You’ve hoped. You’ve prayed. But what you’ve dreaded has finally happened.
You’ve got bed bugs.
If you’re like most of us, just hearing those two words makes your skin crawl. Your first thought — how do you get rid of bed bugs the fastest?
A quick Google search says the heat from your dryer is a great DIY solution, but you’re skeptical. Does the dryer really kill bed bugs?
Allow us to reveal the truth about bed bugs and dryers and learn a better option for safely, quickly, and effectively eradicating your home of bed bugs.
Table of Contents
- Does the Dryer Kill Bed Bugs?
- How Long Does It Take To Kill Bed Bugs in the Dryer?
- How To Use the Dryer To Kill Bed Bugs
- 6 Dryer Alternatives to Killing Bed Bugs
- Will the Dryer Kill Bed Bugs? FAQs to Consider
- Let Pure Environmental Use Professional Heat Treatments to Rid Your Home of Bed Bug Infestations
Does the Dryer Kill Bed Bugs?
Yes. But before you go throwing any bed bug-infested articles into your dryer, consider these two important factors:
- Temperature
- Length of exposure
For bed bugs to die, the temperature inside of your dryer has to be just right. Research shows that bed bugs in all stages of their lifespan require a minimum dryer temperature of 113℉ to die — as long as that temperature is consistent for 30 minutes.
Dryer settings with higher temperatures may get the job done even faster.
While your dryer might seem like an easy solution for killing bed bugs on your clothes and bedding, remember that bed bugs are rarely a localized problem — if you have one, you have many.
Bed bugs on your clothing and bedding inevitably mean bed bugs on your mattress, carpet, and often your furniture. They can hitch a ride on nearly anything, so they’re likely moving from room to room staking claim throughout your home.
If you have bed bugs, call the professionals at Pure Environmental. Our team offers Portland and Tacoma heat treatment services to eradicate bed bugs in a single, environmentally friendly treatment. Contact us today to get started.
Do Home Dryers Get Hot Enough To Kill Bed Bugs?
Typically, yes. As long as the dryer is functioning properly, most home dryers get hot enough to kill bed bugs.
If you are unaware of how hot your dryer gets on each setting, use the hottest setting that your items will tolerate and dry for an extended amount of time.
How Long Does It Take To Kill Bed Bugs in the Dryer?
To kill bed bugs on dry bedding or clothing, the items will need to be placed in a medium-to-high-temperature dryer for at least 30 minutes..
If you’re placing wet items into the dryer, you’ll need to run the complete cycle until the items are thoroughly dry to ensure the bed bugs are killed.
How To Use the Dryer To Kill Bed Bugs
Before you attempt to eradicate bed bugs with your dryer, take the time to prepare your infested items properly:
- Separate any affected items and sort them by the level of treatment they require.
- Wash your affected items using the hottest water cycle that you can.
- Move to the dryer appropriately.
Sometimes, washing infested bedding or clothing in very hot water is enough to kill bed bugs without using a hot dryer cycle. However, running freshly washed items through the dryer offers an added peace of mind that all bed bugs have been destroyed.
However, remember that the amount of time the items are in the washer and the temperature of the water are both important. A water temperature of 140℉ and a 30-minute wash cycle will effectively kill bed bugs in all stages of growth. Washing in a lower water temperature may be enough to kill adults and nymphs, but most bed bug eggs will likely survive.
Step 1: Sort the Items Before Drying
Be sure your items remain sorted before tossing them into the dryer, just as you would your normal laundry.
Step 2: Set the Dryer to Appropriate Heat and Drying Time
To guarantee every last bed bug is dead, understand and use the required heat levels and necessary drying times.
At Pure Environmental, we recommend following these minimum temperatures and drying times to kill bed bugs effectively:
- Adult bed bugs and nymphs – 113℉ for 15 minutes
- Bed bug eggs – 113℉ for 60 minutes
- All stages of life – 115℉ for 7 minutes
6 Dryer Alternatives to Killing Bed Bugs
What kills bed bugs the fastest? Exposure to high heat is the best method for effectively eradicating bed bugs.
Don’t have access to a high heat source in a pinch? Try these alternative options for killing bed bugs.
#1: Use Chemical Insecticides
Pesticides are an alternative option for areas that cannot be treated by dryer heat — furniture, crevices, or larger items. Make sure you target not only the problem area but also areas where bed bugs like to hide (dark, warm, protected areas).
