Bed bugs are tiny insects that thrive in warm places and feed on blood. Though they are annoying and their bites can be painful, they are not known for carrying any diseases. Bed bugs are often found in dark corners, folds of clothing and bed sheets, and in the crevices of bed frames. They are easily killed with high heat, especially if they are mainly found on clothes and sheets or other types of fabric.
Step 1
Separate all clothing you believe to be infested with bed bugs. Place them in a plastic bag. If you are not sure which garments are infested and which are not, just bag all your clothes.
Step 2
Take the clothes from the bag and place them in a dryer on high heat--at least 120 degrees F. Leave the clothes in the dryer for about 10 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
Bag any specific articles of clothing that cannot be placed in a dryer. Place the bag in a hot area, directly under the sun. Leave the bag there for 24 hours. Tie the bag loosely to allow heat to penetrate inside.
Step 4
Inspect clothing for bed bugs after treatment. If you spot live bugs, repeat the heating process.
Tips and Warnings
- In colder months, freezing may work to kill the bugs by bagging the clothes and placing them outside somewhere cold. It may take longer to kill the bugs by freezing than by heating.
- Avoid dry cleaning as this may cause the bed bugs on your clothes to spread to other garments at the dry cleaner's.
Things You'll Need
- Plastic bag
- Dryer
