Will a Dryer Kill Bed Bugs?
Yes, a dryer can help you kill bed bugs! If you are trying to treat your belongings that are infested with bed bugs, the dryer is your new best friend. I always recommend drying the items first to kill the bed bugs, then washing and drying them as normal to get the dead bugs off the clothes. Here is a bit of research provided by Pest West Environmental on the effectiveness of washing and drying, and how different temperatures affected bed bugs in the clothing. Note: always treat your clothing at temps high enough to kill eggs.
May The Heat Be With You!
Treatment Method | Temperature & Duration | Control Level |
Washing machine (non-biological detergent) 3.2kg - 7lb | Cool – 30°C / 86°F – 30 minute wash | Did not kill egg stages |
Hot – 60°C / 140°F – 30 minute wash | Killed all life stages | |
Tumble Dry 3.2kg - 7lb | Cool dry – 30 minutes | Did not kill all stages |
Hot dry – 30 minutes – 40/45°C / 104/113°F | Killed all stages | |
Cold Soak 3.2kg - 7lb | Cold water – 30 minutes | Killed adults/nymphs only |
Cold soak – 24 hours | Killed adults/nymphs only | |
Dry cleaning (perchloroethylene) | Killed all life stages | |
Freezing 2.5kg - 5.5lb | 2 hours at -17°C / -62.6°F (8 hours to get clothes and items to -17°C / -62.6°F, takes total 10 hours of treatment) | Killed all life stages |