How to Get Bed Bugs Out of Clothes
Have you ever encountered bed bugs in your clothes? It would be a nightmare. Bed bugs consume blood and are experts at hiding in clothes and furniture. They usually get into our clothes from hotels, public transport, and used furniture.
So, how can we get rid of them? Is there any solution? Read this blog, where we will walk you through the best ways to eliminate bed bugs in your clothes. We will also tell you how these pests get into your clothes and ways to stop them.
How do Bed Bugs get Into Your Clothes?
Bed bugs are hitchhikers and they can stick to any fabric. It is hard to notice them as they travel from one place to another very quickly. They mostly crawl into your clothes when you come into contact with infested furniture, bedding, or carpets.
Some common areas where bugs get into our things are hotels, public transport, theatres, and Laundromats. After they attach themselves to clothes or bags, they multiply in other parts of your house, like your closet, drawers, and even your bed.
Ways to Stop Bugs from Getting into Your Clothes
1. Inspect the Location First
Firstly, check the room for signs of bed bug infestation before settling into any hotel, motel, or guesthouse. Bed bugs look for crowded areas around bedding, mattress seams, headboards, upholstered chairs, and sofas.
Use flashlights around the surfaces to look for small red-brown spots, white specks, and dark spots appearing. If you notice any evidence of bed bugs in the room, request relocation or alternative accommodation from hotel staff.
2. Always Use Luggage Racks and Sealable Bags
To prevent bed bugs from crawling into your clothes, don’t let your luggage sit on the bed or couch or straight on the floor. Spread it on a luggage rack, bathroom countertop, or any other hard surface.
Pack your clothes into sealable plastic bags or travel organizers for double security. This creates a barrier between clothes and the potential infestation.
3. Launder Your Clothes After Your Trip
Once you return home from the trip, wash all your clothes at high temperatures, even the ones you did not wear. Make sure to wash your clothes at more than 60°C (140°F) to ensure bed bugs and eggs can’t survive.
Keep every washing cycle for at least 30 minutes. If you have delicate fabric that you can’t wash, use a dryer for 30 minutes with high heat on it.
4. Clean and Maintain Your Home Regularly
Beg bugs have many ways to get into your home, even if you take precautions. This is why, inspect your mattress, furniture and carpets often for any sign of infestation. Especially focus on vacuuming places where you sleep.
Can I Use a Dryer to Kill Bed Bugs?
Yes, a clothes dryer is perfect for killing a bed bug. As soon as heat touches their skin, it slowly kills them right away. If you want to dispose of all eggs and bugs from your clothes, place your dryer at least 120°F and run it in there for around 30 minutes.
Adult bed bugs are stubborn, but the eggs are very vulnerable to heat, making dryers one of the best non-chemical methods for killing bed bugs.
Ways to Wash Your Clothes to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
1. Spray Rubbing Alcohol on Your Clothes
If you think your clothes contain bed bugs, rub alcohol directly on colorful clothes. Rubbing alcohol will kill live bugs when in contact with it.
However, rubbing alcohol does not eliminate the egg, making additional cleaning a must. Non-colorfast fabrics or dry-clean-only items should be placed in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash them appropriately.
2. Keep Dry-Clean-Only Garments Separate
Clothing labelled “dry clean only” should be separated from your regular laundry. While these items cannot be washed, they can still be placed in a high-heat dryer for 30 minutes to kill any hidden bed bugs.
If you prefer professional cleaning for bugs, inform your dry cleaner about the potential infestation so they can take appropriate precautions.
3. Keep Infested Clothes in a Trash Bin
Before washing your clothes, sort them in the infested area to prevent spreading bed bugs elsewhere. Place each pile in a large, sealable trash bag and transport them directly to the laundry room. This step helps contain the infestation and prevents bed bugs from spreading to clean clothes.
4. Shift Infested Clothes into the Washer
When transferring clothes from the trash bag to the washer, carry them carefully to prevent bugs from escaping. Avoid shaking the clothes, as this can scatter bed bugs and eggs. Dispose of the trash bag in an outdoor bin immediately.
5. Select the Best Cycle for Laundry
Once the clothes are washed, move them into a dryer. Set the clothes dryer to as hot as is safe for that type of cloth. Ideally, the temperature can be over 120°F, being effective in killing both bed bugs and eggs.
How to Get Rid of Bugs from Your Clothes with the Freezing Method
If either washing or hot drying is unavailable, freezing also kills bed bugs. This method requires setting the freezer to 0°F or lower. Items should be kept in the freezer for at least four days to kill all bugs and eggs.
This method is best for delicate fabrics, suede, silk, and stuffed toys that cannot tolerate high heat. After freezing, vacuum items thoroughly and dispose of the vacuum bag in an outdoor bin.
Conclusion
With the right method, you can easily keep bed bugs out of your wardrobe and home. Every step, starting from inspecting accommodations before staying to using heat or freezing treatments, plays a crucial role in preventing an infestation. Following these methods also ensures bugs-free and safe clothes to wear without any worries.
FAQs
Can bed bugs survive in washing machines?
No, bed bugs cannot survive a high-temperature wash cycle. Washing your clothes in hot water and drying them on high heat will kill both bugs and eggs.
Can bed bugs survive washing machines?
No, bed bugs do not survive through a hot water washing cycle. The high-heat washing and drying of clothes kill the bugs and the eggs.
How many days can bed bugs live on clothes?
Bed bugs can live for a few days to weeks on clothes if they have some food available. However, they do not stay permanently on clothes, unlike lice.
Will a hairdryer kill bed bugs?
Although a hairdryer does produce heat, the temperature is not hot enough to kill bed bugs successfully. An electrical clothes dryer would be better; they are hot enough to completely eliminate them.
Want Help From Professionals?
If you think finding bugs in your clothes is a small problem, you might be wrong. Such pests can multiply and take over your home without getting noticed.
If you want a perfect solution for this, just call our professional pest control services and let us handle it.