(Step 4 of 9 in the Bed Bugs Killer Ultimate Guide - Updated March 6, 2020)
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Do you know how to use heat to kill bed bugs? Heat treatment for bed bugs takes many forms, and you'll probably need to apply more than one. Bed bugs begin to die in temperatures above 113°F when exposed to it for at least 90 minutes. So extreme heat has become one of the most effective methods for wiping out bed bug infestations. Which approach you use is determined by whether you're treating small items, large items, or the whole house.
Your basic tools:
Let's look at each method more closely.
Hot Laundry Water
Wash clothing, toys, stuffed animals, and other items in hot water that is at least 120°F (49°C) to kill bed bugs. Washing items is particularly helpful while getting rid of clutter and before encasing and storing items in a permanent place.
Pre-sort (separate by color or washing instructions) your clothing as you would normally. Then, place each pile into its own bag and tie it tightly enough to keep any bugs inside. Set any clothing that should be dry-cleaned only in a separate bag. You are not going to wash these items. You'll place them into the dryer only (and only if they are not wet).
Set the washing machine on the hottest setting allowed for the fabrics in each bag.
Watch this video from the University of Minnesota Entomolgy Department to get some tips on washing clothing and other items to fight bed bugs:
Some experts recommend that before you wash your belongings, dry them. That's right; reverse the procedure – dryer first, then the washer. This is because washing alone, even in the hottest water, won't kill all bed bugs and their eggs. The dryer, when hot enough, does this.
How do you get your washables from outdoors or your room to the laundry room without letting bed bugs escape to other parts of your home? First, make sure the container you transport the items in is sealed. Heavy-duty trash bags will do. Very carefully dump the contents directly into the dryer. Do not set the bag on the floor to unload it. Set the dryer on high heat for at least 40 minutes; an hour is better. Then, immediately close, tie, and seal the trash bag. Take it directly to the trash outside.
Next, wash the items as you would normally and then dry them again. Dispose of your sealed trash bag outside in the garbage.
Dissolvable Laundry Bags Keep Bed Bugs from Escaping
Here's a different approach in which you'd wash and then dry your clothing as normal. This option eliminates the need to open the contaminated bag at all: use dissolvable laundry bags to seal your belongings inside. Instead of opening the bag, just dump everything into the washing machine. The eco-friendly bags break down and dissolve safely inside the washing machine. They're safe for your clothing and the machine.
Watch a quick demonstration of using these laundry bags to contain bed bugs after traveling by entomologist Jeff White:
You can find dissolvable laundry bags at Home Depot. A 3-pack will cost about $10. If you travel frequently or with groups, Amazon also carries a pack of 100 dissolvable laundry bags that might better suit your needs.
Whichever option you choose, the important thing is to ensure the bag you place items into stays sealed until your belongings are dropped safely into a washer or dryer.
Dryers
Dry clothing on a high heat setting for at least 45 minutes. This is effective at killing adult bed bugs and eggs.
You can also place clothing labeled for dry cleaning into your home dryer as long as the items are dry before tossing them into the dryer. Set the heat at a medium to high range for 30 minutes.
If you decide to have your clothing professionally dry-cleaned, make sure you seal the items in bags before taking them to the cleaners. Tell the cleaners that the clothing might have bed bugs. This way you avoid passing on the infestation to their business and other innocent customers who bring their clothing to their shop. They know how to give these items special treatment to protect everyone.
Steam
Steam cleaning is another alternative for killing bed bugs and their eggs with heat and without chemicals. When it comes to bed bugs, steam is a contact killer. It must make contact to kill.
Steamers are great for treating mattresses, box springs, baseboards, upholstery, carpet, pillows, curtains, and other valuable items. Pleats, skirts, folds, and other such areas are attractive to bed bugs. Steam is the perfect way to reach these hiding places. Click to watch a video on how to steam a mattress for bed bugs.
Use high-quality, high pressure steamers designed to kill bed bugs with heat. The most important criterion is that they get hot enough to do the job. Bed bug steamers rely on heat without creating excessive moisture that can damage your belongings.
Still, because it is water-based, you need to consider, piece by piece, whether to apply it. For example, leather chairs and couches might not be the right place for steam. But, you can test these and other materials by applying the steam to small, hidden areas before proceeding.
As with any type of eradication effort, the key here is to be thorough. Treat everything in the room. Miss one source of the infestation, and you're back to square one because the survivors will re-populate the areas you steamed.
You can rent a professional steam cleaning machine at many local home improvement centers and some grocery chains.
Bed bug steamers are also available for purchase.
Portable Heat Chambers
What about items that can't be laundered or won't fit into your dryer? A portable heat chamber might provide your solution. Portable heat chambers, sometimes called "hot boxes" or "ovens," are containers that are zipped shut with a heater inside. That heater warms the unit to 120 degrees or more to kill bed bugs at all stages of life.
They vary in size and portability. The smallest units are great for items such as shoes, books, clothing, bedding, toys, electronics, and more. Larger units can hold luggage (both carry-on and full-size) and even small pieces of furniture. The largest and least portable units are designed to hold all the big items in a room like mattresses, couches, and dressers.
Portable heat chambers are very effective, killing all bed bugs in the items placed in them if they are left inside long enough. This is generally 2 to 8 hours, depending the size of the items, how loosely packed they are, and the type of chamber used.
Still, these units are not inexpensive, and they are not returnable after purchase. So unless you travel a lot or applying the entire process we're laying out for you here does not work, this might not be for you.
For now, focus on killing bed bugs in your bedrooms by washing, drying, and steaming. Complete this process, and then move on to learn when and how to apply bed bug sprays.
Hot Outdoor Temperatures
When it comes to killing bed bugs, the sun can be your friend. Left in an inescapable package long enough, the little critters will roast away. However, this is not a technique recommended by any expert. We note it here only because it gets asked about frequently.
If you try this method, place the pests into a sealed bag in which there is no place for them to escape. Elevate the bag off the ground. Place only a few clothes, bedding, toys, or other items into the bag; this eliminates pockets of shade for them.
This generates the same level of heat as being in a car with the windows rolled up with no escape on a hot summer day. You want the temperature inside the sealed bag to reach at least 120°F (49°C). Monitor the temperature with an outdoor thermometer. Leave the bag(s) in the sun for at least 24 hours – 3 to 4 days is better.
This method might kill some bed bugs but it's not your best choice for implementing a bed bugs eradication process. The biggest problem is that you can't control the temperature outside to ensure it stays hot enough, long enough to guarantee success. Also, it's just not practical to set all your belongings outside. Remember, if you detect bed bugs, everything in the room needs to be treated. Everything.
Next: Spray for Quick Kills
We'll cover the professional thermal heating systems topic thoroughly in a separate article. For now, let's keep our focus on the process to follow if you're doing this yourself. Having treated everything in your bedrooms by washing, drying, steaming, or sealing them, it's time to move to the next treatment step: bed bug sprays.
Did You Miss the Previous Steps in the Guide?
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