FAQ: how do I deal with clothing during treatment for bed bugs (and for a while later)?
By nobugsonme on Nov 8, 2006 in FAQs, bed bugs, bedbugs, information and help, tools and weapons, treatment
This is a FAQ in progress.
Here’s what I know about clothing:
It’s my feeling that you need to wash on hot and then dry all clothing, bedding and other items on hot for a very long time. You then need to seal them in airtight bags. Space bags, sealed properly, can be airtight but must be treated and stored with care. Ziploc XLs and XXLs (from Target, Home Depot, Drugstore.com) work well for sealing and re-sealing, but sometimes come open without warning. Some prefer 2 gallon ziplocs with individual outfits inside. Superthick 3mm lawn trash bags are very strong, and can be used with cable ties (from a hardware store) to provide an airtight seal. But do not use normal garbage bags and twist ties. They will not be airtight. Rubbermaid type plastic boxes and dry cleaners’ bags are also not airtight.
Some of us like to use long term solutions to store most things (bagged with cable ties or space bags) and then keep washing and using a few days’ worth in ziplocs. But it depends largely on what your lifestyle is like and how spartan you can be.
Whatever you do, do not put your freshly washed and dried or dry-cleaned stuff back in a dresser or closet as is. You must seal them up, or your clothing will be reinfested. (Also, don’t seal clothing and linens that have not been treated; you may be storing bed bugs which can come out later, when you think your pest problem is gone.)
How long to dry? I dry items for an hour. Others do 2 hours (which I don’t because I assume it will ruin stuff!) In any case, you should dry on hot until the item is bone dry, really hot and dry. And then do 20 minutes MORE. That’s my theory.
No one has verified exactly how long it will take.
And don’t believe anyone who tells you they know for sure– there is a lot of misinformation out there that people claim is correct about bed bugs. I’ve seen a document provided by the Australian government online which says temps below 48F or above 96F kill bedbugs and this is absolutely NOT true. Even seemingly reliable sources are often incorrect about how to deal with bed bugs–because remember, they are “new” to most western and northern countries after not being around much for decades.
So my advice is conservative: an hour will probably do most cloth items. 20 minutes after the thing is totally dry is safer. 2 hours is most conservative.
And another thing: we’re told dry cleaning will kill bed bugs. Be sure you warn the dry cleaner the items may contain bed bugs, so they will treat them carefully before cleaning. (I have not heard anyone say their dry cleaner turned them away when they said this.)
Be cautious with thick items, like comforters, pillows, down jackets. Even if you dry these on hot for a long time (as above) or dry clean them, be aware that it may be harder to eradicate bed bugs from these. If you have a $5 pillow from Target, by all means, destroy/trash it and buy another (to be covered with a sealed cover that protects the pillow from bed bugs: National Allergy has some good ones; click here for information on a discount).
If you are trying to save an expensive comforter, down jacket, etc. then have it cleaned as above, but be aware that we’ve had one reader, S., who believes a comforter came out of dry cleaning, and harbored bed bugs which emerged 6 months later. There’s no way she can know for sure that this happened, but it really appears to be the case. Perhaps the dry cleaning was done improperly. Or perhaps the dry cleaner did not keep it separate from someone else’s infested stuff (good reason to come clean with your cleaners!) It is also possible that drying and dry cleaning thicker, denser items is just harder. The best thing is to be aware of this possibility. Better you discover this right after eliminating your infestation, rather than 6 months later when you pull the item out of storage, as S. did.
Liz, from the Bedbugger Yahoo Group, wrote the following post:
I’m curious about how everyone is managing clothing etc. Like you,
am trying to be super careful to keep from carrying anything to work
with me.I’m using a series of XL Ziplocs that are labeled quarantine, clean
and dirty.I bought new shoes and a new purse, which are placed in “quarantine”
Ziplocs in the living room as soon as I come in the door at night.
Coats (which were either washed or dry cleaned) are also placed in
the quarantine bags.Except for coats, I only wear an item of clothing once now, then it
goes right into the “dirty” XXL Ziploc in the bedroom, to be
washed/dried on hot.Clean clothes are put in more XXL ziplocs right out of the dryer
(ouch, wrinkles). Currently I’m storing these in the living room
of my one-story house.Towels are hung to dry, then put in the “dirty” Ziplocs.
