Bed Bugs After Travel: How to Check Your Luggage and Home

At the hotel or rental

Keep your luggage off the bed and floor until you've checked the room. A luggage rack away from the bed, or the bathroom, is a good spot.
Check the mattress seams and corners, the headboard, and the edges of the bed frame. Use your phone torch.
Look for the signs: small, flat, reddish-brown insects; tiny dark spots (droppings); pale shed skins; small blood spots on sheets.
Check upholstered chairs and sofas in the room, especially along the seams.
If you find anything, ask for a different room, preferably not next to or directly above or below the first one.

When you get home

Unpack away from the bedroom, for example in the kitchen or on a hard floor where you can see anything that drops out.
Wash and dry clothes on the hottest settings the fabric allows, including clothes you didn't wear.
Items you can't wash can go through a hot tumble dryer, or be sealed in a plastic bag until they can be checked.
Vacuum the suitcase, inside and out, especially the seams and zip lines, and empty the vacuum outside afterwards.
Store suitcases away from beds and sofas, not under the bed.

Signs they came home with you

Bed bugs hide during the day and feed at night, so the first sign is often itchy bites in a line or cluster after waking. Bites alone don't prove bed bugs, though. Check mattress seams, bed frames, the joints of sofas and the edges of carpets for the insects, droppings, shed skins or eggs.

Don't move your mattress or sleep in another room to "escape" them. Bed bugs follow people, and moving around can spread them through the home.

When to call an operator

If you find live bed bugs or clear signs, get a professional inspection. Over-the-counter sprays rarely reach the eggs and crevices where bed bugs hide, and treatment usually needs more than one visit. See how bed bug treatment works, what it typically costs, and our preparation checklist.

Questions

Can bed bugs live in a suitcase?

Yes. Bed bugs can hide in the seams, pockets and lining of luggage and bags, which is how they usually travel between places.

Do bed bugs mean a hotel or home is dirty?

No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt, and can turn up in clean, well-kept places. What matters is finding and treating them early.

Will washing kill bed bugs?

Washing on a hot cycle and drying on high heat is a common way to deal with bed bugs in clothes and bedding. It won't treat bed bugs already hiding in your mattress, bed frame or furniture.

More guides

Want a professional to take a look? Tell us what you're dealing with and we'll pass your request to up to 3 NEA-licensed operators who cover your area. It's free, with no obligation.

Get free quotes

Bed bugs after travel: how to avoid bringing them home