#2: Use Natural Substances
Do you want to avoid chemicals? Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance praised for its ability to eradicate bed bugs by dehydrating them by sprinkling a thin layer on the affected areas.
You might also try rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide applied directly onto the bed bugs you can see.
However, studies have revealed natural products might not be the best option for bed bug eradication. One study revealed that when 11-bed bug elimination products were tested by directly spraying them on bed bug nymphs under laboratory conditions, only two achieved higher than 90% bed bug mortality. The use of one other product caused the death of 87% of eggs when sprayed directly on the eggs.
The remaining eight products had little-to-no ability to kill bed bug eggs.
#3: Freeze Infected Items
Opposite to heat treatment, bed bugs may die in very low temperatures — around 0℉.
Studies show bed bugs may be less susceptible to freezing than previously reported, but if you’re in a pinch, try placing affected items in a plastic bag and putting them in a freezer that can reach low enough temperatures.
#4: Vacuum Regularly
Regular vacuuming won’t eradicate your bed bug problem entirely, but it can help reduce bed bug populations by physically removing them from surfaces. When you’re done, immediately dispose of the vacuum contents appropriately.
#5: Steam Clean
High temperatures generated by steam cleaners can help rid bed bugs on items that can’t be laundered — furniture, mattresses, larger items, etc.
There are a few drawbacks to using a steamer to kill bed bugs, including:
- Moisture is introduced into the material, potentially compromising its overall structure.
- It’s easy to burn yourself if you don’t know what you’re doing.
- It’s difficult to properly direct steam into hard-to-reach places where bed bugs like to hide.
- Moisture introduction can lead to other issues, like mold.
#6: Heat Treatments
Heat is arguably the most effective tool available to exterminate bed bugs, and choosing a professional heat treatment service is your best bet for saying goodbye to bed bugs altogether.
Pure Environmental offers a heat treatment service where we expose the infested areas to temperatures above 113℉, killing off bed bugs within minutes.
Using industry-specific heaters and powerful fans, we introduce and distribute heat evenly to all areas. This convection process allows heat to penetrate furniture, electronics, walls, clothing, etc. to ensure proper pest eradication.
Will the Dryer Kill Bed Bugs? FAQs to Consider
Do you still have questions about using the dryer to kill bed bugs? Here are answers to a few of our most frequently asked questions.
Is the Dryer the Best Method for Killing Bed Bugs?
While a trip through the dryer might be a quick fix for taking care of the bed bugs on your clothes and bedding, it won’t cure the overarching problem of a bed bug infestation.
If you find bed bugs on your bed and clothes, they’re also likely in your:
- Mattress
- Carpet
- Furniture
- And more
Unfortunately, a dryer can’t take care of all of that. Heat treatment with Pure Environmental can, though. We’re bed bug experts and can have your home pest-free before you know it.
Can Bed Bugs Live in the Dryer?
If you don’t use your dryer on the recommended heat settings for effectively killing bed bugs, they can survive a trip through your appliance.
However, if clothing or bedding are washed and dried at the appropriate temperatures for the recommended length of time, it’s unlikely bed bugs will survive inside of your dryer.
Do I Need to Clean My Dryer After Using It to Kill Bed Bugs?
What happens after you’ve used your dryer to kill bed bugs?
Luckily, nothing. There is no special protocol to follow after using your dryer to eradicate a bed bug infestation. Simply remove your lint trap, clean it, and dispose of the lint just as you would after running any other load of laundry.
Let Pure Environmental Use Professional Heat Treatments to Rid Your Home of Bed Bug Infestations
Getting rid of a bed bug infestation is a nasty job that requires professional training, considerable experience, and strong attention to detail.
And the fact is, if you have bed bugs, trying to eliminate them by using your dryer isn’t the solution.
While you might think a quick DIY bed bug eradication job will save you time and money, it can cost you big in the long run when bed bugs you’ve missed reproduce and re-infest your home.
Get the job done right the first time around by calling the professionals at Pure Environmental.
We’re the experts when it comes to effectively killing bed bugs. Our thermal radiation bed bug removal process is highly effective, especially in those places that can otherwise be difficult to reach.
Call us today for more information. We’ll answer questions, offer a cost estimate, and be sure you understand the bed bug removal process before getting to work in your home.