How To Wash Bed Bug Clothes

Bed bugs are back and they’re more resilient than ever. One of the key places they like to spread is right inside your home. That includes your mattresses, box springs, and even your clothing. Here’s a quick guide on how to wash bed bug clothes to kill these pests before they spread throughout your house.

How To Wash Bed Bug Clothes

Bedbugs are excellent hitchhikers, and an infestation can begin with a single female caught in luggage, clothing, or upholstered furniture. If you find yourself dealing with the unfortunate event of an outbreak, you don’t need to dispose of your wardrobe, and it’s possible to treat your clothing. The key to caring for laundry riddled with bedbugs is washing and drying it with the highest heat your garments can tolerate. Don’t skip the drying part, because high heat is what truly kills off bedbugs.1

How Often to Clean Laundry Infested With Bedbugs

Since it’s the heat that kills the bedbugs, one washing and drying per load of laundry should be enough to do the job. However, you’ll need to monitor the bedbug situation for further infestation.

Glass spray bottle next to roll of plastic trash bag and laundry detergent bottle
 

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Washing machine
  • Dryer

Materials

  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Laundry detergent
  • Trash bags

Instructions

How to Wash Laundry Infested With Bedbugs
Detergent Regular
Water Temperature Hot
Cycle Type Normal
Drying Cycle Type Highest heat
Special Treatments Dry-clean only garments must be handled separately
Iron Settings Varies by garment

  1. Spray Clothes With Rubbing Alcohol

    Spray colorfast infested clothes with rubbing alcohol immediately upon identifying a bedbug infestation. The rubbing alcohol will kill live bedbugs on contact, however, it won’t eliminate eggs or get rid of the infestation. For non-colorfast fabrics and items that must be dry cleaned, immediately place the clothes in a sealable plastic bag.

    Rubbing alcohol sprayed on gray clothes to kill bugs

  2. Separate Dry Clean Only Garments

    Items with care labels that state dry clean only should go into a separate pile, even if you don’t plan to take them to the dry cleaner for additional cleaning. These items cannot be washed, but they can usually be put into the dryer on high heat to help get rid of the bugs.

    Clothes separated for dry cleaning and regular washing

  3. Sort Clothes Into Trash Bags

    Sort your clothes as you normally would before washing a load of laundry. Sort them in the infested area to prevent spreading the bedbugs into another area of your home. Place each pile of clothing in a large trash bag and seal it.

    Bug infested clothes separated into plastic trash bag

  4. Set the Washing Machine

    If your washer doesn’t have an automatic dispenser, add regular detergent (there’s no need for special detergent) to the drum of the washing machine. Select the hottest water temperature recommended for the fabrics and the correct cycle for the fabric types.

    Washing machine set to hottest temperature for bug infested clothes

  5. Transfer Clothes to the Washer

    Take the bags to the washing machine, and tip them over so the clothes carefully spill into the machine. Don’t roughly dump out the clothes, because the bedbugs could become airborne. This is important in your home or a communal laundry room or laundromat. Dispose of the trash bag in an outside bin.

    Bug infested clothes in plastic trash bag spilled into washing machine

  6. Select the Best Dryer Cycle

    Transfer the clothes from the washing machine to the dryer. Set the dryer to run for at least 30 minutes on the highest possible heat cycle that won’t damage the fabric. Ideally, the heat should exceed 120°F to kill both the bugs and the eggs.

    Dryer machine set to hottest temperature to kill bug infested clothes

  7. Fold Laundry

    Fold the clean, dry clothes on a table that has been inspected to ensure that it’s free from bedbugs. Properly store laundry.

    Laundry folded after cleaning for bug investment

How To Wash Bed Bug Clothes

How to Wash Bed Bug Clothes

Some clothes have bed bugs in them. If you’re not sure if your clothes have bed bugs, you can check for signs of infestation. If you do find signs of infestation, you can wash your clothes at home. There are a few ways to do this.

First, wash your clothes by hand. Fill your sink with hot water and add 1 cup of vinegar or detergent to the water. Then put the clothing in the water and let it sit for 30 minutes before rinsing it out with clean water.

Second, use a drying machine to wash and dry your clothes. Set the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes before turning it off and letting the clothes air dry overnight in an area where there isn’t any direct sunlight or heat from nearby appliances such as lamps or televisions; this helps kill any bugs that may be present on the fabric surface area so they don’t hatch again later on when you wear them again (which would make things worse).

