There are many places you can blame for a bed bug infestation. A laundromat is one of them. A laundromat is considered a public place where many strangers share intimate parts of their home. Namely, their clothes, blankets, pillows, and bedding.
If even one customer of the laundromat has a bed bug infestation, they risk passing the bugs along to anyone who uses the same machines as them. To make matters worse, some people will use a laundromat as a safe space to try dealing with their own bed bug infestation, making it a target for unsuspecting laundromat goers.
How to prevent getting bed bugs from the laundromat
Any advice about bed bugs is geared towards prevention. You can prevent getting bed bugs from the laundromat with a few simple suggestions.
Before using a public washing machine, you can clean it with a few simple steps. You can pour white vinegar into the machine while it is running with hot water. Leave the door open for a minutes to let it air out.
While washing your clothes, you can add one of many natural bed bug repellents that can usually be found around the house. This can be something as simple as adding a bit of vinegar with your laundry.
Another tip while washing is to use a laundry detergent that already has natural repellents that bed bugs hate. It functions like any other laundry detergent but has the added benefit of turning bed bugs away during a wash cycle. It also has the potential of killing some of them during the wash or at least weakening them for the dryer cycle.
When drying your clothes, put the dryer on high heat and leave it running for at least 30 minutes. When exposed to high enough temperature for long enough, bed bugs in all life stages will be killed.
Essentially, if you want to remove bed bugs from your clothing, blankets, pillows, or bedding, you’ll do it with the dryer cycle of your laundry routine.
When packing up your clothes, use a large plastic laundry bag to carry your clothes out of the laundromat. Avoid placing your clothes directly on the machines or the floor. If there are any bed bugs roaming, they’ll jump aboard and you’ll take them home.
how often do laundromats clean their machines
Laundromats clean their washers, dryers, folding tables, and all surfaces on every day. They make sure to remove any traces of previous customers and make sure every surface is disinfected.
A lesser maintained laundromat may choose to clean their laundry facility on a weekly basis. This can of course lead to health concerns such as bed bug infestations or cockroach infestations.