Bed bugs are temperamental about temperature
Adult bed bugs die at 119 degrees Fahrenheit
Bed bug eggs, however, won’t die until the temperature reaches 125 degrees Fahrenheit
Cold temperatures work, but take longer: bed bugs will die at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 3 days
Isolated incidents can be tackled alone, but major infestations will require professional help
Wondering what temperature kills bed bugs instantly? Adult bed bugs die at 119 degrees Fahrenheit, but their heat-resistant eggs don’t die until exposed to at least 125 degrees Fahrenheit. You can kill bed bugs 0 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 3 days.
You can kill bed bugs using either extreme heat or extreme cold. While these methods are effective, they must be sustained for three to five hours, depending on the temperature point. Extreme heat or cold can kill bed bugs nearly instantly—but those temperatures can only safely be achieved by professional exterminators. Let’s take a look at how the pros handle temperature treatments, as well as what you can employ as a home remedy.
If your bed bug problem doesn't resolve itself after implementing DIY removal methods, it's time to call in a professional exterminator. Don't hesitate to take pest control action to prevent the infestation from growing.
Thermal death points for bed bugs are the combinations of time and temperature that it takes to kill them. The higher or lower the temperature, the less time it takes. Here are some that have been known to be effective.
Bed bugs are resistant to heat, but once the temperature rises high enough, they start to die off. Specifically, a temperature of 119 degrees Fahrenheit applied for at least 90 minutes will kill off most bed bugs. When the temperature starts rising even higher, the bugs die much more quickly. If you can apply temperatures of 118 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 20 minutes, most bed bugs will be dead.
Bed bug eggs are more durable than living bugs, so they’ll need to be exposed to heat for longer. To kill the eggs, it’s important to increase the time to 125 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 90 minutes.
The average home dryer can reach 125 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit on high settings. That makes drying clothes, sheets, and blankets an easy way to kill bed bugs, but be careful. Dryers take time to reach those high temperatures and don’t necessarily hold them for long. You will want your dryer at its highest temperature for at least 30 minutes to be truly effective.
Steam cleaners can reach temperatures up to 230 to 320 degrees Fahrenheit, which is not only enough to kill bed bugs instantly, but can also damage more delicate fabrics and flooring. That’s why this method is best administered by a bed bug removal professional.
Remember, dealing with high levels of heat for long periods of time can be dangerous. When temperatures are this high, it’s safer to call a professional bug removal service to prevent heat damage or fires.
Bed bugs struggle to survive in very cold temperatures for extended periods of time, but they’re more resilient compared to heat. How cold? Bed bugs must be exposed to below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 3 days to die off.
At home, your best bet is to use your freezer. This option is best suited for clothes and blankets you can squeeze into plastic bags and store on freezer shelves while you deal with other bed bug sources.
Check out these professional and DIY methods for eradicating bed bugs using extreme heat.
When you hire a professional bed bug exterminator, they will usually resort to heat treatments when stopping bed bug infestations. Research shows that it’s a combination of both temperature and time for effectively killing bed bugs.
Exterminators use whole-room heat treatments, usually at a thermal death point of 113 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to the heat, they also use industrial fans, which disperse the heat via convection current throughout the space for faster results.
Note that it’s the combination of time and temperature that work to kill off bed bugs. Adult bed bugs are easier to kill off than bed bug eggs. However, when dealing with an at-home infestation, it’s better to assume that eggs are also present and proceed accordingly.
Pest control services may also offer a type of containment heating, a portable plastic capsule they can use to seal large objects and then treat them with heat until bed bugs are gone. That’s especially useful for smaller infestations that are mostly relegated to a mattress or couch.
If you’re thinking, “Why not just raise the temperature and kill the bed bugs faster?” you’d be on the right track. That’s why some exterminators also employ a steam technique, slowly spreading steam through an effective space at a temp of 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the exterminator must move at a steady, slow pace. They also must ensure the steam doesn’t blow too forcefully; otherwise, the bugs will be scattered rather than killed, causing an even bigger problem. When coupled with another technique, however, steam can be quite effective in killing bed bugs. Keep in mind that the average cost of hiring a bed bug exterminator is $1,000 to $5,000, depending on location, severity, and extermination method.
While it’s always well worth the cost to call in a pro exterminator for backup, there are some things you can do in your own self-defense against bed bugs:
Washing machine method: Use the hot setting on your washing machine to launder affected linens and clothes.
Clothes dryer method: A clothes dryer is effective at killing bed bugs at all cycles of life. Load up the dryer part way only—affected items must be able to tumble freely—and use the high heat setting for 30 minutes. If your dryer has a removable shelf, use it for objects that cannot be tumbled, such as books or home decor. It’s a good idea to leave the dryer tumbling even longer to ensure that bed bug-ridden objects reach the thermal death point.
Portable heater method: The PacTite(R) is a product noted for its ability to heat bed bug-infested items. Originally manufactured for suitcases, it’s also good for other smaller items, including bedding, clothing, bags, tools, shoes, and more. It heats up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which can kill off bed bugs in a few hours.
Steam method: Your household steam cleaner might be a good backup method after you’ve thoroughly vacuumed surfaces, provided it can reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, it’s better to have a professional exterminator steam for you at even higher temperatures.
Check out these guidelines for killing bed bugs using extreme cold temperatures.
While you can seal up affected clothes and items in bags and store them in a 0 degree Fahrenheit freezer for a few days, the pros employ faster techniques at much lower temperatures. They will bring in devices that will spray a snow-like substance—made using carbon dioxide—over affected areas to freeze the bugs. It’s harmless for your household, but it’s a substance that only a pro exterminator can apply correctly.
While it’s best to leave killing bed bugs with extreme cold to the pros, there are a few DIY methods to try.
Freezer method: Seal infested objects in a plastic bag, and store it in a freezer at 0 degree Fahrenheit for four days. If you don’t have room in your freezer or would rather not have your ice cream share a space with dying bed bugs, call in a pro exterminator. The Environmental Protection Agency says it might be possible to kill bed bugs after three days in the freezer, but use a thermometer to ensure that your refrigerator can achieve that low temperature.
Outdoor method: If it’s winter in your region, you can attempt to freeze bed bugs by leaving affected items out in the cold. This method will only work when the temperature is below freezing—the lower the temperature, the better. Be sure to store these things in an area you won’t access for several days to weeks—after all, if you or your belongings come into contact with any surviving bed bugs, you can easily bring them back into the house.
Deciding whether to tackle a bed bug infestation on your own or hire a professional depends on the size and severity of the infestation. For a minor infestation, you can likely rely on your own methods of washing bedding or clothing, vacuuming, and applying pesticides to furniture and surfaces in the room. Keep in mind that this option may take longer to eradicate bed bugs, and may not remove them completely.
However, larger infestations require the equipment and skillset of a licensed professional who can come in and treat the bed bugs so that they don’t come back. Hire a bed bug professional right away if you have signs of a major infestation in your home.
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