FAQ: dry cleaners and bed bugs
By nobugsonme on Jun 26, 2007 in PERC, bagging, bed bug prep, bed bugs, bedbugs, clothing, dry cleaning, green dry cleaners, laundry, treatment
Experts recommend washing and drying clothes on hot or dry cleaning them, and keeping them sealed in bags for the duration of treatment. The dry cleaning idea brings up a problem: you must tell the dry cleaners about the bed bugs before giving them your sealed-in-a-bag clothes.
A reader asked,
Did you have problems finding dry cleaners to accept your clothes?
I personally did not, but I did not have much stuff that needed to be dry cleaned. If your things can be washed and dried on hot (until seriously, seriously dry and hot), that’s probably better, cheaper, and safer.
If it can’t be washed and dried but can be put in the dryer when it is already dry on hot for a shorter period of time, then this is probably also a good option. Bed bug researcher Dr. Michael Potter says dry for hot for 5 minutes, if the item is already dry, and he seems to know his stuff! But if that skeeves you out, 20 is probably even safer for many clothing items that may be thicker than a sock. If drying only does not seem “clean” enough to you, you can always dry in this way, then bag the item until a full dry cleaning were possible, say in a few months when the bed bugs seem to be long gone (hopefully).
I’d be interested in hearing from others about their dry cleaner experiences.
I don’t doubt that many people simply take the stuff in to be cleaned, and say nothing, but I think that’s very dangerous. Better to take them in in a sealed bag and explain that they had been exposed to bed bugs and should be kept separate from other items until dry cleaned.
I could fully understand some dry cleaners not wanting to deal with that, but there will be others who will want your business regardless. I’d expect some careless others to say “sure,” but if they don’t much about bed bugs, they might not pay much attention to what happens. If you’re lucky, they will agree and they’ll care.
While we’re at it, wash and fold services are very popular, especially in cities like New York. I seriously don’t recommend using them. The risk of transmitting the bed bugs to the business and to others–both workers and other people via their laundry–is too great.
If it seems like a good time to weed out which clothing items you can give to charity, wash, dry and bag them first–at least they won’t be sitting around your house in bags for weeks.
You may also want to just throw things away, but think about it carefully; here in NYC, seeing people pick through other peoples’ garbage is a daily occurrence. Even if you don’t see it, it happens at night, everywhere.
Okay, I’m off my soapbox. Anybody got dry cleaning stories to share?
Update 12/07: a word of warning. In our forums, Doug Summers wrote:
I think we need to be careful when we discuss dry cleaning. Traditional dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene or “Perc” instead of water. Dry cleaning used to mean a wet cleaning method that does not use water.
Some newer “environmentally friendly dry cleaning” methods utilize water in the process to eliminate the health issues that are associated with exposure to Perc. These methods are essentially a mechanical method using a cold water delicate wash approach. I don’t know if the “No Perc” methods will actually kill bed bugs.
So you might want to make sure your dry cleaner uses PERC.
I think this is another reason to try and use wash/dry (drying wet items on hot until really dry and really hot) or drying dry items on hot (see above).
I also would not rely on dry cleaning or even wash/dry or dry/dry methods with thick items like pillows, comforters, and sleeping bags. It can’t hurt, but I would not be very confident.
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happydays | Jun 26, 2007 | Reply
I told my dry cleaners (on the UWS) about my potential bed-bug situation (was getting lots of bites but never had an actual visual of a bug) and they were very understanding and told me that they themselves may ahve had bed bugs at home, and how they dealt with it. They kept my laundry seperate from the other clothes there. I actually felt very supported by them, which helped me deal with my shame about the situation. They also gave me a discount because I gave them lots of business!
James Buggles | Jun 26, 2007 | Reply
Ugh.
nobugsonme | Jun 26, 2007 | Reply
Thanks for your comment happydays! (Love the nickname, by the way…)
Anyway, that is a very reassuring story indeed.
If you’re still fighting bed bugs, I hope it’s resolved soon.
