What do you do when you have bed bugs at home and your clothes are dry clean only?

by Anonymous

Your clothes are dry clean only garments? If we take them to a local cleaners how do they handle the clothing? Will they even clean it knowing you have bed bugs at home?

Editor Response

Thank you for your question; this is a very common dilemma during an infestation. The short answer is yes, professional dry cleaning is highly effective at killing bed bugs. The combination of harsh chemical solvents (like perchloroethylene) and the high heat used during steam pressing will kill bed bugs at all life stages, including eggs.

However, you must handle this with extreme care to avoid spreading the infestation to the dry cleaning facility and other customers. Do not simply drop your clothes off at the counter. You must call your local dry cleaner ahead of time and explicitly ask if they accept items from a household with bed bugs. Many cleaners are equipped to handle this, but they will likely require you to bring the garments in sealed, airtight plastic bags. Being 100% honest is critical; if they know the situation, they can take your sealed bag and empty it directly into the machine without sorting the clothes on a counter where bugs could escape.

If you cannot find a cleaner willing to take the items, there is a DIY alternative you can try at your own risk. Many "dry clean only" fabrics can actually withstand a cycle in a household dryer provided they are completely dry when they go in. Check with the company that manufactured the clothing first!! Placing dry items on medium-to-high heat for 30 minutes will kill the bugs often without the shrinkage that usually occurs when delicate fabrics are wet. However, this always carries a slight risk of damaging the garment, so use this method with caution.

Best of Luck,
Jeff
Publisher
Bed Bugs Handbook