Step 5 · I want to avoid them

Keeping bed bugs out

Bed bugs don’t come from dirt. They hitch rides on luggage, clothes and furniture. A few habits make it much less likely they come home with you, and much more likely you spot them early if they do.

The habits that matter most

When you travel, check the bed before you unpack and keep your suitcase off the bed and floor. The two-minute hotel check.
Before second-hand furniture comes in, check it outside, with a light. Skip curbside mattresses. What to check.
On laundry day, use a smooth plastic bin and keep used laundry off the bedroom floor. Laundry habits.
Before you rent, ask the building directly whether there have been bed bugs. What to ask.
At home, keep the bed a little away from the wall and check it now and then. Catching them early makes everything easier.

Bed bugs show up where people are, not just in bedrooms. Here are a few places that surprise people, and what actually draws them in.

Before bed

The five-minute bed check

Look along the mattress seams and corners.
Look for small dark or rust-coloured spots on the sheets.
Check behind the headboard and along the frame.
Look for pale, papery shed skins.
Found something? Take a photo or keep it in a sealed bag.

A couple checking in at a hotel front desk

Bed bugs and hotels: a two-minute room check and how to bring your suitcase home

Bed bugs in hotels: how to check reviews, a two-minute room check when you arrive, where to keep your luggage, and what to do with your suitcase at home.

Two cats on the back of a grey fabric couch, one with its mouth wide open

Second-hand furniture and bed bugs: what to check before it comes through your door

How to check used and curbside furniture for bed bugs before it comes inside, what to skip, and simple habits for a new mattress and bed.

A woman sitting on the floor by a front-loading washing machine with a smiling baby and a pile of laundry

Laundry day: how laundry helps you spot bed bugs and keep them contained

Bed bug laundry tips: what to look for on sheets and towels, why to use sealed bags and a smooth bin, and how to use a shared laundromat with care.

This guide shares my own experience and general tips. I’m not a pest control company. If you think you have bed bugs, a licensed pest control professional can confirm it and treat your home.