Does the Dryer Kill Bed Bugs? How to Use It (2026 Guide)

✅ Reviewed by our prevention editors • Updated June 2026 • 11 min read

One of the most effective bed bug weapons is something you already own: your clothes dryer. So does the dryer kill bed bugs? Yes — a sufficient high-heat dryer cycle reliably kills bed bugs and their eggs in the items you put in it. Heat is lethal to bed bugs, and the dryer is one of the easiest, safest, chemical-free ways to apply it.

In fact, for launderable items, the dryer (the heat) does the real killing — even more than the wash. This makes the dryer a powerful, accessible tool for treating bedding, clothing, and many other fabrics, both during an infestation and as a precaution after travel. Knowing how to use it correctly, and what it can and cannot treat, lets you get the most from it.

In this guide you will learn whether the dryer kills bed bugs, why heat works, how to use the dryer correctly, what to put in it, what it cannot treat, and how it fits into a complete plan. We will use clear tables and finish with a printable checklist. 💚

Does the Dryer Kill Bed Bugs? Quick Answer

The quick answer is yes — a sufficient high-heat dryer cycle reliably kills bed bugs and their eggs in the items you put in it. Heat is lethal to bed bugs at all life stages, including the eggs, and the dryer is an easy, safe, chemical-free way to deliver that heat to launderable items. For bedding, clothing, and many fabrics, running them through a hot dryer for an adequate time is one of the most effective things you can do.

Importantly, it is the heat of the dryer — not the wash — that does the killing, so even items you only dry (without washing) can be treated, as long as they get hot enough for long enough. The dryer is therefore a powerful, accessible tool both during an infestation and as a precaution after travel. Its main limitation is that it only treats what fits inside it — it does not address the bugs in your mattress, frame, or room. Our guide on the bed bug laundry guide covers the full laundry approach.

Yes — a sufficient high-heat dryer cycle reliably kills bed bugs and eggs in the items inside. The dryer heat does the killing (more than the wash), making it a powerful, chemical-free tool for launderable items.

Why Heat Kills Bed Bugs

Heat kills bed bugs because, like many insects, they cannot survive sustained high temperatures — sufficient heat is lethal to them at every life stage, from eggs to adults. This is why heat-based methods (hot drying, steam, professional heat treatment) are so effective and widely used against bed bugs. When items reach a high enough temperature for long enough, the bugs and eggs inside die.

The dryer is an especially convenient way to apply lethal heat to launderable items, because it surrounds the items with hot air and tumbles them, distributing the heat. A high-heat cycle of adequate duration brings the items (and any bugs and eggs in them) to a temperature that kills bed bugs. This is reliable and chemical-free, which is a big part of why it is recommended.

Because heat works on all life stages including eggs — which resist many other methods — the dryer has an advantage over treatments that miss eggs. The key is ensuring the items actually get hot enough for long enough, which comes down to using high heat and an adequate cycle time. Our guide on bed bug heat treatment covers the heat principle broadly.

The Dryer Matters More Than the Wash

A key insight is that when it comes to killing bed bugs, the dryer (heat) matters more than the wash. While washing helps clean items and a hot wash contributes heat, it is the high-heat drying that most reliably kills bed bugs and eggs. The sustained high temperature of a hot dryer cycle is what does the lethal work, which is why the drying step is the critical one.

This has a practical implication: you do not strictly need to wash an item to kill bed bugs in it — you can run even a dry, unwashable-but-dryer-safe item through a hot dryer cycle to kill the bugs and eggs (more on this below). Of course, washing also cleans the items, so for dirty laundry you would wash and dry; but for killing bed bugs specifically, the heat of the dryer is the essential element.

So when treating items, prioritize the high-heat dry. A cold or even warm wash alone is not reliable for killing bed bugs; it is the hot dryer that you can count on. Understanding that the dryer is the workhorse helps you treat items effectively and even handle dry-only items. Our guide on why heat (not additives) does the work reinforces that heat is the active factor in laundry.

How to Use the Dryer Correctly

Using the dryer correctly is straightforward. Set it to a high-heat setting (the hottest the items can safely tolerate per their care labels) and run it for an adequate amount of time so the items get thoroughly hot all the way through — a sufficient cycle, not a quick tumble. Bulkier or thicker items need more time for the heat to penetrate to the center, so do not overload the dryer and allow extra time for heavy loads.

Bring the items to the dryer in sealed bags (from the affected area) to avoid spreading bugs on the way, then load them and run the hot cycle. After the cycle, the items are treated; keep them clean by storing them sealed or away from any infested area until the broader problem is resolved. Always follow care labels to avoid damaging delicate items, choosing the highest safe heat.

The essentials are high heat, adequate time, and not overloading, so the items truly get hot enough throughout. Done this way, the dryer reliably kills bed bugs and eggs in the load. It is a simple, repeatable process that handles a large share of the items in a bedroom. Our guide on how to prepare for treatment covers bagging and handling items.