S | Jun 26, 2007 | Reply
The first drycleaners I went to looked at me like I was crazy when I told them about my bedbugs. I half suspect they didn’t even clean my stuff, since they are the place that “cleaned” my down comforter. The same down comforter that kept bedbugs in it for 6 months in my closet, post-”drycleaning.”
However, even if they did dryclean that comforter, obviously my disclaimer is that I don’t believe drycleaning works on down items like coats, pillows and comforters. So please, everyone, keep that in mind.
But the stigma there was equally annoying. So I found a second cleaners.
The new people were much nicer, but I don’t think they understood the severity of the situation at first. For example, once I handed over a sealed ziploc full of stuff, but the ziploc was kinda old (had been zipped and re-zipped so many times). It opened up as I gave it to the woman. I said “Oh - better zip that back up.” She said “Oh, okay” and kinda crumpled the top up and rolled it down. I said “No, that’s not going to work. It needs to be shut.” She smiled and said “Okay, will do.” I said “No, you need to zip it. Like, now!” She seemed a little taken aback, but leaned over and zipped it up. Only then did I feel satisfied, and only then did she “get it” - that they had to keep these bags zipped the whole time they were in their facility.
After that, I made sure to bring the cleaners my stuff in new, well-sealed ziplocs.
ofallthebeds | Jun 27, 2007 | Reply
I explained it to my dry cleaners because she had noticed that i was spending my Friday nights doing massive loads.. I mean 3 hours with 6 machines or more. So I told her what the deal was and she understood. I was lucky…. I also gaveher dry cleaning… heck… that place is not CHEAP… but I decided that because it is so well kept… they thoroughly clean, etc… I have seen how they handle the cleaning of filters too… something about it just made me feel comfortable.
Now, the one thing I am trying to figure out where and how to do are my leather and wool jackets… I am not sure where I can take those… I am almost sure they are k, but I do not want to risk it… nor do I want to ruin them. I thought… maybe just seal it for a LONG time… also keeping them in my car for a few hours in very high heat. Just thoughts… I don’t know if good ones… but I have had my coats in the car… double bagged for weeks now… it is one of th ewarmest places I can think of and as I have mentioned in a previous post… I am driving to a location where the heat will be very hot… I hope that takes care of that… I hope it does.
coopbugged | Jun 27, 2007 | Reply
My UES dry cleaner was very understanding, and did everything for me at cost except for coats and stuff that had to be done specially. His compassion and professionalism was one of the good things to come out of the bb experience!
Jasmine | Jun 27, 2007 | Reply
Hey happydays and coopbugged:
Can you post the names and addresses of these places?
Thanks
Editor’s note: As much as it might seem like a good idea to post names of dry cleaners who don’t mind having people bring stuff with bed bugs, this blog gets a lot of new readers every day (Right now, we get 12,000 visitors a month and 70% of those people are coming for the first time. Many are in NYC.) I’d hate to see these dry cleaners become less friendly as everyone in NYC brings their stuff in. And I’d really hate for a dry cleaner’s business to be ruined because they become the go-to dry cleaner for bed bugs, and they actually get an infestation of bed bugs.
Instead, Jasmine, please go to the forums, where you can use the same login as for this site. I am sure someone will private message (PM) you. Others, please go to the forums and PM Jasmine. Thanks!
happydays | Jun 28, 2007 | Reply
I agree…I would prefer to not share the info of the actual cleaner…however, I shared my story to show you that you do not have to be ashamed and keep it a secret. If someone does not treat you well, take your business elsewhere.
I no longer have bites for over 6 months nobugs, thanks for asking.
I did a lot of laundry back in those days (everything- luckily I do have a washer dryer in my apt ( the kind you hook up to a sink). and I had the PCO come three times- one for bedroom and then I asked them to come back for living room and then 3 weeks later the whole entire apt. I also bought a little steamer and put clean free in the water and used that to clean myself. anyway- I am in the clear. as I said , I never saw an actual bug, but I had many many bites (and some blood stains on sheets), but there is a small chance that it was not bed-bugs. but I do think that the PCO and my work was important just in case, and it was effective.
nobugsonme | Jun 28, 2007 | Reply
happydays–
we get lots of people who don’t find bugs. it’s rough–many people aren’t able to get a PCO to treat.
