Washing a vest / possible bed bug problem

DukeThylacineSun, 15/06/2025 - 14:27

(before you go off, yes there are already topics on how to wash your battle vest, but I didn't find one with this type of a problem)

Greetings! Has anyone ever tried to wash their BV at temperatures between 50-60°C? (122-140°F) Can it ruin some patches?
To be clear, 95% of the patches that I have are either woven or embroidered, but there's like 1-2 printed ones and I don't want them ruined, plus sharpie signatures on my backpatch.

I know a lot of people recommend lukewarm water but this won't help here. Been to a concert abroad recently and the apartment I was at had a few bedbugs on the walls. I got transferred to another room the next day and I didn't see any more of them for the rest of my trip.
But still I want to be sure and take out any possibility that they hitchhiked their way on my clothes, which also includes washing my battle vest.
Now, online forums say they can't survive exposure of higher temperatures mentioned above for longer periods of time, but I don't want to have my BV soaking in a 60°C water for half an hour and potentially ruining the patches.

Any help? Has anyone had a similar problem?

GuyIncognito on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 17:45

I say, you should go exactly the opposite direction - not heat, but frost. Put the thing in the freezer (-18°C) for a week.

Never had bed bugs, but I did have a minor issue with moths a couple of years ago. The treatment is the same, either very high or very low temperatures. All the stuff that I could wash at 60°C, I did, and all the other stuff (like band shirts etc) I put in the freezer.

doctordeath on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 18:46

actually pretty clever idea

doctordeath on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 18:46

maybe you will just freeze and re-animate the bugs tho?

GuyIncognito on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 22:15

That's why it would be important to keep it in the freezer for a couple of days, or a week. There actually is some research on how to kill bed bugs with cold, seems like 5ish days at -18°C would be sufficient to kill bed bugs in multiple developmental stages. But to be sure, the longer, the better, I suppose.

doctordeath on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 18:47

lukewarm wont do it, try 40c is the same as standing in the sun... 60c really is the safest... what about microwave ??

sfusyron

on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 20:40

How about put it in a plastic trash bag in the sun?

doctordeath on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 20:54

and fill with fly spray

GuyIncognito on Sun, 15/06/2025 - 22:16

Microwaving it would be a BIG no-no, given that vests usually have some metal parts, buttons, rivets and such. Put that in the microwave, and damaging your patches will be the least of your worries.

DukeThylacine on Mon, 16/06/2025 - 02:15

Freezing sounds good. Thanks for the tips guys!

Envenometal on Mon, 16/06/2025 - 05:46

But let it defrost well before you move, fold or bend it in any way, otherwise the cloth of the vest and the patch will break.

Samppa666 on Mon, 16/06/2025 - 11:03

Freezing clothes, bags and other items works for bedbugs, as all their developmental stages die at -18°C.

The items must be kept freezed for at least 7 days.

Pack all items which will be frozen in tightly sealed plastic bags. When sealed moisture wont get to the items and the little fuckers cant just crawl away.
Be careful not to pack them too tightly so that the inside temperature of the bags reaches the required freezing point.

Ive frozen my clothes, vest, jacket, etc after traveling just to kill any possible unwanted wayfarers; it did not ruin any item.
I put everything in to bags and to the freezer right away when i got home.
Ive kept the stuff at the freezer (over -20°C) for 14 days. So cold & in sealed bags; almost dry when i took them out. I put everything on hangers to dry and air them out.