Bed Bugs - To Clean or Not to Clean.

That is the question.  The little critters seem to be popping up everywhere.  I have plant owners in Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia all reporting that they are having customers bringing garments into their plants to have garments treated that have been infested with bed bugs and with a 70% increase (as reported by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) in the number of reported infestations, it is no surprise. 
So, what is a plant owner to do? Should you take the garments in to be processed running the risk of infestation?  Should you capitalize from the problem?  Should you turn the garments away, running the risk of alienating your customers?  In the end, that is a decision that the owner of a dry cleaner business will have to make.  But we do know one thing.  As reported by The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), dry cleaners can solve this unhealthy problem.

• If your customers suspect that any of their items are infested with bedbugs, have them bring them in tightly sealed plastic bags.
• Keep the garments contained until the garments can be dry cleaned or wet cleaned. 
• Clean the garments and then dry at a minimum of 120F degrees, for a period of at least 20 minutes to effectively kill the vermin.  
• Finish/Press the garments as you normally would.

 Only certain pesticides and heat of 120°F or higher is effective in eradicating bedbugs and their eggs. Dry cleaners have the capability of cleaning these garments effectively, but keep in mind, it does not come without risk.