I opted not to isolate my bed, so sheets are changed 2x/week.
Comforter, blanket and mattress pad are washed/dried at least
1x/week.Is this consistent with what you all are doing? I took advice from
another poster - to minimize both clutter and
constant Ziploc replacement, am trying to keep only 2 weeks’ worth
of clothes, towels etc. in play. The unneeded stuff is/will be
sealed in Ziplocs and Rubbermaid containers in the garage.Comments/ideas welcome. I’m getting tired of tripping over all
these bags, and it’s a pain to vacuum!
To post a comment or add a suggestion or your alternate way of dealing with clothing and linens, please click “comments” and leave a response.
To see or purchase XL ziplocs, 2 gallon ziplocs, and other products recommended by Bedbuggers,
click here.
content rss
parakeets | Nov 8, 2006 | Reply
About dryers–according to what I heard at the bedbug conference, it doesn’t take long in a very hot dryer for mature bedbugs and nymphs to be killed, but it takes much longer to make sure you kill the eggs. So absolutely use the dryer. What I do (if you have it) is set the dryer on high heat for as long as I feel I need to kill the eggs and then run a “cool down” cycle after that. It really cuts back on wrinkles. My laundromat’s dryer has an automatic cool down option I can select. Once the eggs are killed, it doesn’t matter what temperature the dryer is.
About comforters–I covered my comforter in a sealed mite-proof cover and so I am not washing it for more than a year. Except for the fact that eggs can be laid on the fabric, I’m pretty “comfortable” (pun intended) with that.
I put an XXXL ziplock back standing up inside my laundry basket. I use it as a “laundry basket inside a laundry basket” and reseal it everytime I deposit laundry, checking that it is still air-tight. That cuts down on some clutter, to just have one “outgoing” laundry-ziplock.
I group clothes by type in smaller ziplock bags and put the bags right into my bureau drawers.
nobugsonme | Nov 9, 2006 | Reply
Hi Parakeets,
I stopped using comforters and quilts; I bought a washable blanket from Target. Now, it is supposed to be washed on cold. But like all other laundering directions, I flout that one! It is not thrilled to be washed and dried on hot, but it has held up (even if it got a little hard in one area, and smells a bit odd after I dry it for 49 minutes…). It isn’t the nicest thing in the world, but I can toss it in with the sheets every few days and I don’t have to think about anything taking up residence in it.
So how long do you feel you need to dry on hot in order to kill the eggs? I have no clue on this. I’ve been drying things on hot until they’re dry, which is anywhere from 35-40 minutes, and then I usually let it go on another 5-10 mins for good measure.
I also wash the bedding twice on hot even though I know its the drying and not the washing that kills. I guess you’d call that overkill, har har!
R.C. | Feb 8, 2007 | Reply
If you have the space, is it ok to just put soft stuff in an airtight bag, then outside in below freezing to smother/freeze the buggers?
nobugsonme | Feb 9, 2007 | Reply
RC, it can take a long time to smother the bugs. We don’t know exactly how long.
As far as freezing temps, just to be on the safe side, I wouldmake sure they were freezing (check), consistently (check), 24/7, for 2 weeks. That’s me. It might not take that long. We just can’t be exactly sure how long they live or if fluctuating temperatures might prolong that.
If I were going to rent a subzero storage I’d do two weeks, so a freezing environment is the same idea.
DF | May 3, 2007 | Reply
What is the best way to take care of delicate garments that are not usually dry cleaned? I don’t think these items are in the “zone of doom” but I don’t want to take any chances so I’m washing eveything I own. I have many items and undergarments that are washed in the gentle cyle and air dryed but dry cleaning will get quite expensive. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great.
Also, does freezing really help? I’m reading conflicting reports.
jessinchicago | May 3, 2007 | Reply
Hi DF-
It would be best if we knew the extent of your troubles. Are you in the beginning stages of bedbugs, or have you had a treatment by a PCO?
In any case, it’s best to wash on hot and dry on hot, if you can, and to dry clean items that can’t be washed. I know it might get expensive, but it’s your safest bet if you have bedbugs and unprotected clothing.
