas which releases fumes when heated up by friction between two surfaces rubbing together during spinning cycles causing discomfort over time especially if exposed daily under tight fitting garments.”

Keep items in the dryer for an extended time.

If you’re still worried about bed bugs, it’s worth putting your clothes in the dryer for another 30 minutes. If you’ve been drying your clothes for a long time and are still unsure whether or not they are fully dry, keep them in the dryer for another 30 minutes.

Kill any remaining bugs with steam cleaning.

If you’ve already followed the steps above and are still not satisfied with the results, it’s time to bring out the big guns. If you have a steam cleaner, use that. If not, consider hiring a professional company that specializes in bed bug extermination (though be sure to check their credentials before parting with your money).

In case you’re wondering: Yes, steam cleaning will kill bed bugs and their eggs on contact. It’s more effective than washing or dry cleaning because it heats up the fabric enough to cook them—so powerful that it works on all kinds of clothing even if they’ve been infested for years! This method is also safe for both humans and pets as long as precautions are taken when using high temperatures like these (i.e., don’t make direct contact with any metal parts of your machine).

Now what? After completing one or more of these methods, check any remaining suspicious areas using either visual inspection or chemical detection methods like carbon dioxide fogging; repeat until no bugs are found within 24 hours’ worth of searching time

Heat the iron to “cotton” setting or highest temperature possible.

Heat the iron to “cotton” setting or highest temperature possible.

• If you can’t wash them, dry clean them.
• If you can’t dry clean them, seal them in plastic bags and put them in the freezer for three days to kill any bed bugs inside your clothes.

Ensure that the iron has reached full temperature before using it.

You should know that the iron must be at a full temperature before you begin using it. This will help you to kill most of the bed bugs and their eggs. The best way to know if your iron has reached its full temperature is by checking the settings on your appliance’s dial. Most irons are set at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough for killing all stages of bed bugs.

Once you have ensured that your iron has reached its full temperature, let it sit for about ten minutes as this will give time for all surfaces to heat evenly. This will also help prevent burning yourself or anything else with too much heat from occurring during treatment time!

To monitor whether or not an object has been heated enough, use something like a meat thermometer (a common kitchen tool) and press it gently against different parts of whatever clothing item is being treated; if there is no resistance between material and metal probe then it’s ready!

Pull bed bugs out of your clothes by washing them on the highest temperature possible

The best way to remove bed bugs from your clothing is by washing them on the highest temperature possible. Your clothes should be washed and dried in a washing machine and dryer, although some items can’t go into the washing machine.

To remove any remaining bed bugs, you’ll need to use a steam cleaner or iron that reaches high temperatures. If you’re using an iron, make sure it’s set to its maximum setting of around 400°F and place your garment inside for at least 30 minutes before taking it out again and moving onto another item. To use a steam cleaner, follow the same process as above but make sure you’re careful when handling any garments that have been exposed to heat because they may be damaged by excessive handling or exposure to water if they’re too warm still (it’s best not to let them sit for too long).