do bed bugs travel from one apartment to another

Bed Bugs FAQs

What are bed bugs, where are bed bugs found, do bed bugs spread disease, what health risks do bed bugs pose, what are the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation.

• How are bed bug bites diagnosed?

How did I get bed bugs?

Who is at risk for getting bed bugs, how are bed bugs treated and prevented.

Bed bugs ( Cimex lectularius ) are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color, wingless, range from 1mm to 7mm (roughly the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny), and can live several months without a blood meal.

Bed bugs are found across the globe from North and South America, to Africa, Asia and Europe. Although the presence of bed bugs has traditionally been seen as a problem in developing countries, it has recently been spreading rapidly in parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. Bed bugs have been found in five-star hotels and resorts and their presence is not determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they are found.

Bed bug infestations usually occur around or near the areas where people sleep. These areas include apartments, shelters, rooming houses, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dorm rooms. They hide during the day in places such as seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, inside cracks or crevices, behind wallpaper, or any other clutter or objects around a bed. Bed bugs have been shown to be able to travel over 100 feet in a night but tend to live within 8 feet of where people sleep.

Bed bugs are not known to spread disease. Bed bugs can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.

A bed bug bite affects each person differently. Bite responses can range from an absence of any physical signs of the bite, to a small bite mark, to a serious allergic reaction. Bed bugs are not considered to be dangerous; however, an allergic reaction to several bites may need medical attention.

One of the easiest ways to identify a bed bug infestation is by the tell-tale bite marks on the face, neck, arms, hands, or any other body parts while sleeping. However, these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bed bugs have infested an area. These signs include:

• the bed bugs’ exoskeletons after molting,
• bed bugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets,
• rusty–colored blood spots due to their blood-filled fecal material that they excrete on the mattress or nearby furniture, and
• a sweet musty odor.

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How do I know if I’ve been bitten by a bed bug?

It is hard to tell if you’ve been bitten by a bed bug unless you find bed bugs or signs of infestation. When bed bugs bite, they inject an anesthetic and an anticoagulant that prevents a person from realizing they are being bitten. Most people do not realize they have been bitten until bite marks appear anywhere from one to several days after the initial bite. The bite marks are similar to that of a mosquito or a flea — a slightly swollen and red area that may itch and be irritating. The bite marks may be random or appear in a straight line. Other symptoms of bed bug bites include insomnia, anxiety, and skin problems that arise from profuse scratching of the bites.

Because bed bug bites affect everyone differently, some people may have no reaction and will not develop bite marks or any other visible signs of being bitten. Other people may be allergic to the bed bugs and can react adversely to the bites. These allergic symptoms can include enlarged bite marks, painful swellings at the bite site, and, on rare occasions, anaphylaxis.

Bed bugs are experts at hiding. Their slim flat bodies allow them to fit into the smallest of spaces and stay there for long periods of time, even without a blood meal. Bed bugs are usually transported from place to place as people travel. The bed bugs travel in the seams and folds of luggage, overnight bags, folded clothes, bedding, furniture, and anywhere else where they can hide. Most people do not realize they are transporting stow-away bed bugs as they travel from location to location, infecting areas as they travel.

Everyone is at risk for getting bed bugs when visiting an infected area. However, anyone who travels frequently and shares living and sleeping quarters where other people have previously slept has a higher risk of being bitten and or spreading a bed bug infestation.

Bed bug bites usually do not pose a serious medical threat. The best way to treat a bite is to avoid scratching the area and apply antiseptic creams or lotions and take an antihistamine. Bed bug infestations are commonly treated by insecticide spraying. If you suspect that you have an infestation, contact your landlord or professional pest control company that is experienced with treating bed bugs. The best way to prevent bed bugs is regular inspection for the signs of an infestation.

This information is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. If you have any questions about the parasites described above or think that you may have a parasitic infection, consult a health care provider.

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How Do Bed Bugs Travel Between Apartments? Prevention Tips

If you live in multifamily housing such as a townhouse or apartment building, there’s some bad news: you are more susceptible to a bed bug infestation.

Bed bugs can travel between apartments quickly and easily.

The good news is that there are ways you can prevent these shared infestations if you know how bed bugs get from one unit to another.

How do bed bugs travel between apartments? Bed bugs can travel between apartments through any available gaps, such as those in electrical outlets, light switch covers, baseboards, wall cracks, and plumbing pathways. They can also enter via any human visitors who are unintentionally transporting them.

Preventing bed bug access to your apartment is critical, especially when there are known infestations in the vicinity.

Knowing how these pests travel from home to home is one of your best defenses.

If you’re already seeing signs of these unwanted invaders in your apartment, check out our comprehensive guide, “ How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs ,” for easy, yet effective, solutions.

Table of Contents

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are parasitic insects, which means they have six legs, feature a hard exoskeleton, and need a host.

For bed bugs, the host is usually a human whose blood they can feed off of. There is a common type of bed bug, the type found in homes, and a second, tropical type.

Ranging from brown to red in color, an adult bed bug is about the size of an apple seed and is shaped like a raindrop or balloon.

Bed bugs are commonly mistaken for other bugs ( read this to correctly identify bed bugs and differentiate them from impostors), especially fleas.

Because they need a host to survive, bed bugs like to stay in a hiding spot close to humans. They remain out of sight until it is safe to come out to feed, generally at night.

Typically, bed bugs eat every five to 10 days. However, bed bugs are able to go for an entire year without feeding if necessary.

This adds to the difficulty in eradicating bed bug infestations, since it takes them a long time to die naturally.

Fact: Bed bug bites often go unnoticed until the next day as bed bugs inject an anesthetic into the wound to numb the area. Flea bites are typically felt immediately. Learn more about the differences in bites in this article .

