Small, hardy, and resistant to many common insecticides, bedbugs are a tenacious pest. They can, however, be killed by prolonged exposure to very cold temperatures. According to "The War On Bedbugs" blog (See References), extreme cold damages bed bugs' cell structure and neuromuscular system. Placing items that you suspect of being infested with bed bugs or bed bug eggs in a freezer that can generate temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit should kill the bugs and their eggs after two weeks.
Instructions
1. Remove all unnecessary covering or padding from the infected items, such as plastic bags, newspapers or cardboard. These can insulate the infected items and prevent them from being cooled to the proper temperature.
2. Place all items that you suspect of infection in the freezer.
3. Close the freezer and keep it at a constant temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks. Do not allow the temperature to rise above 0 degrees for more than a few minutes, as fluctuations in temperature could allow the bed bugs to reheat.
4. After two weeks have passed, remove the items from the freezer and place them in an enclosed area, such as a bathtub. If any bed bugs remain alive, you do not want them to be able to escape.
5. Inspect your items for bed bugs. All bed bugs on the items should be dead.
6. If you find any live bed bugs, replace the items in the freezer and keep them frozen for an additional week. Also, wash out the enclosed area.
7. Repeat the freezing procedure as necessary until all items are disinfected.
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