Exposing bed bugs to temperatures of 120°F (49°C) or higher kills them instantly. Bed bugs and their eggs cannot survive at this temperature.
Professional exterminators use special equipment like heaters or steamers to raise the temperature in the infested area and reach the temperature needed to kill bed bugs.
Using a hair dryer or other household item to kill bed bugs is not reliable and may not generate enough heat to kill them. It’s also dangerous and can cause fires or injuries if not used properly. So, it’s best to leave bed bug treatment to professional exterminators who have specialized equipment for the job.
Bed bugs exposed to 113°F will die if they receive constant exposure to that temperature for 90 minutes or more. However, they will die within 20 minutes if exposed to 118°F. Interestingly, bed bug eggs must be exposed to 118°F for 90 minutes.
Apart from heat treatment, chemical treatments or professional extermination also require to get the rid of bed bugs. It’s important to contact a professional pest control service to make sure that the problem is gone and to stop bed bugs from coming back.
Steam will kill pretty much any insect at that temperature. To make sure that bed bugs come in contact of heat for a sufficient amount of time, the steam cleaner must be capable of delivering steam at a rate of at least 1 gallon per hour.
To sum up, steam is a safe, non-toxic, and eco-friendly way to kill bed bugs and their eggs. It can be combined with other methods to get rid of a bed bug infestation completely.
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[…] them up: Bed bugs can’t stand the heat, so turn up the temperature! Exposing infested items to high heat is a potent weapon against these little pests. Wash your […]