Infested Toys: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Stuffed Animals
September 23, 2024
By Daniel Baldwin, BCE, CCFS, CP-FS
Bed bugs can nest inside a surprising number of spots inside your home. Although these creatures are known for infesting beds and hiding inside mattresses, they also hide in electrical outlets, clothing, furniture, and yes, plush toys. Learn how get rid of bed bugs in stuffed animals before they become part of a bed bug infestation.
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are tiny insects that are around the size of a pinhead or an apple seed. Their bodies are flat, brown, and oval-shaped if they haven’t eaten recently or rounded and reddish-brown if they’re freshly fed. Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug, feeds on human blood, usually at night as we sleep.
Do Bed Bugs Bite?
Bed bugs bite humans to feed on our blood, which they need to survive. These parasites bite in a zigzag pattern and will leave up to five bites at a time. The bites cause little red, itchy welts to rise on the skin that can be mistaken for mosquito, flea, or spider bites. It’s rare for bed bugs to transmit diseases to humans, but their bites can cause mild allergic reactions in some people.
How Do Bed Bugs Get Inside Your Home?
Bed bugs are skilled travelers. They hitch rides on people’s clothing, luggage, second-hand furniture, and other upholstered or cloth items in places where humans spend time with one another. Bed bugs’ small size makes them difficult to identify, and it’s often hard to trace exactly how they get inside your home. What is known is that bed bugs gain entry to your home from other infested areas. If you travel and bring home a piece of luggage or a backpack that bed bugs have hidden in, you could eventually be dealing with an infestation.
Can You Get Bed Bugs From Stuffed Animals?
Yes, it’s possible to get bed bugs from stuffed animals. If a bed bug infestation occurs, these pests can transfer from infested items to humans, especially if the stuffed animal is used frequently.
Can Bed Bugs Live in Stuffed Animals?
Yes, bed bugs can live in stuffed animals. They tend to prefer areas like mattresses and headboards, but given the opportunity, they’ll also infest stuffed animals that your child plays or cuddles with at night.
Why Do Bed Bugs Live On Stuffed Animals?
Bed bugs target these items because humans hold stuffed animals close to their bodies, giving the insects plenty of opportunities to feed.
How Long Can Bed Bugs Live on Stuffed Animals?
Bed bugs can survive for several months without a blood meal, so they can definitely live in stuffed animals for extended periods. They can thrive if they have access to a host or if the conditions are favorable for their survival:
Temperature: Bed bugs prefer warm environments. They can survive in a range of temperatures but thrive best between 70-80°F. Extreme cold or heat can kill them, but they like moderate temperatures and low to moderate humidity levels. They thrive easily in normal household temps and humidity.
Shelter: Bed bugs need a hiding place to remain safe from predators and to avoid detection. Stuffed animals provide a sheltered environment with many nooks and crannies where bed bugs can hide.
Proximity: Bed bugs need blood to reproduce and grow. If the stuffed animal is close to where a person sleeps or rests, it provides the bed bugs with the opportunity to easily find and feed on a host.
How to Tell if a Stuffed Animal Has Bed Bugs
It’s fairly easy to tell if a stuffed animal has bed bugs. If your home has a large infestation, you will see the bed bugs themselves as they crawl on bed linens, teddy bears, or other areas. More subtle signs of bed bugs include:
- Small specks of blood or dark excrement on bedding and furniture.
- Dead bed bug outer shells on mattresses and cushions.
- Very tiny, white oval eggs in crevices and cracks.
- Waking up with bites on your body.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs on Stuffed Animal
Machine wash and dry all stuffed animals and bedding from the infested area. Place infested stuffed animals in the dryer at 113˚F for at least 15 minutes to kill the bed bugs. The heat from the dryer will kill any living insects hiding in the nooks and crannies of stuffed animals. After removing the stuffed toys from the dryer, store them in a clean plastic bag or container until a pest control company has professionally treated your home. A new infestation can take hold if the toys are returned too soon.
Other Bugs That Live in Stuffed Animal
While bed bugs are a primary concern, other insects might also inhabit stuffed animals, such as carpet beetles or mites. Carpet beetles can cause damage to fabrics and are attracted to organic materials like wool and feathers found in some stuffed animals. Dust mites can also thrive in stuffed animals, especially if they’re not regularly cleaned. These pests can contribute to allergic reactions and other health issues. Regular cleaning and inspection of stuffed animals can help prevent infestations and maintain a healthy environment for your family.
Premium Pest Control Services
A bed bug infestation can cause anxiety and loss of sleep, not to mention itchy bites on you or your child’s body. If you’re concerned about a bed bug infestation, contact Hawx Pest Control to protect you now and in the future. Our friendly team of skilled professionals has you covered when securing your home against bed bugs. Our exceptional service plans include a thorough inspection and vacuuming of all visible bed bugs, followed by the latest treatments to address infestations.
