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. To prevent bed bugs, 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.
How to Prevent Catching Bed Bugs in a Hotel
Avoid bringing bed bugs home from a hotel: check reviews before you book, use the luggage rack, leave extra bags in the car and seal your dirty laundry.
Preventative Measures for Furniture
Keep bed bugs out of your furniture: skip curbside finds, encase new mattresses and box springs, use bed bug interceptors and keep the bed off the walls.
Laundry and Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are drawn to dirty laundry. What to check in your bedding, wash cloths and towels, and how laundry helps you spot an infestation early.
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.