Does putting a mattress in the sun kill bed bugs?

I kept my mattress, pillow and blanket on the terrace under the sun, then I inspected and saw bed bug eggs, so I removed the eggs. Do I get rid of bed bugs now?

Editor Response

Unfortunately, probably not. Sunlight can heat the surface of a mattress, but it rarely gets the inside, seams and folds hot enough for long enough to kill every bug and egg. Bed bugs and eggs die when they're held at about 118°F for 90 minutes, or 122°F briefly, at the spot where they're hiding. Removing visible eggs helps, but there are almost always bugs and eggs you can't see, including in the bed frame, furniture and cracks in the room. Run the pillow and blanket through a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes, put the mattress in a bed bug encasement, and check interceptor cups under the bed legs over the next several weeks. See how to get rid of bed bugs.