What to Put in the Dryer

Item	Dryer-Treatable?	Notes
Bedding, sheets, pillowcases	Yes	High heat, adequate time
Clothing	Yes	Follow care labels
Blankets, comforters	Yes	Allow extra time for bulk
Curtains (washable)	Yes	Check care label
Stuffed toys, dryer-safe items	Often	Can dry without washing
Shoes (dryer-safe)	Sometimes	Per the item; heat penetrates

Most launderable fabrics and many dryer-safe items can be heat-treated — follow care labels.

Does the Dryer Kill Eggs Too?

Yes — this is one of the dryer biggest advantages: sufficient high heat kills bed bug eggs as well as the bugs. Bed bug eggs are notoriously resistant and resist many treatments, which is a major reason infestations rebound; but heat penetrates and kills them. So a proper high-heat dryer cycle handles the eggs in the items, not just the active bugs, which is exactly what you want.

This egg-killing power is what makes the dryer so reliable for launderable items. Methods that kill bugs but miss eggs leave a hidden generation to hatch later, but a hot dryer cycle eliminates both in the items it treats. So you do not have to worry about surviving eggs in items you properly heat-dry — the heat takes care of them.

The catch, as always, is that the eggs (and bugs) must actually reach the lethal temperature for long enough, so adequate heat and time matter. For items that get properly hot throughout, the dryer kills the eggs reliably. This is a big reason heat is favored over many other approaches. Our guide on bed bug eggs explains their resistance to other methods.

Can You Dry Items Without Washing?

Yes — because the heat does the killing, you can run dryer-safe items through a hot dryer cycle without washing them first to kill bed bugs and eggs. This is useful for items that you do not need to clean but want to treat, or that cannot be washed but can tolerate the dryer heat. The high-heat tumble treats them just as it would washed items, as long as they get hot enough for long enough.

This dry-only option expands what the dryer can handle: many items that are not soiled, or that are awkward to wash, can still be heat-treated by drying alone. It is a handy way to treat things like certain dry-but-dryer-safe belongings, or to give items a precautionary heat treatment after travel without a full wash. Always check that the item can safely tolerate the dryer heat.

Of course, for dirty laundry you will want to wash and dry, since washing cleans the items; the dry-only approach is specifically about killing bed bugs in items that do not need washing. Understanding that drying alone kills bed bugs gives you flexibility in treating your belongings. Our guide on heat-treating items like shoes covers dryer treatment for non-laundry items.

What the Dryer Cannot Treat

The dryer is powerful but limited to what fits inside it — it cannot treat the things that do not go in the dryer, which is most of an infestation. It cannot treat your mattress, box spring, bed frame, furniture, walls, or the room itself, where the bulk of the bugs and eggs hide. So while the dryer reliably handles launderable and dryer-safe items, it does not address the harborage areas.

It also cannot treat items that would be damaged by high heat or that are not dryer-safe — delicate fabrics, certain materials, electronics, and large or non-dryer items need other methods (or care). For those, alternatives like steam, freezing, or professional treatment apply, depending on the item.

So the dryer is a key tool for one category — launderable and dryer-safe items — but it is not a complete solution. It must be combined with treating the mattress, furniture, and room (heat in other forms, vacuuming, steam, encasements, professional help) to actually eliminate an infestation. Recognizing its scope keeps your expectations right. Our guide on how to get rid of bed bugs covers the full plan.

Dryer Dos and Don'ts

Do	Do Not
Use high heat (the hottest items safely allow)	Use low heat or air-dry for treatment
Run an adequate, thorough cycle	Do a quick, short tumble
Allow extra time for bulky items	Overload the dryer
Bag items before transporting them	Carry loose infested items to the dryer
Follow care labels	Ruin delicate items with too much heat
Keep treated items sealed/clean afterward	Return them to an infested area

Using the Dryer After Travel

The dryer is an excellent precaution after travel, when bed bugs are most likely to hitchhike home in your luggage and clothing. Running your travel clothing (and any dryer-safe items) through a hot dryer cycle when you return kills any hitchhikers before they can establish, making it a simple, reliable post-trip habit. This is one of the easiest and most effective travel-prevention steps.

Because the heat does the killing, you can even put already-clean travel clothes through a hot dry to be safe, without necessarily rewashing them — though many people wash and dry as a combined step. Either way, the high-heat dry is the key. Doing this routinely after trips, especially after staying somewhere you are unsure about, intercepts bugs at a common entry point.

Combined with good luggage habits (keeping bags off floors and beds, inspecting on arrival), the post-trip dryer treatment closes the loop on travel-related bed bug risk. It is a small, repeatable action with a big protective payoff. Our guides on bed bugs in luggage and how bed bugs spread cover the travel context.

How the Dryer Fits a Complete Plan

The dryer is a key component of a complete bed bug plan, handling the launderable and dryer-safe items while other methods handle the rest. In a typical approach, you bag and heat-dry all the bedding, clothing, and fabrics (the dryer step), then vacuum and steam the mattress, furniture, and harborage, encase the mattress and box spring, install interceptors, and follow up and monitor over time.