I would say it’s likely they were bed bugs, though–because if it were bird mites, scabies, etc. it would not have cleared up on its own. From what I understand from Lou Sorkin, bird mites require completely different treatment. So treating for bed bugs would mean they remain.
Good for you and thanks for participating!!!
happydays | Jun 30, 2007 | Reply
oh…I love lou sorkin. i met him a few times at the museum and he was very calm and supportive when I was just losing it. he gave me great advice- although your FAQ sheet is informative enough at this point…he usually just refers to yours!
I wrote letters to the landlord and was very proactive and advocated for myself. I even quoted lou in the memo and they saw how serious I was. they payed for all the treatments even though I had no bugs to show. (the bugs I did find were identified by Lou as non-bedbugs)
I agree that it was most likely bedbugs as the bites were in dead winter and they were in groups, long lasting and very ichy/burning way more then mosquitos for example.
nobugsonme | Jul 1, 2007 | Reply
Not finding bed bugs is a common problem. Although undoubtedly many people who are in that situation don’t have bed bugs, I know a lot do. It’s really hard to catch samples in many cases. I personally think it makes getting treatment hard–since many PCOs are resistant to treat without an actual bug. They need to look for and find other evidence like fecal specks (not just fecal stains).
Everyone gets bed bug poop, right?
happydays | Jul 1, 2007 | Reply
no- I did not find bed bug feces at all.
i may have had a very small infestation and they may have pooped in a non-visable area. who knows…
anyway-good luck with the blog! you do a great job.
nobugsonme | Jul 1, 2007 | Reply
thanks happydays, much appreciated.
and glad you’re having happier days!
hotwater | Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
I need my suit cleaned tomorrow for a job interview. The dry cleaner told me this morning 10;10 that the workers said they will not do my suit and they only do a large amount from the same person so they don’t infect the others and can’t run my suit seperately. I brought it in last night and the owner was nice and didn’t notify me until this morning. This sucks. I need now a dry cleaner that will do it immediately, I don’t want to keep it a secret or by a new suit. I need a reccomendation. I live in NYC.
Bugparanoid | Oct 24, 2007 | Reply
I shipped some of my friend’s clothes home in my car trunk, her bed was infested with bedbugs. I doubled bagged the clothes, still I’m paranoid that some bugs could have gone out. Feeling paranoid that my car trunk can be infested if one got out of the bag. Can they live survive and follow us home when I drive? Is it possible for them to die in the car?
I took the clothes to wash and dry with hot water but no detergent or bleach just water alone. Should it work? I never had bedbugs.
Should I steam my car trunk by renting a steam machine, will it work?
shergil | Dec 20, 2007 | Reply
I was turned down by a dry cleaner in Clinton Hill area in Brookyln NY. He said he definately wouldn’t service me.
nobugsonme | Dec 20, 2007 | Reply
shergil, he probably was burned already by someone careless; or he knows another dry cleaner who was.
nobugsonme | Dec 20, 2007 | Reply
Updated to include Doug’s warning about “green” PERC-free dry cleaning, as well as other dry cleaning concerns. Also upgraded to FAQ.
douggienyc | Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
This place is such a great resource. I found an ad link to a place here that picked up my dry cleaning and laundry from my apartment. The place was Iris Cleaners you can google it for more information. They really seem to know what they were talking about unlike some other places i called. Luckily my landlord is paying for the cleaning because I have a lot of clothes and the bill for dy cleanig it all was more than i could afford. Unlike the previous posters experience, they actually charged more for the treatment because they claim that my clothes were processed sepratley and not mixed with anyone elses. In the end, i was most comfortable with them because their experince dealing with bedbugs and the guy on the phone kind of put me at ease about the whole situation.