Question by Stitzeee:
Can washing clothes cold water and color-safe bleach kill bed bugs?
I am having my home treated for bed bugs, and to prep I am supposed to wash all of my clothes and put them in plastic bags before treatment…Some of my clothes will be ruined if washed in extremely hot water, and I know that bleach can kill bed bugs if applied directly, so will washing some of my clothes in cold water but using color-safe bleach kill the bed bugs and eggs?? (I was also going to put them in the dryer afterwards) PLEASE HELP ME!!
Best answer:
Answer by tinman97prn
See here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4927696_kill-bed-bugs-clothing.html
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
The bugs need really hot temps to be killed. If you wash your clothes in normal water and then put them in the dryer with the hot air, it should kill them. If you live in a hot area, I have heard that leaving clothes and mattresses out in the heat of the sun can kill them off too.
I’m sure the bedbug (and eggs) would die if you wash in Cold water — as long as you add 2 scoops of Oxi Clean™ to the load.
Why do I think this? I once washed some blinds outside using the garden hose and Oxi Clean. A few bugs managed to land on the shades as I was washing them. The bugs died within about 20 seconds. If Oxi Clean kills flies and other outdoor bugs, it will kill bedbugs.
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You can also take them to the dry cleaners.