Most people associate bed bugs with hotel rooms and traveling. While they are commonly picked up while traveling, you can still have bed bugs in your home without ever actually leaving the house. Bed bugs are known hitchhikers and can travel on clothing, luggage, bags, purses, and even wheelchairs. Any guest in your home can bring these pests in with them – a neighbor stopping by for a chat, a college student coming home on vacation, or even your spouse coming home from a conference at a hotel. Once bed bugs have gotten into your home, professional bed bug control is your best remedy. In the meantime, check out these tips to help keep the bed bugs out.

  1. Don’t put any guests’ coats or bags on the bed. Instead, clean out your front closet and use it to store coats and bags. Make sure to vacuum it immediately after your guests leave.
  2. If there isn’t ample closet space for your guests, place a sheet under the stored bags and coats and once the guests leave, put the sheet in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes.
  3. Ask your visitors to immediately change into clean clothes when they enter the house.
  4. Launder all of their clothing on their arrival.
  5. Store their suitcases and bags in a plastic bag or box that can be sealed.
  6. Wipe their shoes down with a damp cloth with hot water or place them in the dryer if possible.
  7. Encase mattresses on guest beds with bed bug encasements.
  8. If your guests are sleeping on the couch, place a sheet over it and launder it immediately after your guests leave. Vacuum the couch, as well.
  9. Ask your guests to remove their shoes and keep them on a plastic mat by the door. Once they leave, clean the mat thoroughly.
  10. Use slipcovers on all of your furniture and launder them on high heat immediately after your guests leave.
  11. If your guests bring gifts, launder or clean anything that can be washed; wipe down wood or plastic items with a damp cloth.
  12. Bag, seal, and dispose of any packing boxes or wrapping paper immediately.
  13. Report any known cases of bed bugs to the bed bug registry.
  14. Call a pest control professional if you suspect you have a bed bug problem.