Bed bugs are a common issue for many houses. These little critters love to hide everywhere including in plush animals. Happily it is relatively easy to clean stuffed animals from bed bugs.
Bed bugs are smal, flat almost red bugs that are about the size of a seed. They love to hide in small crevices on beds and chairs and of course in stuffed animals. If you have the critters in your home, stuffed animals should be cleaned from bed bugs, too but along side the rest of the house if you want to have a long lasting effect.
Happily cleaning stuffed animals from bed bugs is relatively easy. A simple thorough brush off with a hard brush can be very effective.
Another easy way is to put the stuffie into the dryer for 30 minutes on medium to high heat. Beg bugs are killed at 113 F. This will kill any bed bugs that might be lurking in places the brush can’t reach.
Don’t have a dryer? You can use a vacuum cleaner to suck the bed bugs. Then immediately remove the dust bag from the vacuum cleaner, put it in a plastic bac, tie it closed and throw it in the garbage.
Another option is to put the toys in very hot water for a little while. That though should only be done if the toy can withstand it. Sometimes they can shrink, so first check the label on the toy for instructions.
It is also possible to kill bed bugs by freezing the stuffed animal. It is best if you to that by first placing the toy in a plastic bag. Then Put it in the freezer. There are varying thoughts on how long should the toy stay in the cold. Usually it is between 48 to 72 hours. If the toy really had beg bugs, they will fall off into the bag. So keep an eye out and check the toy once a day. Usually five days is more than enough to be sure you’ve killed not only the bed bugs but their possible eggs too.
After the stuffed animals have been cleaned from bed bugs, place them in sealed plastic bags and store them until the rest of the house has been cleared from the bugs too.
Having trouble with other bugs? Here’s how to clean stuffies from lice and dust mites.
