If exposed to bed bugs, immediately wash infested items in hot water, dry on high heat, vacuum thoroughly, and seal items in plastic bags; for bites, wash with soap, use ice packs and anti-itch cream (like hydrocortisone or calamine), and avoid scratching to prevent infection, calling a doctor for severe reactions or if you suspect a home infestation needing professional pest control. Act fast to contain them, as they spread easily.
If you suspect you have been around bed bugs, immediately dry your clothing on the hottest setting or store it in a sealed plastic bag until you can. Seal cracks and crevices with caulk, even if you don't have bed bugs. This will help prevent bed bugs and other pests from coming in.
Technically, bed bugs are unlikely to live on the clothes you're wearing, but they can quickly take up residence on items in a suitcase, and even what's in your drawers or on your floor. You should always launder items after returning from a trip, but will washing clothes kill bed bugs or just reduce the population?
After a visit to a client's home, return home directly. Take precaution by removing clothes and shoes and placing them in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Heat kills bed bugs in all life stages.
Showering can help remove any bed bugs present on your skin temporarily, as water and soap can disrupt their ability to cling to surfaces. However, showering alone is not sufficient to eliminate a bed bug infestation, as these pests primarily reside in hidden cracks and crevices within your home.
It is unlikely to get bed bugs simply by being near someone who has them. Bed bugs do not live on humans; they hide in cracks, seams, and furniture, coming out only to feed. However, if you are in close contact with an infested item, such as a bag or clothing, you could inadvertently bring bed bugs home.
Bed bug eggs are rarely found in hair, as the parent bugs do not spend much time there. Unlike fleas and ticks, bed bugs are not equipped with the body parts that would allow them to attach to hair or the scalp.
Initially, bed bugs are hard to detect in small numbers. Often, people do not realize they had an encounter until weeks later when they notice they have brought bed bugs home with them. By then, they are much harder to control.
Bed bugs can't bite through fabric. However, you may find bites on covered areas of skin if your pajamas are loose enough for the bugs to crawl under them.
You may want to use disposable shoe covers to minimize the chance of picking up and transporting bed bugs and their eggs on your shoes. Remember to discard the shoe covers as you leave.
Early signs of bed bugs include itchy bites in lines or clusters, rusty or dark spots on bedding (fecal stains), tiny pale eggs or shed skins in mattress seams, and a sweet, musty odor; you need to inspect mattress seams, bed frames, and furniture for these physical clues, as bites alone aren't always definitive.
You can use your washing machine and dryer to kill bed bugs infesting clothes and other washable items. Clothes laundered in hot water and/or dried in temperatures hotter than 122°F for 20 minutes will kill all stages of bed bugs.
Bed bugs dislike strong scents like lavender, peppermint, tea tree oil, and eucalyptus. These natural aromas can deter bed bugs by creating an environment they find unpleasant, though they're not guaranteed to eliminate an infestation. Using essential oil sprays or sachets can help as a preventive measure.
If a bed bug finds its way onto your clothing while you're wearing it, it may stay on the fabric for several hours—potentially even a full day. However, it's important to understand their behavior: They prefer still environments: Bed bugs tend to avoid movement.
High heat (steam, hot dryer) and some contact sprays like rubbing alcohol or specific low-toxicity sprays kill bed bugs and their eggs instantly, but complete eradication requires persistent treatment like vacuuming, sealing cracks, using diatomaceous earth (DE), and washing items at high temperatures. While chemicals work, heat is highly effective, killing bugs in all life stages on contact, especially when temperatures reach 60°C (140°F) or higher, according to health.vic.gov.au and myhealth1st.com.au.
Bedbugs: How to avoid bringing them home
Many people cannot feel bed bugs crawling due to their quiet, swift movement and small size. Skin sensitivity varies; some individuals might notice a slight tickling or itching, while others may feel nothing. Bed bugs are nocturnal, often hiding during the day, making detection by crawling sensation less likely.
Bed bugs spread by hiding in everyday items like bags, clothing, and furniture. Their ability to move discreetly from place to place makes them difficult to detect and easy to transport. Travelers can unknowingly bring bed bugs home in luggage, clothing, or personal items.
No scientific evidence suggests that VapoRub (Vicks VapoRub) can keep bed bugs away. While some people believe that the strong smell of VapoRub might repel bed bugs, there is no reliable data to support this claim. Simple home remedies like VapoRub are unlikely to control an infestation effectively.
Bed bugs are not contagious in that they cannot be transmitted from person-to-person. However, bed bugs can hide and live in a person's bedding, clothing, luggage, and furniture. When these items enter a home or are transported to another area, they can transport the bed bugs with them.
However, bed bugs aren't a seasonal pest as they're active year-round. Bed bugs seek heat signatures to find blood to feed on. If a house is warmer in the summer due to lack of air conditioning, bed bugs may be more active instead of hiding in cryptic places. They are known to be at their peak from June to October.
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs do not actually live in hair—though they may bite at your scalp. They prefer to live in dark, secluded spaces, such as behind your bed, between furniture and walls, or within cracks on your floorboard.
Showering using soap and water is sufficient to remove bed bugs from your person. Wash your work clothes and dry them completely in a clothes dryer. Once dry, run the clothes on high heat for an additional 30 minutes to make certain that any bed bugs transferred from the washing machine are dead.
Inspect Pillow Seams and Crevices
Bed bugs love to reside in tight, dark spaces. This makes pillowcase seams and crevices inviting hideouts.
You can check for lice by running a fine-toothed comb or a special head lice comb slowly through your child's wet hair. Inspect the comb for lice and their eggs after each time you pull it through. Lice are most commonly found at the back of your head and neck, and near your ears.