The dryer covers a large category of items quickly and reliably, with no chemicals, which is why it is one of the first steps. But because it only treats what fits inside, it works alongside the methods that address the bed structure and room. Together, the dryer for items and heat/steam/encasements/interceptors for the rest form a comprehensive, largely chemical-free strategy.

So think of the dryer as your go-to tool for items, integrated into the broader plan. It is powerful within its scope and essential for treating fabrics, but it is one part of a complete approach. Using it alongside the other methods is what eliminates an infestation. Our guide on DIY bed bug treatment shows how it fits in.

Protecting and Monitoring Your Bed

While the dryer treats your items, protecting and monitoring the bed handles the rest. The two most valuable tools are interceptors and an encasement. Interceptors placed under the bed and furniture legs catch crawling bugs and reveal activity, while an encasement seals your mattress and box spring so bugs cannot hide there. You can view interceptor options on Amazon and protect the bed with a mattress encasement (see options on Amazon).

A flashlight makes inspections effective for the areas the dryer cannot treat, revealing bugs and evidence in seams and cracks. A detection flashlight (view on Amazon) helps you check the bed and harborage.

Together, the dryer for items plus an encasement and interceptors for the bed give you both item treatment and bed protection and monitoring. Add steam and vacuuming for the harborage and professional help for tough cases. Our complete prevention guide ties it together.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

• Mistake: Using low heat or air-drying. Fix: use high heat — it is the heat that kills bugs and eggs.
• Mistake: A quick, short cycle. Fix: run an adequate cycle so items get hot throughout.
• Mistake: Overloading the dryer. Fix: do not overload; allow extra time for bulky items.
• Mistake: Carrying loose infested items to the dryer. Fix: bag them first to avoid spreading bugs.
• Mistake: Relying on the dryer alone. Fix: also treat the mattress, furniture, and room.

Expert Pro Tips

• The dryer is the killer. High-heat drying matters more than the wash for bed bugs.
• You can dry without washing. Dryer-safe items can be heat-treated by drying alone.
• Mind the eggs. Sufficient heat kills eggs too — a big advantage.
• Make it a travel habit. Hot-dry travel clothes after every trip.

Your dryer is a bed bug weapon you already own. A good high-heat cycle kills the bugs and the eggs in whatever you put in it — just remember it only treats what fits inside.

Real-Life Scenarios

The laundry win. Mia bagged all her bedding and clothing, ran them through a thorough high-heat dryer cycle, and reliably killed the bugs and eggs in them — the easiest part of her whole treatment.

The dry-only treat. Tom had dryer-safe items he did not need to wash, so he simply ran them through a hot dry to kill any bed bugs — using the heat without a wash.

The post-trip habit. Dana hot-dries her travel clothes after every trip, intercepting any hitchhikers before they reach her bedroom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the dryer kill bed bugs?

Yes. A sufficient high-heat dryer cycle reliably kills bed bugs and their eggs in the items you put in it, because heat is lethal to bed bugs at all life stages. The dryer is one of the easiest, safest, chemical-free ways to treat launderable items.

Does the dryer or the washer kill bed bugs?

The dryer (heat) does the reliable killing. While a hot wash helps, it is the sustained high heat of the dryer that most dependably kills bed bugs and eggs, so the high-heat dry is the critical step.

Does the dryer kill bed bug eggs?

Yes. Sufficient high heat kills eggs as well as bugs, which is a major advantage since eggs resist many other methods. A proper high-heat cycle handles both, as long as items get hot enough for long enough.

Can I dry items without washing to kill bed bugs?

Yes. Because the heat does the killing, you can run dryer-safe items through a hot dryer cycle without washing to kill bed bugs and eggs. For dirty items you would wash and dry, but for killing bugs specifically, the hot dry is the key.

How long and hot should the dryer cycle be?

Use a high-heat setting (the hottest items safely allow) and an adequate cycle so items get thoroughly hot throughout, allowing extra time for bulky items and not overloading the dryer. Follow care labels to avoid damage.

Can the dryer get rid of an infestation by itself?

No. The dryer only treats what fits inside it, so it cannot address the bugs in your mattress, frame, furniture, or room. Combine it with treating the bed and harborage (heat, steam, vacuuming, encasements) and monitoring.

Final Verdict + Checklist

Does the dryer kill bed bugs? Yes — a sufficient high-heat dryer cycle reliably kills bed bugs and their eggs in the items inside, with the dryer heat doing the real killing (more than the wash). You can even dry dryer-safe items without washing to treat them, and it is a great post-travel habit. Just remember the dryer only treats what fits inside it, so combine it with treating the mattress, furniture, and room. Use high heat, an adequate cycle, and care labels, and your dryer becomes one of the most effective bed bug tools you own.

This guide is educational and prevention-focused. It does not provide medical advice. Follow item care labels to avoid damage. For established infestations, consider a licensed professional. Some links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you.