Bed bugs can survive some washing conditions, so putting infested clothes through a washing machine isn’t enough to guarantee that every bug and egg is dead. Hotter washing conditions can be lethal, but water temperature varies by machine, cycle, and household.
For washable and dryer-safe items, the more dependable household approach is to contain the laundry while transporting it and then use the dryer at an appropriate high-heat setting. The EPA specifically states that washing alone generally won’t kill bed bugs.
Can Bed Bugs Survive a Washing Machine?
They can survive washing under some conditions.
A controlled study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology tested adults, nymphs, and eggs placed inside clothing. Washing at 60°C, or 140°F, killed all life stages tested. Lower-temperature conditions weren’t equally reliable.
Penn State Extension similarly states that laundering with hot soapy water and drying with heat can kill bed bugs, while cold-water washing and lower-temperature drying may not.
That means a washing machine isn’t inherently ineffective. The problem is assuming that any wash cycle, regardless of its actual temperature, guarantees elimination.
Does the Water Drown Bed Bugs?
Water alone shouldn’t be relied upon as the treatment.
The laundry research above evaluated complete washing conditions rather than establishing ordinary drowning as a dependable control method. Temperature, agitation, detergent, exposure time, and water all occur together during a normal wash.
For practical household control, there is little reason to depend on drowning when heat has much clearer evidence behind it.
Can Bed Bugs Live Inside a Washing Machine?
A washing machine isn’t a typical bed bug habitat. Bed bugs normally establish themselves near hosts and in protected cracks and crevices rather than living permanently inside frequently operated washing machines.
However, laundry handling can spread bed bugs. An insect can hitchhike on infested clothing, bedding, laundry bags, or baskets before those items are treated.
The EPA therefore recommends transporting potentially infested items in sealed plastic bags rather than carrying them loose through the home.
For shared laundry facilities, the EPA also advises unpacking infested clothes directly from a sealed bag into the washer. This reduces opportunities for bugs to escape while laundry is being transported and handled.
The Dryer Is More Reliable Than Washing Alone
Heat from a clothes dryer provides a better-established household treatment.
The EPA recommends placing suitable clothing and bedding in a dryer on high heat for 30 minutes, stating that this can kill bed bugs and eggs. The controlled laundry study also found that hot tumble drying for at least 30 minutes killed all tested adults, nymphs, and eggs.
This doesn’t mean every fabric should automatically be placed on the hottest available setting. Follow the item’s care instructions and avoid heat treatment for anything that could be damaged.
For dryer-safe clothing, using a clothes dryer against bed bugs can also work without washing the items first when laundering isn’t otherwise necessary.
How to Handle Infested Laundry Without Spreading Bed Bugs
Keep potentially infested clothes and bedding contained until you’re ready to process them. Carry them to the laundry area in a sealed bag and empty the contents directly into the machine rather than sorting or placing them on the floor.
After treatment, put clean items into a clean bag or container. Don’t return them to the same bag that held untreated laundry unless that bag has also been treated appropriately.
The EPA also recommends checking laundry baskets and hampers because bed bugs and eggs can hide in laundry containers.
Laundry treatment can remove bed bugs from clothing and bedding, but it doesn’t eliminate insects hiding elsewhere in the room. If clothing is repeatedly becoming exposed, getting bed bugs out of your clothes needs to be combined with treatment of the infestation itself.
Questions About Bed Bugs and Washing Machines
Should I add extra detergent to kill bed bugs?
No established bed bug laundry protocol depends on adding extra detergent. Follow the detergent instructions for your machine and rely on properly applied heat rather than increasing the amount of cleaning product.
Should I run an empty hot wash after washing bed bug-infested clothes?
There isn’t good evidence establishing an empty hot cycle as a necessary step after every load. Preventing bugs from escaping while transporting and loading untreated laundry is more important.
Do I have to wash clothes before putting them in the dryer?
Not necessarily. For dryer-safe items, high-heat drying can kill bed bugs without washing first. Washing may still be useful when the clothing needs normal cleaning.
Can bed bugs spread through a laundromat?
Yes, primarily by hitchhiking on untreated laundry, bags, baskets, and other belongings. Keep potentially infested laundry sealed until it goes into the machine and place treated clothes into a clean bag rather than folding them on potentially exposed surfaces.
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