Please check out our FAQs and visit the Forums- you can ask questions and get answers from veteran bedbuggers there, too.
DF | May 4, 2007 | Reply
Thanks for your response. We are at the beginning stages. Just trapped our first bed bug this week and are interviewing PCO’s at the moment. They’re not visible but we really don’t know the extent yet. Unfortunately, it’s up to our landlord who he hires so that can be a scary thought. We just want to do all we can. I’ve heard of a store product that allows you to “dry clean” in your home dryer. Does anyone know if this method works? Does it get hot enough to kill the bugs but protect the clothing?
Overbugged | Jun 18, 2007 | Reply
RE: DELICATES
Here’s what I do: I wash the delicates on delicate, then let them air dry on a clothesline, and then, when they are dry, I put them in the dryer on HOT for 60 minutes, just like I do with my other things, excpet regular clothes get put in the dryer imemdiately after the wash.
This works well for most of my delicate items. Once they are dry, they can tolerate the high heat that would otherwise have damaged the delicate textile fibres (if you subject wet textiles to prolonged extreme heat it will inevitably cause damage to the the fibres).
This won’t work for every item, of course. If you have something that really just can’t go into a super hot dryer, then bag it, freeze it, or put it aside in its bag for 2 years.
In such cases, I personally opt for the latter as the most secure route, as in all the research I’ve been doing for years now on this question, there is simply no consensus on how long items need to be frozen in order to kill the BB eggs.
nobugsonme | Jun 19, 2007 | Reply
Thanks Overbugged!
Dr. Michael Potter says that clothing need only be dried on hot for five minutes if it is already dry. I’d do 20, to be safe (that’s me), and I emphasize this is for dry items. For wet items, I do them until they’re bone dry (which can be over an hour on hot), and then 5-20 minutes more.
You can see links to his research here:
http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/18/dryer/
I agree freezing is a bit iffy, though at sub-zero temperatures, a couple of weeks should be very secure. People may be able to rent sub-zero freezer space. Many home freezers are much warmer than that, so it does not work. People have left things outside in the snow and claimed it did not work.
2 years in a bag is probably ideal but really hard to manage, esp. in urban areas, apartments, etc.
Thanks again!
Overbugged | Jun 19, 2007 | Reply
That’s interesting about the snow not being cold enough. But when you think about it, snow can actually work as an insulator–that’s what igloos are made of (along with ice).
Thanks for that link to the clothes-drying page.
Overbugged!
nobugsonme | Jun 19, 2007 | Reply
Yes! — some people have put things like comforters out in the cold and things have survived. Well, it was wrapped in a down comforter…
Ru | Jul 25, 2007 | Reply
As I look at all of this, and with my wardrobe, i would say, if i did all of that to my clothing i might as well set it all on fire and walk away. It will destroy my clothing.
hopelessnomo | Jul 25, 2007 | Reply
Please don’t despair, Ru. The first step is to identify what is biting you. You will sort out the rest later.
willow-the-wisp | Jul 26, 2007 | Reply
Hi Ru … You can try wrapping some delicates loosely in a pillowcase, before drying on hot for about 20 minutes. … The line dry first, comment above, re saving the fibers that way by line- drying–sounds promising.
As far as comforters and heavy winter coats go … I’ve seen too many problems others have reported. I tossed mine, got a lot of those cheap, fleece blankets and, well … sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do.
I have little room so yes … I even tossed my fave comforter away. Personally, I do not trust the average dry cleaning process–I just don’t know if the cleaner will get everything.
Sometimes … some unscrupulous cleaners really skip corners. (pun, yes but sometimes it’s true).
Best wishes
Willow
PS I wish more would report back here and tell the tale of woe on what happened to their delicates. it iwll not only make you feel better but it iwll give us all better clues, as to what may or may not work.
nobugsonme | Jul 29, 2007 | Reply
Ru,
This advice from my comment above may help:
Dr. Michael Potter says that clothing need only be dried on hot for five minutes if it is already dry. I’d do 20, to be safe (that’s me), and I emphasize this is for dry items. For wet items, I do them until they’re bone dry (which can be over an hour on hot), and then 5-20 minutes more.
