Bed bugs: unfortunately, common and nerve-wracking nuisance pests.
These pests regularly populate hotels, vacation rentals, and second-hand furniture, spreading their population to anyone who interacts with their hidden hoards.
We know you’ll want to act fast when you have bed bugs to help your home return to normal. But what really works to eliminate these sneaky, blood-sucking pests? Can bed bugs survive the cold and heat, or will they withstand any DIY treatments you may try?
Keep reading to learn if certain temperatures can keep bed bugs at bay!
Bed Bugs in Your Home: How an Infestation Begins
Bed bugs are notoriously common in households and are relatively easy to introduce into homes accidentally.
Unlike ants, wasps, mice, and some roach species, bed bugs can’t creep in from the outdoors. They can only survive in the company of humans, needing an active and stable source of blood to turn to for sustenance.
However, these pests can wait a long time for a proper meal. Bed bugs may return to your bedside for dinner during the week, but they don’t mind lying in wait if they don’t have regular access to blood.
Depending on their environment, some bed bugs can survive around 20 days without blood, while others can last over a year! Their sturdy nature can help them survive food droughts and keep an infestation running even when you’re not there.
Here’s a list of places where you could interact with bed bugs and bring them home:
- Hotels
- Motels
- Office buildings
- Friend’s houses
- Vacation homes
- Old or second-hand furniture
Bed bugs could hang around anywhere humans reside. They may stick around for weeks without notice if they have a place to hide! But what can you do when these blood-sucking insects overstay their welcome?
Can Bed Bugs Survive the Cold?
You may be tempted to turn to DIY methods to combat bed bugs in your bedroom, carpeting, or other furniture, but remember that these pests often require heavy-duty solutions to eliminate them.
Extreme temperatures can kill bed bugs and even get rid of the entire infestation in your home; however, you may have trouble combatting these pests in the cold.
Bed bugs aren’t indestructible. They will perish within a few days if exposed to very low temperatures. The trick to eliminating these pests is maintaining a below-freezing temperature, something some freezers cannot accomplish.
We aren’t talking about a hearty 30 degrees, either!
To keep these pests at bay, you’ll need to combat them at temperatures around 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. The longer you can stay at these temperatures, the better.
But how can you keep your room, mattress, or furniture at such a chilly temperature?
Unfortunately, you can’t feasibly freeze your room or large furniture unless you’re prepared for home damage– or if you have an industrial freezer, of course. We don’t suggest turning the thermostat down if you’re trying to eliminate a large bed bug infestation.
For smaller infested items like pillows, clothing, or stuffed toys, your freezer can quickly eliminate the pests within a week. Place them in a bag or container to prevent food contamination.
So, can bed bugs survive the cold? Realistically, these pests won’t live longer than a week if you leave them in a 0-degree freezer. But don’t expect these pests to die out after a few days outside in the cold.
Even if you live in a frequently chilly area, the temperature isn’t likely to maintain stable levels, which could allow the pests to survive and escape. Instead of relying on DIY bed bug control, consider giving us here at United States Pest Service a call for any of your bed bug problems!
Will Heat Eliminate Bed Bugs?
So, we know bed bugs can’t survive the cold, but what about heat?
Heat treatments are a popular solution against bed bugs in addition to strong pesticides. Some pest control agencies rely on high-heat treatments to rid their clients’ homes of these hard-to-kill pests.
Not any temperature will do, though. 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit is enough to get us sweating, but it’s not sufficient to impact a group of bed bugs hiding in your mattress, carpet, or baseboards.
To get rid of the bed bugs indoors, pest control professionals must use specialized equipment that can reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. After a few hours of sweltering heat, the bed bugs stand no chance to these pest control methods.
While effective, don’t attempt to try these methods on your own. Most of the gear required is only available to pest control agencies, and trying to work the equipment on your own could damage your home and possessions or cause fires!
For quick action against bed bugs, don’t turn your thermostat up high or even attempt to use professional equipment. Pest control professionals can eliminate large-scale infestations, and you can remove the pests on clothing and other items with your dryer.
Just toss the infested item in your dryer on the highest setting. Make sure to leave it there for an hour or two to eliminate all pests. You can even use this trick after visiting a vacation spot to reduce the possibility of introducing bed bugs to your home.
Trust Us to Eliminate Bed Bugs
So, can bed bugs survive the cold and heat? Under the right conditions, you can use extreme temperatures to keep these pests at bay. However, cold and heat can be dangerous when misused.
Only attempt DIY pest control methods in moderation; never try to heat or cool your home or individual rooms. Instead, trust us here at United States Pest Services to get the job done and keep you safe!
We know these pests are things of nightmares that will leave you hurting long after you wake up. DIY solutions may seem favorable for a quick solution, but you’ll need to rely on proven methods that will keep them gone for good.
Contact us today for no-stress bed bug control, and return to enjoying another full night’s sleep without pesky pests sticking around.