Bed bugs can turn up in some unexpected places, and unfortunately, public laundromats are no exception. With so many people bringing in clothing, bedding, towels, and other washable items, there is always a chance that bed bugs could hitch a ride on someone’s laundry or belongings.
The good news is that this doesn’t mean you need to avoid the laundromat altogether. A few simple precautions can help reduce the risk of accidentally bringing unwanted pests home with your freshly washed clothes. If you regularly use a laundromat, below are some practical ways to protect your laundry—and your home—from bed bugs.
Ways to Avoid Bed Bugs at the Laundromat
While the chances of encountering bed bugs at a laundromat may be relatively small, it’s still a good idea to take a few simple precautions. Being mindful of where you place your laundry and how you transport clean clothes can help prevent unwanted pests from hitching a ride home with you.
1. Keep Your Laundry Off Shared Surfaces
Avoid placing your clothes directly on laundromat floors, countertops, chairs, or other shared surfaces. Instead, keep your dirty laundry in your own basket or bag until you’re ready to put it into the washing machine.
If you use one of the laundromat’s carts, give it a quick inspection before placing your clothes inside. Taking a few extra precautions can help reduce the chance of bed bugs or other pests infesting your laundry.
2. Transport Your Laundry in Sealed Bags
Using a laundry bag or sealed plastic bag is an easy way to keep your clothes protected while traveling to and from the laundromat. Keep dirty laundry contained until you’re ready to place it directly into the washing machine rather than setting it on shared surfaces.
If you are washing clothing or bedding from a home with a known bed bug infestation, place the items in tightly sealed plastic bags before leaving the house. At the laundromat, transfer the items directly from the bag into the washing machine and dispose of the used bag carefully.
Once your laundry has been washed and thoroughly dried, place the clean items in a fresh, clean bag or container for the trip home. Keeping clean and potentially contaminated laundry separate can help prevent bed bugs from hitching a ride back with you.
3. Use the Dryer on High Heat
After washing your clothes, transfer them directly from the washing machine to the dryer. Heat can be an effective way to kill bed bugs and their eggs, so use the highest dryer setting that is safe for the fabric.
Heat is an effective tool for controlling bed bugs, but both temperature and exposure time are important. Be sure to follow the care instructions on your clothing and allow items to dry thoroughly before removing them from the machine.
4. Keep Clean and Dirty Laundry Separate
Once your clothes have been washed and dried, take a little extra care to keep them separate from anything that hasn’t been cleaned. Don’t put freshly laundered clothes back into the same bag or basket you used to carry dirty laundry unless it has also been cleaned.
Instead, bring along a separate clean bag or container for your finished laundry. Seal or close it before leaving the laundromat and wait until you get home to fold and put everything away. This simple habit can help prevent freshly cleaned clothes from coming into contact with potentially contaminated surfaces or belongings.
An EPA-approved bedbug spray repellent would also serve a similar effect here.
5. Use a Cloth Steamer
For items that can’t safely go through a high-heat dryer cycle, a clothing steamer may be another option. The heat from steam can kill bed bugs and their eggs when it reaches them directly, but it’s important to use the steamer slowly and thoroughly, paying particular attention to seams, folds, pockets, and other areas where bed bugs may hide. Always check the item’s care label first and follow the steamer manufacturer’s instructions to avoid damaging delicate fabrics. 88
Even with careful laundry habits, a suspected bed bug infestation at home may require professional help. If you continue to find bed bugs or signs of an infestation, consider contacting a qualified pest control professional rather than relying on laundry methods alone. For those living in the capital, professional bed bug treatment in London is the most reliable way to eliminate a severe infestation for good.