You can see links to his research here:
http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/18/dryer/
I doubt 5-20 minutes drying a dry item on hot will ruin your clothing.
Bed bugs can be gotten rid of, and not treating your clothing makes this difficult. As Nomo says, verify whether you have bed bugs. If so, there are solutions that will work.
Brian Hall | Sep 17, 2007 | Reply
Here’s a thought.
I haven’t personally confronted the clothing issue yet, but will have to.
But — I am a glycerin evangelist. A few years ago I came across info on new glycerin research, and have been using it for my psoriasis and other inflammations ever since.
For bb-bites: Pure USP glycerin kills itching in about 10 minutes, and brings down welts in about an hour. It is a natural anti-inflammatory — and is cheap, to boot! Accelerates all healing processes, btw.
Can also be used in cups for bed legs; as a powerful dessicant, it instantly dehydrates and kills any insects, including bed bugs, that contact it. Here’s where the clothing possibility suggests itself to me: obtain enough glycerin to wet your clothing, then rinse and dry.
As mentioned, I have tested it on bbugs, and contact seems to dry-kill them instantly; I assume the result would be the same for eggs.
Rinsing well should clear out the glycerin, since it mixes aggressively with water.
Data: 3-carbon alcohol, non-volatile, non-toxic, trans-dermal transport agent, mild laxative (50/50 water, 2 tsp ea.), topical disinfectant (instantly dries out & kills surface bacteria). Used as endurance food supplement by some long distance runners.
Don’t stay home without it!
Brian Hall
Web Editor
EVELYN SMITH | Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
I JUST RECENTLY DISCOVERED I HAD BBUGS IN MY APARTMENT. MY SON HAD BEEN BITTEN ALL THRU THE SUMMER AND I THOUGHT THE BITES WERE FROM MOSQUITOES. THEN MY OTHER SON AND I STARTED GETTING BIT ALSO AND THATS WHEN I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE DEFINATELY BB BITES. I LIVE IN A PRETTY BIG APARTMENT AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SUGGEST TO DO ARE SORT OF IMPRACTICAL LIKE PUTTING ALL OF OUR CLOTHES IN BIG ZIP LOCK BAGS. I HAVE VERY LARGE CLOSETS WITH COATS AND BOXES (VERY NEATLY STORED) IN THEM. COULDNT I JUST SPRAY SOMETHING IN THERE? I HAVE BEEN USINR RAID AND IT DOES KEEP THEM AWAY AT NIGHT. IVE ALSO CAUGHT A FEW OF THEM AND SPRAYED RAID ON THEM AND IT KILLED THEM DEAD. IS IT HARDER TO KILL THE EGGS? IM PLANNING TO NOTIFY MY LANDLORD BUT IM WORRIED HE MIGHT BLAME ME. I DONT KNOW HOW THEY GOT INTO MY APT. IVE BEEN HERE 12 YEARS AND NEVER HED A OEST PROBLEM.
nobugsonme | Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
Evelyn,
You must not worry about the landlord blaming you. While you may have brought bed bugs into the building, it could as likely have been someone else–a neighbor. Others may have bed bugs too EVEN IF they have not noticed them yet. Many people are not allergic to the bites like you and your family are.
The landlord must be notified and all apartments on every side, above, and below, must all be searched by a professional pest control operator (PCO). You need to get them in right away.
Raid will not do it, and self-treatment will not likely be enough. It sounds like a significant infeastation, if you have caught and seen them. But many will be hiding and impossible to catch or spray directly.
I know washing and bagging clothes is a hassle–I live in apt. too (in fact, I’d venture that most people here do, many of them in cramped NYC apartments). We don’t recommend this lightly–it is important. The PCO should give you instructions. Our other FAQs may help (click the FAQs button at top). You can also come to the FORUMS to ask questions (click the forums button–top right). But please read the FAQs first since your questions may be covered there.
