Yes, heat kills bed bugs at every stage, eggs included. So what temperature kills bed bugs? Adults and young bed bugs die at about 118°F and eggs at about 122°F, according to Virginia Tech’s 2024 guide to heat treatments. The heat has to reach them where they hide and stay there long enough. The EPA advises heating rooms or items to at least 120°F for 90 minutes so the eggs die too.
Get the heat or the time wrong and the eggs live, so a new batch hatches after the adults die and the bites start again.
Bed bug temperatures at a glance
The hotter it gets, the less time it takes, as the EPA puts it. Here’s what Virginia Tech, the EPA and University of Minnesota researchers found.
| Temperature | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 113°F | Adults die after about 95 minutes. Eggs survived 7 hours. | University of Minnesota study, 2011 |
| 118°F | Adults and young bed bugs die. Held for at least 70 minutes, every stage dies. | Virginia Tech, 2024; University of Minnesota Extension |
| 120°F | The EPA’s target for rooms and items, held for 90 minutes | EPA |
| 122°F | Eggs die | Virginia Tech, 2024 |
| About 131°F | 99% of eggs died in the lab | University of Minnesota study, 2011 |
Why do bed bug eggs need more heat?
Eggs are the hardest stage to kill. In a 2011 University of Minnesota study by Kells and Goblirsch, eggs survived 7 hours at 113°F and more than an hour at 118°F, a heat that kills adults. That’s why a treatment can feel hot enough and still fail. Our guide to the bed bug life cycle explains how quickly a new batch grows.
What temperature kills bed bugs instantly?
No temperature you can safely reach in a home kills every bed bug on contact. Steam comes closest. The EPA says steam must be at least 130°F, and University of Kentucky entomologists note that steam used correctly kills bugs and eggs on contact. But steam only treats the spot you aim it at. To kill bed bugs inside a mattress, a couch or a wall, the whole space has to get hot and stay hot.
Why the room has to be hotter than the bugs
Bed bugs hide in the coolest spots: under baseboards, where the floor meets the wall, and deep inside furniture. Virginia Tech’s guide notes that technicians often heat the air to about 135°F and run the heaters 4 to 5 hours, and some floor and wall gaps still didn’t get hot enough. The air temperature alone doesn’t prove the job worked.
Here’s a simple example. Say a bedroom’s air reads 130°F after two hours, but the gap under the baseboard behind the dresser only reaches 110°F. Bed bugs and eggs in that gap can live through the treatment. Fans that push the heat into corners, and temperature checks in the coolest spots, are what close that gap.
How a professional heat treatment works
NYC Extermination heats the rooms to between 120°F and 140°F and holds that for several hours. Industrial heaters raise the temperature, fans move the heat into closets, furniture and corners, and we check temperatures throughout the space. A typical visit takes 4 to 8 hours, and most homes are done in one day.
Heat has one weakness: it leaves nothing behind. The EPA notes that heat treatments have no lasting effect, so bed bugs that come in later aren’t touched. That’s why we often follow heat with a targeted treatment of the cracks and outlets where bed bugs could come back.
When heat isn’t the answer
Heat isn’t always needed. A few bed bugs found early, only in the bed, may be handled with a targeted treatment and sealed mattress covers. And some things can’t take the heat: items that melt or warp have to come out and be treated another way. Read how to tell if you need heat treatment or compare heat vs. chemical treatment.
Thinking about doing it yourself? Read our guide to DIY heat treatment for bed bugs first. A clothes dryer works on clothes and bedding, but space heaters can’t heat a room evenly enough.
To book, see our bed bug heat treatment service or call (347) 988-2315 for a free on-site inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Can bed bugs survive a heat treatment?
A few can, if they’re in a spot that never got hot enough, like a wall gap or a pile of clutter. Virginia Tech’s entomologists say even the best heat treatment isn’t always 100% successful. That’s why we check temperatures during the treatment and recommend a follow-up when it’s needed.
Does cold kill bed bugs the same way?
It can, but it’s slower. The EPA says items have to stay in a sealed bag in a freezer at 0°F for three days, and many home freezers aren’t that cold. Use a thermometer to check.
Do I need to heat every room?
Not always. We heat the bedroom and every room where the inspection finds bed bugs or their signs. Rooms with no activity may not need it.
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