The Ultimate Hitchhiker | How to Keep Bed Bugs from Coming Home with You

Bed bugs are the ultimate hitchhikers. They can move from one infested site to a new one by traveling on furniture, bedding, luggage, boxes and clothing; without the carrier even knowing that they are inviting them into their home or business. We are going to review how to keep bed bugs from coming home with you to your Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan home or business.

Once you have a bed bug infestation, they can be resilient and hard to get rid, so the best thing to do is not let them in your home or business in the first place.

Tips for How to Keep Bed Bugs from Coming Home with You                           

Below we review some tips to keep bed bugs from coming home with you:

  • When travelling, carry a few plastic trash bags in your luggage.
    • You can enclose your clothing and other items in trash bags inside your luggage to prevent bed bugs from latching on.
  • Don’t place your luggage on beds or on the floor near beds when staying outside of your home.
    • You can store your luggage on a fold-out luggage stand, if there is one, or in the bathtub.
  • When visiting other homes and businesses, minimize what you bring.
    • Place items on a hard surface, such as a table. Avoid storing your items on places that bed bugs can gather, like a couch, chair, or the floor next to furniture.
  • When staying anywhere outside of your home, pull back the covers and sheets to inspect the mattress and box spring for signs of bed bugs.
  • When using shared laundry facilities, transport items to be washed in plastic bags.
  • If you ride on public transit or fly, change and launder your travel clothes as soon as you get home.

What to do if You Find Bed Bugs While you are Outside of Your Home

While you may try to keep bed bugs from coming home with you, you may find that they still hitched a ride. There are some things you can do to try and prevent them from infesting your home. Keep in mind, bed bugs are a pest, so not every method will work for every scenario.

  • Notify the home or property manager immediately.
  • Place your belongings back into your luggage or into trash bags. Try to check for bed bugs and remove any that you may see.
    • If possible, place your luggage into trash bags and seal the bags with tape or tie them in knots. This will allow you to transport the luggage back home in your car without spreading the bed bugs.
  • Thoroughly inspect the clothing you are wearing to make sure that bed bugs did not crawl onto you.
  • Once home, avoid opening and unpacking your bags and luggage in areas where you cannot contain the contents.
    • Try to open them outdoors, in a garage, or in a bathtub where you can more easily spot any bed bugs.
    • Place washable clothing into trash bags and then empty the bag into a washing machine.
      • Wash your belongings in hot soapy water, as appropriate for the item.
        • Place items into the dryer for at least 30 minutes.
  • Clean your luggage. Must soft luggage can be placed into a clothes dryer for 30 minutes without damaging them.
    • For larger luggage or items that can’t be dried in a clothes dryer, wipe them with soapy water and use a steamer on them. If you don’t have a steamer, keep them in a plastic bag until you can appropriately treat them.

Eliminate a Bed Bug Infestation

Controlling bed bugs takes time and patience. The biology of bed bugs dictates this, since they reproduce quickly, and their eggs are resistant to many methods of pest control. If you believe bed bugs have hitchhiked home with you, the best thing you can do is contact a local pest control company to help you get rid of your problem.

At Delving Pest Control, we treat bed bugs by using a safe and effective solution to exterminate them; thermal treatment. Delving Pest Control treats your infected home with heat which eliminates bed bugs from beds, walls, floors, furniture, and bedding.

Not sure what you need, or what it costs? We can explain what services are right for you and tell you more about our costs for services. Contact us today.