EVELYN SMITH | Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
SO YOURE SAYING THAT BECAUSE IVE SEEN THEM (IVE CAUGHT 7 SO FAR AN A CONTAINER) THERE COULD BE HUNDREDS OF THEM. OMG PLEASE DONT TELL ME THIS. IVE ALSO BEEN NOTICING DISCARDED MATTRESSES PUT OUT FOR REMOVAL LATELY. THANK U FOR YOUR REPLY . I WILL TAKE YOUR ADVICE. ITS CRAZY HOW THESE LITTLE BUGS CAN JUST UPSET YOUR LIFE LIKE THIS.
nobugsonme | Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
Yes, Evelyn, I am sorry. I know it is a shock. But it can be treated. You need the landlord to take action. Read the FAQs and come to the FORUMS if you have more questions for us.
Brian H | Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
Evelyn;
Yes, they could be in your walls, furniture, electrical fixtures or sockets, upholstry, etc. An each female lays hundreds of eggs.
One of the problems with trying to self-treat is that you may successfully push them away from your immediate area for a little while, but that just causes them to disperse and come back stronger than ever.
BTW, the comment someone made about them getting aggressive (”ballsy”) when hungry is true, even to the extent of climbing to the ceiling and dropping down your CO2 air column to land on you. I’ve seen a couple that missed and landed on the pages of books I was reading, e.g. Puzzled the hell out of me, I can tell you.
Anonymous | Nov 6, 2007 | Reply
Just for good measure, when I am washing towels, sheets, even some scrubby pants and blouses, I throw 1/2 cup of bleach into the washing machine. does this work? Don’t know, of course, but bleach will kill a lot of things.
suz | Nov 15, 2007 | Reply
hi…
I just found out that we have bedbugs in my tiny apartment. I think they were brought in recently by someone who came to visit our place but I cant be sure… We are having an exterminator come in 2 days- the landlord set it up but I looked them up online and they look okay. I have not got any bites yet from my bed but we did find one live bug on my roommates bed. I know that we caught this early on and that we dont have it bad yet— but I want to DO EVERYTHING WE CAN DO NOW in order to get rid of them for good. I think most of this is preventative because we dont have much of a visible infestation…
I am in the process of preparing for the professional treatment and I have some questions that I have not been able to find answers to…
1. SHOES — leather/ non washable shoes- do I just bag them up or how do I clean them if they have been laying around on the floor?
2. BOOKS and RECORDS— me and my room mate have many- can I just bag them up in heavy duty plastic bags and boxes while the exterminator comes or do I have to shake the out one by one or something in case there are bugs inside?
3. if I wash clothes and then bring them back and put them in a plastic container on a table that is bug-free does that work or do they all need to be completely airtight?
4. DRY CLEANING — does anyone have a suggestion for a place I can take all of my stuff in Manhattan that will do it well (inc. sweaters, down pillows and cover, etc) I am ok paying to do it but I just need to be 100% sure its clean when I get it back.
also, any other odd suggestions for a first timer here? No one is really telling me what to do and the list we got from the PCO is kind of vague.
THANKS! I really need suggestions with this one.
badlybugged | Dec 27, 2007 | Reply
I started having problems with insect bites last January, 2007 when I moved into a rented house in Metairie, LA (Metairie is an unincorporated city/suburb of New Orleans). I started getting large welts with pustules on the top – very much like a bite I received several years ago from a wolf spider. I did all of the erroneous things I’ve read about on these forums trying to treat the problem. Finally, I moved out of that house into a home I purchased in an area of metro New Orleans called “the North Shore.” I continued to get bitten. Because I moved from MI to LA the bugs here are completely new to me (huge roaches, mosquitoes the size of bombers, etc.) and I was told that the bites were probably from red ants. No, no colonies of red ants . . .
I have had 2 Pest Control firms provide elimination services, the first sprayed on 3 separate occasions and I continued getting bitten. (I understand that the industry professionals call this method “Spray & Pray.”) I’d never found any adult bugs, and because my dogs sleep in the bed with me, the first PCO believed that further treatment would be ineffectual (too much dirt from the dogs to clearly identify bed bug activity). PCO no. 1 then recommended that I contact a “large” pest control service; and at just about the same time I found an adult bb which I showed to the “new” PCO (no. 2) who clearly id’d it as a bb. The service I researched and ended up using is the only one certified by the state of LA for bed bug treatment in SouthEast Louisiana.
