How Do Bed Bugs Damage Clothes?
WouterIf you find bedbugs on your clothes, you will want to get them cleaned as soon as possible. It is important to dry clean your clothes in the dryer at 120 degrees, which is the temperature at which bedbugs will die. If you are unable to do this, you can steam clean or boil the clothes.
First, it is important to sort your clothes. Sorting clothes will allow you to remove infested clothing and dispose of it properly. If you cannot sort the clothes, simply put them in piles and place them in a big plastic bag. After you do that, seal the trash bag. You can then load the clothes in the washer. Make sure to use a detergent that is made for treating bedbugs. If you do not have any special detergent, you can use regular detergent. You can choose the hottest water temperature and wash cycle.
If you cannot dispose of the clothing right away, you can wash it in the washing machine, but be sure to carefully inspect the clothes after each cycle. The best way to wash clothes with bedbugs is to use the highest heat setting available. The temperature should be at 120 degrees F or higher, but be sure to check them thoroughly for bedbugs. Once the clothes are clean, place them on a table and inspect them carefully for signs of bedbugs.
You can also use a home laundry drier on the highest setting to kill the bugs. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes of exposure for the bugs to die. Another option is to use mattress encasements, which are available commercially. They have been shown to be effective in preventing bedbug harborage in laboratory tests. These are especially useful if you stay in hotels and have multiple beds. This will trap the bugs inside the mattress and die of starvation.
