How to get rid of bed bugs in shoes?
Have you ever experienced having bed bugs live in your shoes that have not been worn for a long time now?
If that is the case, then maybe bed bugs have already infested your beloved shoe collection.
Bed bugs are these small, reddish insects that only appear at night.
They bite into the skin of their prey to continue living by sucking off blood from them.
Once they have bitten onto the skin of their prey.
They will then leave a mark that will continuously spread onto other parts of your body, leaving you illnesses.
Now, the question is, what if the bed bugs have gotten into your shoes?
When you have spotted a bed bug that has infested them, be cautious enough not to wear it.
It might lead you to some illnesses that may develop over time without being noticed by the human body itself.
We have discussed a bit of what these bed bugs are.
Stay with us until the end of this article to know more about them.
Tips To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Shoes
These are one of the most commonly asked questions that we can see on the internet when it comes to bed bug-related threads or questions.
Many people also have a problem getting rid of them because of the harm and risk, especially for us humans.
Now you might ask the question, how can bed bugs even live on shoes?
As its name states, bed bugs live on cracks, crevices, or under the mattress of your bed.
But just because of its name doesn’t necessarily mean that we can only see them infestation beds.
Bed bugs also have a set of requirements for them to choose a place to inhabit and lay their eggs on freely.
When it comes to individuals nowadays, shoes are currently regarded as the most necessary and needed products.
It is worth making a significant investment in them.
As shoes on the market nowadays are popular and high in demand.
When the worldwide pandemic occurred, shoes became a big thing.
Many people have benefited from this, and they have become wealthier as a result of reselling.
So, how to get rid of bed bugs in shoes?
To avoid these pesky bugs from coming into your shoe collection.
We have prepared some methods on how you can eliminate them with ease.
Tip #1. Use a washing machine to eliminate them from your shoes
You can consider this one of the best ways to eliminate bed bugs because of the heat it gives off to get rid of them in one go.
You could wash some shoes in the washing machine if you didn’t know.
It all depends on the type of material.
Note that materials like leather or suede shouldn’t be put directly into the washing machine as this can soak up water and damage the shoe.
To start doing this, follow these tips:
Put your shoes inside a mesh laundry bag that has enough space to avoid the shoes from getting damaged.
Putting it in a bag will keep the laces from getting tangled and ripping apart.
If you don’t have any mesh bags, an empty pillowcase can be used as a substitute.
Once they are all in the bag, you might want to wash them together.
With some clothes to avoid them from making unnecessary noises.
Then set your washing machine into the highest setting possible for at least sixty minutes.
It will kill bed bugs throughout the process as they cannot withstand it.
Now that you are done washing, take out your shoes from the bag.
Check if you can still see any bugs from them after the wash.
Tip#2. Using a dryer to eliminate bed bugs
The dryer is another option for the washing machine.
If you don’t have access to a washing machine, you can always put shoes in the dryer.
Dryers can also get up to the required temperature quickly and easily without worries.
This is why it is a good alternative for the washing machine.
To do this, line the insides of your shoes with fabrics that may help them dry quicker.
Shoe bags are also an effective substitute as they can hang on the dryer’s door keeping the shoe in place.
Avoid it from moving around.
Drying shoes in a dryer has its own set of drawbacks.
Excessive exposure to high temperatures will cause the fibers to dehydrate and fracture the shoes.
Tip#3. Bagging your shoes
This method may not be as effective as the others.
But this is the only way to eliminate bugs if you are on the verge of budgeting.
To do this, you will only need a bag and, of course, your shoes.
Now to start doing this, put it in a plastic bag and seal it tightly.
Now all you have to do is wait a few months to a year for the bed bug to die naturally.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve addressed the topic of “how to get rid of bed bugs in shoes.”
We hope you’ve learned the techniques and are putting them into practice.