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How to Kill Bugs in the Freezer

Freezing is one of several different methods that can be used to kill insects. Museums, for instance, will often use freezing to kill various bugs that could potentially damage valuable historical objects without damaging the objects themselves, which insecticides, for example, might do. Freezing is also a popular method of ridding clothing of moths and other bugs.

Things You'll Need

Ziploc-type, sealable bag

Instructions

- 1
  Place the object infested with bugs, or the bugs themselves, inside a Ziploc-type bag, and squeeze the bag to remove as much excess air as possible. If the object is too big for a Ziploc bag, plastic tarping and tape can be used to achieve the same effect. The plastic bag is primarily to protect the object being frozen from ice crystallization, so if you are not concerned about damage to the object being frozen you can forgo the bag.
- 2
  Place the object inside the freezer. Place it somewhere with good air circulation, as the rate at which the object becomes frozen is important for killing the bugs -- the faster, the better.
- 3
  Leave the object in the freezer for several days. The time required to kill the bugs will vary, depending on the exact species of bug, but several days is enough for most. Bed bugs, for instance, must be frozen at temperatures below 32°F to kill them.
- 4
  Remove the frozen object from the freezer and let it thaw for a day.
- 5
  Reinsert the object into the freezer and let it freeze again for several days. Some species of bugs are able to withstand extended freezing temperatures, though they will be severely weakened upon thawing, and a refreezing will finish them off.
- 6
  Remove the frozen object from the freezer and let it thaw. Monitor it for any further signs of bug damage, and try freezing or another method, such as heat or insecticides, if the bugs return.

Insects & Science