Last Sat. (12/22) they treated the entire house ( to the tune of $1200.00) with both spray and powder behind all the pics, light plates, electric outlet plates, crown molding, etc. The main thrust of the treatment, however, was the steam machine with which they treated my all upholstered furniture including Q-sized pillow-top mattress and box springs; also, I specifically asked them to spray the drawers of all the dressers in my bedroom before returning clothes to them.
While the house was getting treated, I hired two cleaning people (as I am handicapped and cannot handle big loads of laundry, etc) to take ALL of the material things in my house – ALL — to the Laundromat and run them on high heat for 20 min. minimum. (Yes, they did reuse the same bags as those in which they originally transported them to the Laundromat). I bagged up shoes and books placing them in sealed bags on the back porch, but of course it never gets cold enough here to freeze-kill them and it hasn’t been hot (like it usually is) because we’re in the winter season. High temps are sometimes in the mid-70’s (F), but any time other than Dec, Jan, and Feb, it is so hot here anything left in my car would die as it must get up over 140 degrees (F) daily. (I remote start the ac most days before entering my car).
I have been wearing long sleeves and leggings to bed since the treatment hoping to localize any new bites onto my hands or neck where I can readily identify them (My handicap prevents me from reaching the full length of my legs or twisting easily to see my back in a mirror). I thought, since I was bite free, that it was safe to start filling the dressers again so I started sorting clothes on the futon for clean/dirty to wash. There was one “milk crate” which was untreated by the spray which I used to collect my dirty clothes which I have subsequently sorted into the correct “type” pile on the futon (staging area) to get washed. Since carrying that crate and starting to wash clothes (also sitting in the upholstered computer chair that was not steamed) I have discovered two “new” bites.
It seems that this nightmare will never end . . .
nobugsonme | Dec 28, 2007 | Reply
badly bugged,
Sorry you’re going through this. Having bed bugs is a lot of physical work, and it stinks to have to deal with this while having physical challenges.
it sounds like you have a bad case of bed bugs, but I assure you that with proper treatment, both from you/cleaners and the PCO, it IS possible to get rid of bed bugs. Please make sure the new PCO comes every 2 weeks or so, persistently, until all bed bugs and itching are gone.
I hope the FAQs have helped in terms of seeing ways to better deal with clothing. You must keep clean clothes bagged in fresh bags; you also must not sort them on your futon. I know you know that now and I hope it helps. I am sorry this is such a hassle.
If you need camaraderie or advice, please go to the forums:
http://bedbugger.com/forums
Cate | Apr 23, 2008 | Reply
we have had ongoing problems with bb. couple of questions/thoughts.
any ideas for treating electronics since most pco’s won’t treat. esp, large items(computers, TVs, all accompanying wires and even cable box).
we have young babies and were told cribs/all babybelongings cannot be treated. how should we proceed? were told by pco to check everything but somethings are very difficult to check. we hate to buy all new stuff until the problem is eradicated(we’ve had 4+ sets of treatments.
finally, how do we handle our pet-we have heard many different things(ie-they can be bitten or they are not bitten, just carriers) we have a cat and it’s difficult to groom her (she’s mean) but we have used frontline on her as per vets recommendation. any thoughts?
hopelessnomo | Apr 23, 2008 | Reply
Sometimes the recommendation for electronics is simply that any bedbugs harboring in them will need to emerge to feed and so will meet their deaths eventually, assuming proper treatments elsewhere in your home. Depending on where you live, commodity fumigation or thermal treatments may be available. Your PCO should advise you. Many people don’t do anything special with their electronics and still beat their bedbugs.
Steam may be used for furniture and in rooms where children sleep. There are also safe products (non-residuals that kill on contact only) that people with children have reported their PCOs use. Simple cleaning and washing wherever possible should also probably play a part.
Pets can be bitten. There is unfortunately nothing that will prevent this. If there is a special/frequent resting spot, consider inspecting and cleaning it frequently.
If your PCO is not advising you on these matters, you may need a PCO who is more experienced! You can visit the forums (blue button above right) to interact with others who can offer advice and support.
Cate | Apr 24, 2008 | Reply
thanks for all the useful info. we’ll follow-up with our pco.