Luggage is one of the main ways bedbugs travel from place to place. Understanding how they hitch a ride makes it much easier to avoid bringing them home from a hotel, guesthouse, boarding school, matatu or a visit to friends.
Can bedbugs live in clothes?
Bedbugs do not live on people the way lice do — they feed and then leave. But they will hide in clothing, especially clothes left on the floor, on the bed or in a suitcase near a bed. Folded clothes in a bag offer plenty of shelter, and bugs and eggs can be carried home this way.
Clothes that are being worn are a less likely hiding place, although it is possible for a bug to be carried short distances.
Checking a room when you travel
Take two minutes when you arrive, before you unpack:
- Put your bag in the bathroom or on a hard surface while you check.
- Pull back the sheets at the head of the bed and check mattress seams and corners with your phone torch.
- Look at the headboard edge and behind it if possible.
- Check the luggage rack, upholstered chairs and bedside furniture.
- If you see dark spots, shed skins or live bugs, ask for a different room — ideally not next to, above or below the first one.
During your stay, keep luggage on a hard luggage rack away from the bed rather than on the floor or the bed, and keep the case zipped when not in use.
When you get home
- Unpack straight into the laundry area, not the bedroom.
- Wash travel clothing in the hottest water the fabrics allow and dry thoroughly; a hot tumble dryer cycle is particularly effective where available.
- Inspect and vacuum the suitcase seams, pockets and wheel housings, then store it away from bedrooms.
- Items that cannot be washed can be sealed in a bag and checked before use.
Students and boarding schools
Boarding schools, hostels and university halls are common sources. When a student comes home:
- Inspect the trunk or bag outside before bringing it in.
- Wash and dry bedding and clothing straight away.
- Check the student's mattress and bed for signs over the following weeks.
Workplaces and public transport
Bedbugs are occasionally picked up at work or on public transport. If you suspect this, keep bags off bedroom floors and beds at home and inspect them regularly.
If you think you've brought bedbugs home
Act early, before numbers build up. Avoid moving things between rooms and follow how to identify bedbugs in your mattress and bedroom. If you find evidence, book a professional bedbug inspection.
