Will Dry Cleaning Kill Bed Bugs?
It’s a common question when an infestation is suspected: if I send my clothes to the dry cleaners, will that get rid of bed bugs? We understand the urge to fix the problem quickly, discreetly and without damaging delicate fabrics. As heat-treatment specialists, we’ll explain where dry cleaning helps, where it falls short, and how to make laundry a safe part of a proper eradication plan.
Bed bugs hide in seams, linings, furniture joints and skirting boards, not just in clothing. That’s why single-item treatments like dry cleaning rarely resolve an infestation on their own. ThermoPest focuses on controlled whole-room heat because it reaches every harbourage reliably, but we’ll also give you practical, fabric-safe steps you can do today.
What people believe vs reality
Belief: “Dry cleaning kills bed bugs because it’s a special chemical process.”
Reality: Dry cleaning uses solvents (e.g., hydrocarbon or perc) at relatively low temperatures. Solvent exposure is not a guaranteed insecticide, and while the drying phase may get warm, it often doesn’t hold lethal temperatures long enough to kill all life stages—especially eggs. Some items may come back bug-free; others won’t. And crucially, dry cleaning does nothing to treat the bed frame, headboard, carpet edges and sockets where the majority of bed bugs live.
Science-backed facts
- Bed bugs and their eggs are killed by sustained heat. As a rule of thumb, core temperatures above roughly 50–54 °C need to be held long enough to penetrate fabrics and items. See our guide on what temperature kills bed bugs for the science.
- Eggs are more heat-resistant than nymphs or adults; they require both higher temperatures and longer hold times.
- Household dryers vary widely in actual delivered temperatures, and load size strongly affects heat penetration.
- Dry cleaning cycles are not designed to achieve and verify lethal insect temperatures throughout the core of every item.
Common mistakes that keep infestations going
- Relying on dry cleaning alone while the room remains untreated—bugs simply re-infest laundered items.
- Overloading washing machines or dryers so items don’t reach and hold lethal temperatures in the core.
- Short cycles or “delicates/low heat” drying that warms the surface but leaves eggs viable in seams.
- Transporting clothes to a cleaner without sealing them properly, risking spread during travel or at the shop.
- Using DIY sprays on bedding and clothing—this can be hazardous and does not address hidden harbourages.
Practical, safe steps you can do now
- Bag, then bag-swap: At the room doorway, place items into soluble laundry bags or sealable bags; take them straight to the machine. At the machine, tip contents in and discard the inner bag immediately.
- Wash hot where care labels allow: 60 °C wash is a good margin for many textiles. For delicates that can’t be washed hot, use a dryer-only approach if permitted by the care label.
- Dry thoroughly: Use the hottest safe setting, small loads, and run for sufficient time. Many pros run 30–60 minutes after items are already hot to ensure heat penetrates seams and folds.
- Seal clean items: After drying, bag them in clean, sealable bags until the room is professionally treated.
- Avoid cross-contamination: Keep “clean” and “unclean” zones separate. Don’t store freshly laundered items back in the infested room until treatment is complete.
Why heat treatment is the superior solution
A room-level heat treatment is designed to eliminate the entire population—adults, nymphs and eggs—through controlled, even heating with verification.
Cold spots
Bed bugs exploit cool pockets under carpets, inside furniture and along skirting boards. Professional heaters with air movement are used to remove cold spots so no refuge remains.
Sustained lethal temperature
It’s not just peak heat; it’s time at temperature. We hold contents above proven lethal thresholds long enough for heat to penetrate textiles, furniture joints and wall voids.
Sensors and monitoring
Technicians place multiple sensors on and inside items to confirm that every part of the room reaches and maintains the target temperature. You can read more in our bed bug heat treatment process.
All life stages killed
Because eggs are the most resilient stage, whole-room heat is calibrated to ensure they cannot survive. This is one reason why heat treatment works better than chemicals in most real-world settings.
Where dry cleaning fits
Dry cleaning can be a useful adjunct for specific delicates after a room has been treated, but it is not a primary eradication method. If you do use a cleaner, seal items before transport, inform the cleaner, and re-seal cleaned items until the property treatment is complete. For the core problem—the bugs living in your room—see our bed bug heat treatment.
ThermoPest’s expertise
ThermoPest specialises in precision heat, using calibrated equipment and real-time sensors to clear infestations safely, usually in a single structured visit. After treatment, we’ll help you monitor your property after treatment to confirm success and prevent re-introduction.
We support both homes and businesses with discreet scheduling and documentation. For facilities with turnover—hotels, hostels, student lets and landlords—our commercial heat treatment for hotels and landlords is designed around rapid reset and minimal downtime.
FAQ’S
Question: Does dry cleaning kill bed bugs?
Answer: Dry cleaning may kill some bed bugs, but it’s unreliable as a sole solution. Solvent exposure and short, variable heat in the drying phase don’t consistently reach lethal temperatures long enough to kill eggs hidden in seams and linings. Use dry cleaning only as a supportive step alongside room-level treatment. In professional practice, eradication comes from controlled whole-room heat with temperature verification.
Question: Will dry cleaning kill bed bug eggs in delicate garments?
Answer: Eggs are the most heat-resistant stage and often survive brief or uneven heating in dry cleaning processes. Without sustained core temperatures above roughly 50–54 °C, eggs can remain viable and restart the infestation. If the garment tolerates it, a hot dryer cycle with a long hold time is more effective; otherwise, isolate it until professional heat treatment is completed. In professional practice, we calibrate heat and hold times specifically to overcome egg resilience and cold spots.
Question: Is it safe to take infested clothes to a dry cleaner?
Answer: You risk spreading bed bugs during transport and at drop-off if items aren’t sealed and the cleaner isn’t informed. If you must go, double-bag at the doorway, tell the cleaner discreetly, and re-seal cleaned items before bringing them home. Better yet, wash at 60 °C and tumble-dry hot at home, then store sealed until the room is treated. In professional practice, we coordinate laundry handling as part of a structured heat plan to prevent re-introduction.
Question: Is a household tumble dryer enough to eliminate bed bugs from clothing?
Answer: It can be, if you use the hottest safe setting, keep loads small, and run long enough for heat to penetrate the thickest seams. Many pros continue drying for 30–60 minutes after items feel hot to ensure a sustained lethal temperature. Always follow care labels and separate laundered items from the untreated room until treatment is done. In professional practice, dryers are used as a support to whole-room heat, not a replacement for it.
Question: Why do bed bugs seem to come back after cleaning or dry cleaning?
Answer: They typically weren’t all eliminated in the room; surviving bugs or eggs in furniture and fixtures re-infest freshly cleaned clothes. Sometimes it’s re-introduction via luggage or visitors rather than a true relapse. Treat the room comprehensively with heat, then monitor your property after treatment to confirm success and catch new introductions early. In professional practice, confirmation monitoring distinguishes re-infestation from re-introduction.