How cold does it have to be to kill bed bugs?
According to studies, it takes up to 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit (-16 degrees Celsius) in 80 hours of exposure is needed to kill a clan of bed bugs.
Temperatures around 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit (-16 degrees Celsius) will kill all stages of the bed bugs in just three and a half days.
However, temperatures below -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) will kill them in just 48 hours.
According to a new study, freezing bedbug infestations may not be as successful as initially believed.
Researchers discovered that the blood-sucking parasites had a significant cold tolerance.
However, with several days of exposure to low temperatures, they will collapse into the cold.
The bed bugs utilize “freeze-intolerant” techniques to live in cold conditions, such as reducing the core temperature of their body fluids.
Moreover, researchers suggested putting all the items infested by bed bugs in plastic to be placed in the freezer.
With that, after 2-4 days, bed bugs present in those items will surely die depending on the temperature.
If you want to learn about this matter, keep on reading this article!
How Cold Does It Have To Be To Kill A Bed Bug
So, how cold does it have to be to kill bed bugs?
It’s crucial to keep your freezer at the right temperature.
The shorter the time it takes to eliminate bed bugs, the lower the temperature needed.
- You may kill bed bugs in freezers set to 0°F, but you must keep the items you’re freezing there for at least four days;
- If you’re concerned about keeping temperatures low enough, use a remote thermometer to check the temperature within the frozen products;
- To eliminate bed bugs, the temperature in the middle of the frozen materials must reach 0°F;
- Bulky goods take longer to prepare, when the object’s central temperature reaches 0°F, begin calculating the four-day exposure time; and
- Temperatures over 0°F (-15°C) should not be used since eggs, and tiny bed bugs may survive.
Things You Need To Prepare When Freezing A Bed Bug
Putting afflicted objects in the freezer can kill bed bugs in certain circumstances.
Ice forms within the bed bugs when it freezes, causing harm or death to the pests.
It is simple to freeze bed bugs. All you have to do is prepare the following:
- Freezer with a temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or below
- A remote thermometer
- Several plastic bags to place the goods you wish to freeze into
- Timer
These are all the things that will help you ensure that the cold temperature is practical and would not damage the items.
Items You Could Safely Freeze
All dry and non-electric household items are okay to undergo in freezing conditions. Here are the following:
- Shoes
- Pillow
- Books
- Toys
- Clothes
Things You Must Not Freeze
- Electric gadgets
- Artifacts
- Containers with liquids
- Irreplaceable items
- Huge household furniture
7 Tips To Control And Prevent Bed Bugs In Your Homes
Aside from cold temperatures, there are a lot of things that could help you kill bed bugs. Here are the following:
Tip #1. The DIY method is not always effective
The do-it-yourself (DIY) freezing method is not a hundred percent reliable and effective for eliminating bed bug infestation.
Using this method is not a long-term solution for removing bed bugs in your home. Several factors could affect the success of your process.
The accuracy of this freezing method is at risk.
Moreover, maybe you could not reach the expected freezing point needed in this method.
Tip #2. Keep your beddings clean
Wash and dry your bedsheets, blankets, bedspreads, and any other apparel that comes into contact with the floor regularly.
This action will significantly help you in preventing bed bug infestation.
In addition, ensuring that all items are clean will make the place a pleasant and bug-free place.
That may reduce the number of bed bugs.
Tip #3. Try natural alternatives for pesticides
Consider all of your treatment alternatives before reaching for the spray can.
Try other alternatives before using pesticides to remove bed bugs.
Pesticides are harmful to human health when it is excessively used.
It is better to find different ways before using those sprays.
Tip #4. Start cleaning up the clutter to reduce the number of hiding places
This action will lessen the hiding spots of bed bugs where they can lay their eggs.
Reducing areas where they could live is a must.
Tip #5. Calm down
If you discovered that there is a bed bug infestation, calm yourself down. Do not panic.
Think about all solutions because panicking in this situation will not help you get rid of bed bugs.
Tip #6. Don’t spread your bedbugs to other people
Bed bugs make excellent vagrants.
So if you toss out a bedbug-infested mattress or piece of furniture, you should slit or otherwise ruin it so that nobody else gets it and obtains bed bugs.
Tip #7. If necessary, seek the help of experts
If the bed bug infestation is not controllable, call pest control services.
They will surely help you with your problem.
To learn more about these pesky, blood-sucking bugs, click here.
That is all.
Conclusion
There is a specific amount of temperature that could kill bed bugs in your home.
Freezing them could lead to their death and may reduce the number of their species.
However, using cold conditions to kill bed bugs is not a long-term solution.
Therefore, you still need to seek help from a professional regarding this serious matter.
Prevention is a must. Thus, remember all the things mentioned in this article.
And that’s it for this article “How cold does it have to be to kill bed bugs?”