Can Bed Bugs Survive the Washing Machine?

Can Bed Bugs Survive the Washing Machine?

Putting infested bedding straight into the wash feels like the quickest fix. Washing and drying can help, but the reality is nuanced. Understanding heat, time, and the limits of household appliances is vital if you want to avoid spreading bed bugs around the home. As the UK specialists in heat, ThermoPest focuses on what works in practice—not myths—so you can make informed decisions.

Below, we unpack the science of laundry, common pitfalls, safe DIY steps, and why whole-room heat treatment is the only method that reliably reaches every hiding place and life stage.

What people believe vs reality

• Belief: A quick hot wash kills everything.
  Reality: Many cycles don’t maintain high enough temperatures for long enough, and rinse phases introduce cooler water that can create cold spots.
• Belief: Detergent kills bed bugs.
  Reality: Detergent helps with mechanical removal, but it isn’t an insecticide. Heat and thorough drying are the critical factors.
• Belief: If clothes are washed, the room is safe.
  Reality: Most bed bugs hide in furniture joints, skirtings, and mattress seams—places laundry never reaches.

Science-backed facts

Bed bugs and their eggs are sensitive to heat—but only when temperatures are high enough for long enough. Adults die relatively quickly above the high-forties Celsius; eggs are tougher and need slightly higher, sustained heat. For context, see ThermoPest’s guidance on what temperature kills bed bugs.

• Washing machines: A 60 °C cotton programme offers a better chance than 30–40 °C eco cycles, but real-world machines often fluctuate, and loads can insulate items. Rinse phases drop temperatures.
• Tumble dryers: High heat is often more decisive than the wash itself. Dryers can reach lethal temperatures more consistently if run hot for long enough after items are already dry.
• Egg resilience: Eggs withstand short spikes of heat and are cushioned in seams and folds. Consistency and duration matter more than momentary peaks.

Common mistakes that let bugs survive

• Overloading the drum: Dense bundles trap cooler pockets where bugs or eggs survive.
• Short, low-temp cycles: 30–40 °C programmes rarely deliver a reliable kill, especially on eggs.
• Skipping the dryer: Stopping after the wash misses a crucial step; drying at high heat improves kill rates.
• Cross-contamination: Carrying uncovered laundry through the home lets bugs transfer to other rooms.

Practical steps you can do safely

• Bag textiles in the room where they were used and seal immediately. If possible, use dissolvable laundry bags to avoid handling before the wash.
• Wash smaller loads on a 60 °C programme where fabric care allows. Then tumble dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes after items are fully dry.
• For delicate items that can’t be heated, isolate in sealed bags until professional treatment. Do not move them room to room.
• Clean the machine filter and wipe the drum after suspect loads. Dispose of bag liners outdoors.
• Use our cleaning guidance for bed bugs to reduce spread safely and methodically.

Remember: laundry is a reduction tool, not a whole-property solution. To eliminate an infestation, combine good hygiene with professional heat treatment and follow-up checks.

Why heat treatment is the superior solution

Washing machines treat items; bed bugs live in the room. Whole-room heat treatment warms the structure and contents evenly, overcoming the weaknesses of DIY methods.

• Cold spots removed: Industrial heaters and high-flow fans minimise cooler pockets in furniture, voids, and piles of belongings—something household appliances can’t do.
• Sustained lethal temperature: Rooms are held within a lethal range for hours, ensuring not only adults but also eggs are exposed long enough.
• Sensors and monitoring: Multiple temperature sensors guide adjustments throughout, verifying that difficult zones reach target readings.
• All life stages killed: Properly executed heat treatment targets eggs, nymphs, and adults in a single, controlled intervention.

Explore bed bug heat treatment and see our bed bug heat treatment process to understand how professionals avoid cold spots and confirm temperatures throughout.

ThermoPest expertise

As heat-treatment specialists, ThermoPest designs treatments around physics, not guesswork. We guide you on preparing your home for treatment, deliver controlled whole-room heat, then help you monitor your property after treatment so you can confirm success and avoid re-introduction.

For organisations with turnover of guests or residents, our commercial heat treatment for hotels and landlords balances speed, documentation, and minimal downtime.

If you’re weighing options, learn why heat treatment works better than chemicals in real-world bed bug control.

FAQs

FAQ’S

Question: Does a 40 °C wash kill bed bugs?

Answer: Not reliably. Bed bugs, and especially their eggs, need higher and sustained temperatures than most 40 °C cycles provide, and rinse phases cool the load. This is why people often still see activity after low-temp washes. If fabric care allows, use 60 °C and follow with high-heat drying; in professional practice we treat the whole room so no cold spots remain.

Question: Is the tumble dryer more effective than the wash?

Answer: Often, yes—high-heat drying can deliver more consistent lethal temperatures across fabrics than a fluctuating wash cycle. The key is duration at heat, not just peak temperature. Run the dryer hot for at least 30 minutes after items are fully dry and avoid overloading. In professional practice, sensors verify temperatures the way a dryer cannot.

Question: Can bed bug eggs survive the washing machine?

Answer: Eggs are the most heat-resistant stage and may survive brief or uneven heating during a wash. Overloaded drums, dense fabrics, and cool rinse water create safe pockets. Drying on high heat significantly improves outcomes but still can’t reach eggs hidden in furniture. This is why whole-room heat held for hours is used in professional practice.

Question: How should I move infested laundry without spreading bugs?

Answer: Bag items in the affected room, seal immediately, and carry them straight to the machine. Use dissolvable laundry bags if available so you don’t handle items before the wash. Empty bags into the drum carefully and dispose of liners outdoors. In professional practice, we combine this with room treatment and post-treatment monitoring.

Question: I washed everything and still get bites—what’s happening?

Answer: Washing treats clothes and bedding, but the source colony usually lives in the room—bed frames, skirting boards, and furniture joints. You may also be seeing re-introduction from adjoining rooms or items that weren’t treated. Inspect methodically and consider whole-room heat to eliminate cold spots; use monitoring to confirm success. In professional practice we distinguish re-infestation from re-introduction with follow-up checks.

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