Good preparation makes bed bug laundry faster and safer for everyone: you, our team and the rest of your home. Here is the checklist we'd give a friend, from checking what we accept to coordinating the return with your pest controller.
1. Check what can be sent
We accept washable textiles: clothing, sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases, duvets and pillows, blankets and throws, cushion covers and washable cushions, and washable curtains. We can't take mattresses, sofas, carpets, shoes, books, electronics, items whose care label forbids washing, or anything soaked in chemicals or hazardous substances. The service page has the full list.
2. Sort by care label before bagging
Check labels as you go. The NHS advises washing affected bedding and clothes at 60°C and tumble drying on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes. Not every fabric can take that, and a cooler wash is not an equivalent bed bug treatment. We wash at 60°C where the label allows and otherwise at the highest temperature it permits. If something precious can't take heat, mention it in your booking note so it can be handled appropriately.
3. Bag items in the room, without shaking
- Bring the bags to the items, not the items through the house.
- Don't shake bedding or clothes out — it can scatter insects and eggs.
- Fill bags loosely, tie or seal them firmly, then place each inside a second bag.
- Wipe the outside of the outer bag and keep it away from clean laundry.
- Leave bags sealed for collection. Our drivers don't open them at the door.
4. Book under the right service
When booking, choose Specialist Laundry Treatment and then the bed bug service, so your bags are routed to our separate specialist facility rather than everyday laundry. Add a short note with the number of bags and anything unusual, such as delicate items. Accurate booking avoids delays and keeps bed bug items out of general processing.
5. Coordinate the return with your pest controller
Laundry treats textiles only; it doesn't treat the property. Ask your pest controller when treatment is planned and when it's sensible for clean items to come back, then pick a delivery slot to match. Keep returned laundry sealed in its clean packaging until the room has been treated.
You don't have to throw everything away
There's no blanket need to discard belongings. Many washable textiles can simply be laundered. Whether to replace a mattress or piece of furniture is a question for your pest controller, not something laundry can decide.
Bites or itchiness alone don't confirm bed bugs. If you're unsure, get a professional inspection before booking anything.
Read next
- Bed bug laundry in East London: what to do with clothes and bedding
- Bed bug laundry service: prices and accepted items
Published 2026-10-15 by MyLaundress team. Book a collection online