You can’t wash a mattress. Obviously. But you can buy a bed bug encasement—a zippered cover that traps them inside. Then you can wash the cover in hot water. It’s like a straitjacket for your mattress. Not comfy, but effective.
Another trick: steam clean your mattress. Steam at 212°F (100°C) kills bed bugs on contact. Just don’t soak the mattress—you don’t want mold. You’re fighting a war, not creating a swamp.
And for the love of all that is cozy, vacuum like you mean it. After you wash and dry, vacuum the bed frame, headboard, and baseboards. Then immediately toss the vacuum bag into a plastic bag, seal it, and put it outside. I’m not kidding. Those little jerks can crawl out of a vacuum.
When to Call for Reinforcements
If you’ve washed and dried everything you own, and you still see bites, you might have a bigger problem. Infestations can hide in walls, electronics, and picture frames. At that point, call a professional. They have heaters that can bake your whole house like a pizza. A very expensive, bug-filled pizza.
But for most of us, a hot wash and a fierce dryer cycle is enough to stop the panic. Just remember: don’t rush it. Don’t pull your jeans out early because you’re late for work. Let them burn in that dryer until they’re done. You don’t want survivors. You want crispy, dead, minuscule demons.
So next time you find a bug? Take a deep breath. Crank the heat. And know that you’re not just doing laundry—you’re performing a public service. For your own sleep. Good luck, and sleep tight. Don’t let the—oh, you know the rest.