Bed Bugs After Travel: What to Check When You Get Home

At the hotel

Check mattress seams, the headboard and the furniture next to the bed for small rust-colored spots, eggs or live bugs. Keep your suitcase on a luggage rack, not the bed or floor.

Unpack carefully

Unpack in a hard-floored area like a bathroom or garage rather than on the bed. Check suitcase seams and pockets with a flashlight.

Heat kills them

Wash travel clothes in hot water and dry them on high heat, even if you didn't wear them. Heat from a dryer kills bed bugs and eggs.

Secondhand furniture

Inspect used furniture and mattresses closely before bringing them home. Seams, joints and screw holes are common hiding places.

Signs at home

Spots on sheets, bites in a line or cluster, or a sweet musty smell are worth checking. Bites alone aren't proof.

Act quickly

Early treatment is easier and cheaper. See bed bug treatment.

Kids, dorms and camps

College dorms, summer camps, sleepovers and shared housing can all be sources. When children come home, wash and dry their bedding and clothes on high heat and check bags and backpacks before they go into bedrooms. It's a simple habit that catches problems early.

Mattress encasements

A zippered bed bug encasement on the mattress and box spring removes hiding places and makes any bugs easy to spot. It's worth considering for guest rooms and rental properties.

Used furniture and moving

Moving boxes, rental trucks and secondhand couches can carry bed bugs too. Inspect furniture before it comes inside, and if you're moving out of a home that had bed bugs, treat before the move so they don't travel with you.

More pest guides

• Keeping Mice Out Before a Rockford Winter
• Boxelder Bugs, Stink Bugs and Lady Beetles: Rockford's Fall Invaders
• Carpenter Ants in Rockford Homes: Signs and Causes
• Ticks in the Rock River Valley: Yard and Family Tips
• Checking an Illinois Pest Control License