How Cold Will Kill Bed Bugs?
WouterWhile you might think that freezing infested items will kill bed bugs, that isn’t always the case. Moreover, freezing infested items may damage other items in the home, such as furniture. So, it’s best to avoid freezing infected items unless they are thoroughly covered in plastic.
Although bedbugs don’t like the cold, they are hardy and can survive for a long time even at temperatures below 0 degrees. In fact, they can survive for a few days at temperatures as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit. But even that extreme cold won’t kill them completely.
Unlike other insects, bedbugs can live without food for a long time. Their metabolic rate slows down and they focus on survival and egg maturation. They can even go a whole year without feeding. So, the best thing you can do is to keep the temperature in your home at a reasonable level.
Before you apply cold temperatures for killing bed bugs, it’s essential to prepare your home for the treatment. You should remove any food that may spoil or melt. Also, remove flammable objects, such as alcohol or gasoline. In addition, if you’re bringing in items from outside, be sure to check them to make sure that they don’t contain the insects. Otherwise, they could end up laying eggs on those items.
Freezing bed bug-infested items in a refrigerator or freezer can help kill them over time. Generally, the colder the temperature, the quicker the insects will die. You can also use a remote thermometer to monitor the temperature of the freezer and ensure that it reaches 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
