Bed bugs are a nuisance that no one wants to deal with. The small, flat, parasitic insects feed on blood – usually human blood – and can leave itchy bite marks. Getting rid of bed bugs is difficult, but washing infested items on a full laundry cycle in hot water is one of the most effective home treatments.
What Temperature Kills Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs and their eggs start to die at temperatures around 113° Fahrenheit. Washing machines easily reach water temperatures hot enough to kill all stages of bed bugs. Set your washing machine on the hottest setting and run a full cycle for 45 minutes or longer.
The wash and rinse cycles subject bed bugs and eggs hiding in clothing and bedding to temperatures hot enough to kill them. High heat penetrates fabric and kills bugs and eggs on contact. A full, hot wash cycle leaves no surviving bed bugs.
Does Cold Water Kill Bed Bugs?
Washing with cold or warm water does not reliably kill bed bugs or eggs. Hot water is crucial. Temperatures below 113° F may kill some bed bugs, but will not exterminate an infestation. Eggs may survive cooler water temperatures.
Only very hot 130+° F degree water can fully penetrate fabric and kill bed bugs and their eggs hiding inside and underneath fibers and seams. Don’t take short cuts by using cold or warm water. Stick to hot water if you actually want to get rid of bed bugs in your laundry.
Can Bed Bugs Survive the Dryer?
Maybe. Extreme heat over 120° degrees F is necessary to kill bed bugs and eggs. Home dryers usually reach about 135° F on the hottest setting, sometimes a little cooler. This should kill bed bugs, but results may vary by dryer model and load size.
The short 30 minute drying time may allow some bed bugs to survive if they are protected deeper in fabrics and bedding. Eggs may also survive due to their resilience. Don’t count on the the dryer alone to fully exterminate an infestation – use it as an addition to very hot washing.
Washing, then drying on high heat provides the one-two punch needed to fully penetrate and kill all bed bugs and eggs hiding in your laundry.
What Laundry Detergent Should be Used?
Any laundry detergent is fine. Standard liquid or powder detergents do not have special bed bug killing properties. The extremely hot water does all of the work. Adding extra detergent, bleach, or other chemicals will not make your laundry any more effective.
How to Wash Bed Bug Infested Clothing and Bedding
Washing machines provide the best at-home method for killing bed bugs and eggs in clothing and bedding. Follow these steps:
- Check clothing tags and bedding labels – select HOT water wash temperature unless it specifies a lower temp.
- Choose the longest, hottest complete wash and dry cycle your machine offers – at least 45 minutes.
- Use high spin speeds that remove excess water, heat fabric more quickly in the dryer, and physically grind bugs.
- Dry on the HOTTEST setting for at least 45 minutes at the end of the full wash cycle.
- Optional extra heat drying cycles are ideal for heavily infested laundry.
Repeat the hot wash and dry cycle 2-3 times for severely infested laundry to ensure all bed bugs and eggs are killed. Then run an empty hot wash to sanitize your machine.
What Items Can Be Washed to Kill Bed Bugs?
Clothing, bedding, towels, pillows, and other machine washable fabric items can be disinfected using very hot laundry cycles:
- Clothing – shirts, pants, socks, dresses, suits, intimates
- Sheets, bed skirts, mattress covers, pillow cases
- Comforters, blankets, throws
- Stuffed animals, pet bedding
- Backpacks, reusable shopping bags
- Towels, rags, fabric toys
Take precautions when transferring laundry with active bed bugs:
- Place items directly into the washer without sorting on the floor.
- Seal infested items in a plastic bag for transport to prevent bugs falling off in route.
- Clean washing machines thoroughly afterwards.
What Items Should Not Go In The Washing Machine?
Avoid washing anything that is not laundry safe or rated for hot water, including:
- Electronics like laptops and phones
- Plastics and rigid items
- Dry clean only clothing items
- Mattresses and furniture
- Leather, suede, wool, and delicates
- Valuable papers and books
Non-fabric items require different bed bug treatment methods focused on application of high heat or chemical pesticides.
Mattresses should be encased, furniture steamed, and electronics carefully inspected and cleaned manually. Use high heat drying, heating chambers, or freezing temperatures for items than can’t go in hot water.
Will Washing Machines Eliminate All Bed Bugs?
Hot laundry cycles can kill all bed bugs and eggs hiding inside fabrics if done properly. However, isolated bugs elsewhere will not be directly affected. Be sure to treat all rooms and locations during an infestation.
Wash and dry all exposed fabric surfaces in an area – clothing, bed sheets, pillows, furniture coverings. Then apply pesticides or other methods to kill bed bugs hiding in nooks, wood framing, electronics, and other places fabric can’t reach.
Using a washing machine alone won’t necessarily solve a whole-home infestation. But it’s the best DIY treatment for cleaning bugs, eggs, blood, and droppings from washable items. Combine laundry and other techniques like encasements, heating, freezing, vacuuming, steaming, and pesticides to fully clear bed bugs.
The Bottom Line
Clothing and bedding harbor the highest concentrations of bed bugs in most infestations. Hot washing machine cycles penetrate fabrics and kill bugs and eggs on contact. Use the hottest water setting and full 45+ minute wash and dry cycles to completely wash away bed bugs.
While laundry can’t solve a whole house infestation alone, it eliminates the highest concentrations of bed bugs on fabrics. Combine hot cycles with other methods like encasements, heating, and chemicals for the best treatment. Stop bed bugs from spreading and biting using home washing machines.
References
[1] Gondhalekar, A. D., & Scharf, M. E. (2012). High temperatures eliminate bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.). Florida Entomologist, 95(3), 892-902.
[2] Olson, J. F., Eaton, M., Kells, S. A., Morin, V., & Wang, C. (2013). Cold tolerance of bed bugs and practical recommendations for control. Journal of Economic Entomology, 106(6), 2433-2441.
[3] Potter, M. F., Rosenberg, B., & Henriksen, M. (2010). Bugs without borders: defining the global bed bug resurgence. Pest World, Sept/Oct, 8-20.
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.