If you don’t want to use either method above (or if there aren’t any free public laundry facilities nearby), then consider buying new clothes instead

List Of How To Wash Bed Bug Clothes

SafeRest Mattress Protector – Queen, Premium, Cotton, Waterproof Mattress Cover Protectors – White
Price : $37.99
Features :

  • Protects Against Urine, Fluids, Perspiration
  • Cotton Terry Surface With Membrane Back Coating (Waterproof, Noiseless and Breathable)
  • Great For Those With Kids, Pets Or Incontinence (OEKO-TEX Certified SH025 151792)
  • Will Not Change The Feel of Your Mattress (Registered with the FDA as a Class 1 Medical Device)
  • Fitted Sheet Style Design – Queen Size Mattress Protector 60″ x 80″ – Fits up to 18″ deep

Additional Info :

Color White
Item Dimensions
Height 11.1 Inches
Width 3.6 Inches
Length 11.5 Inches
Weight 1 Pounds
Bed Bug & Mite Killer Laundry Detergent Additive by Premo Guard – 32 oz – Child & Pet Friendly – Stain & Odor Free – Best Natural Treatment – Industry Approved – Satisfaction Guarantee
Price : $29.97
Features :

  • SAFE AND NATURAL. Produces results. Safe to use on bedding, linens, and washer safe clothing. Safe for use around children and pets. All our products are third party tested and approved.
  • STAIN AND SCENT FREE. Chemical free with no harmful fumes. Rest easy knowing you family is bug free and clean. Powerful pest treatment laundry additive for household and commercial use.
  • PROVEN INSECT KILLER. Tested and proven to eliminate bedbugs, dust mites, spider mites, bird mites, mold mites, fleas, and ticks. Kills adults, nymphs, and eliminates eggs. We ensure our products are supplied from Certified Natural Products Association (NPA) and Approved Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facilities.
  • GREEN AND EASY TO USE . The product may be used with or without regular soap detergent. Contains all-natural ingredients to eliminate bed bugs on linens, clothes and other washable items.
  • CLICK THE ORANGE ADD TO CART. Click The Orange Add To Cart. When you order Premo Bed Bug, Lice & Mite Laundry Additive today you will receive excellent customer service and are protected by our money back guarantee!

Additional Info :

Item Dimensions
Height 10 Inches
Width 3 Inches
Length 3 Inches
Weight 2.2 Pounds
Mighty Mint - 16oz Insect and Pest Control Peppermint Oil - Natural Spray for Spiders, Ants, and More - Non Toxic
Price : $18.98
Features :

  • Safe
  • Extra Concentrated for Long-Lasting Protection
  • Natural Ingredients Proven Effective in the Real World
  • Large 16oz Bottle
  • Powerful Essential Oil

Additional Info :

Item Dimensions
Weight 1 Pounds
Hot Shot Bed Bug Killer With Egg Kill, Ready-to-Use, 32-Ounce
Price : $6.97 ($0.22 / Fl Oz)
Features :

  • BED BUG TREATMENT: Hot Shot Bed Bug Killer With Egg Kill kills bed bugs and bed bug eggs, adult and pre-adult (larvae) fleas and dust mites.
  • USE INDOORS: Spot treat mattress tufts, folds, vent holes, buttons, creases, indentations and seams – do not use on pets.
  • WATER-BASED FORMULA: This non-staining formula leaves no odor.
  • APPLICATION: Spray intended use areas until damp, but do not saturate – inspect the area and apply every two weeks while bed bugs are present.
  • TREAT BED BUGS AS PART OF A CYCLE: For best results, use this product as part of a comprehensive bed bug treatment plan — treating bed bugs as part of a cycle is key to gaining control.

Additional Info :

Color Multicolor
Item Dimensions
Height 4.73 Inches
Width 2.95 Inches
Length 10.81 Inches
Weight 2.27 Pounds
Sawyer Products SP657 Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent for Clothing, Gear & Tents, Trigger Spray, 24-Ounce
Price : $16.95
Features :

  • Add a layer of protection to your clothing and gear with Permethrin insect and tick repellent spray — perfect for use on shirts, jackets, pants, socks, shoes, boots, sleeping bags, tents, netting, when outdoors, camping, hunting, or on travel
  • Ideal for backpacking, backyard BBQs, and other outdoor activities, it’s effective against more than 55 kinds of insects — from disease-spreading ticks (Lyme disease) and mosquitoes (West Nile and Zika viruses) to chiggers, spiders, mites, and more
  • Permethrin spray bonds to fabric fibers for up to 6 weeks or through 6 washings (whichever comes first) and won’t stain or damage clothing, fabrics, plastics, finished surfaces, or outdoor gear; odorless after drying
  • Reduce likelihood of a tick bite by 73.6 times by treating shoes and socks with Permethrin (University of Rhode Island study – 2017)
  • 24-ounce trigger spray bottle treats five complete outfits (updated EPA dosage is 4.5 ounces per outfit consisting of shirt, pants, and socks); maximize protection by pairing with Sawyer Picaridin topical repellent for the skin

Additional Info :

Color Yellow
Item Dimensions
Height 11.023622036 Inches
Width 3.799999996124 Inches
Length 10.299999989494 Inches
Weight 1.1 Pounds
Release Date 2011-10-28T00:00:01Z

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