Bed bugs are small enough to fit anywhere a credit card will fit.

They tend to hide underneath sheets, in the seams of mattresses, in crevices in headboards, and within cracks and gaps in walls.

Though they cannot fly, bed bugs move incredibly efficiently; they can cover up to 100 feet an hour!

They are also difficult to contain because they reproduce quickly. One pregnant female can produce 300 adults and 1,000 new eggs in just three months. 

There is a common misconception that bed bugs are a sign of dirty or unhygienic environments.

This is untrue, however, as the two most accurate indicators for bed bugs are population density and amount of travel. 

How Bed Bugs Travel

Outlets and light switches.

Electrical outlets and light switches are placed into holes cut into the drywall or plaster of your home. These holes are havens for bed bugs.

These pests then travel along electrical wires all around the building. 

If your outlet or light switch cover plates are not flush with the wall, bed bugs will be able to sneak through the gap.

Use electrical tape or painters tape to seal the gap and force bed bugs to turn around.

Similarly to the way they use outlets and light switches, bed bugs can traverse an apartment building via the plumbing. They can walk on the outside of pipes in any direction.

Use caulk or some sort of silicone material to cover the gaps between the pipes and walls.

Gaps and Crevices

Older buildings that have settled or have damage are easy for bed bugs to get around.

Any entrance a bed bug has into a wall makes it possible for them to get to other apartments, whether via electrical wires, plumbing, or walking directly through the gaps. 

Visitors and Carriers

The most common way bed bugs enter any home is by being transported by a person or item. 

Be aware that if a neighbor or friend has bed bugs and enters your apartment, it is easy for the bed bugs to infest your place, too.

Bed bugs are able to hide very well and will often stow away in the following locations:

They can then be transported to any other location via these transporters. Remember, the other indicator of a bed bug infestation (in addition to a dense population) is amount of travel.

If you or your visitor travels frequently and sleeps in different beds, you are more likely to get bed bugs. 

If your neighbor or visitor has bed bugs, do not permit them to come into your home until they have eradicated the pests completely.

Secondhand furniture or clothes are other ways bed bugs can be transported. If you are buying used stuff, carefully inspect them for signs of bed bugs.

How Can I Tell if I Have Bed Bugs?

If you think you might have bed bugs, look for the following signs:

• Live or dead bodies: reddish-brown, apple-seed sized, shaped like a raindrop or balloon.
• Tiny spots of blood on sheets, mattresses, and pillows – these spots are where bed bugs have been crushed.
• Dots of bed bugs excrement that look like marks from a permanent marker.
• A musty, somewhat sweet scent (some compare it to the smell of rotten raspberries).
• Eggs and shed skins laid in hidden locations.

Check for these signs in the following locations:

• Around the seams on mattresses and box springs.
• Underneath bed sheets.
• Beneath light switch and electrical outlet covers.
• Along baseboards or gaps in walls.

What Should I Do if I Have Bed Bugs?

When you have determined that you have a bed bug problem, do not panic!

Contact your building manager or landlord as soon as possible. They should have a plan in place for these situations.

Then, begin to take care of your apartment to get rid of the bugs. The best way to get rid of bed bugs is to kill them with extreme heat.

They cannot survive temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, and they die immediately at 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

This process must be done carefully, however, as you are in danger of spreading the infestation. 

• Put whatever you can in sealable bags before moving them out of the room.
• Machine wash anything that can be removed and can handle a washing machine.
• Dispose of any clutter around the infestation: magazines, books, tissues, food trash, etc.
• Vacuum the room thoroughly.
• Consider applying contact pesticides, such as those included in this Harris 5 Minute Bed Bug Killer Value Bundle , to your mattress or any other areas that have been infested.

By far, the best thing you can do is to use  a steamer such as the Costway Multipurpose Steam Cleaner , a device that turns water into hot steam, on anything you cannot move out of the room.

Check Price on Amazon

This particular model features a 1 1/2-liter tank, which provides 40 minutes of continuous 226°F steam.

The intense heat will efficiently kill any bed bugs, and best of all, steamers require no potentially dangerous chemicals.

You can see which other steamers made it to our list of Best Steamers for Bed Bugs   for more buying options.

What Should I Do if My Neighbors Have Bed Bugs?

Because bed bugs are so capable of travelling between apartment units, the first thing you should do if you learn your neighbor has bed bugs is to contact your building manager or landlord.

In most states, they are required by law to hire professional services to exterminate bed bugs from the building.

In the meantime, move your bed and all other furniture at least 6 inches away from any wall.

Bed bugs can climb up walls, so you want to make it as difficult as possible for them to find you.

Seal up any gaps. Put tape around electrical covers and use caulk or silicone on any gaps.

Consider putting a door sweep ( this one is self-adhesive – no tools needed) on your exterior doors to brush away any bugs trying to enter your apartment while the door is open.

If you do not have permission to make these changes to a rented apartment, consider using a pesticide, such as Cimexa Insecticide Dust , in any crevices of concern and around the perimeter of your unit.

Apply according to the instructions on the container for maximum effectiveness.

You can also purchase a mattress encasement such as the Hospitology Products Sleep Defense System .

Mattress encasements protect you from bed bugs getting to your mattress and making their home there. It is basically an airtight bag that is machine washable and zips up securely.

Bed bugs are pesky pests that can travel quickly and efficiently throughout apartment complexes.

They can enter your apartment via any gap, such as outlet and light switch covers, baseboard gaps, and plumbing entrances. They can also enter with visitors or furniture.

Be vigilant and let your apartment manager or landlord know about any bed bug problem.

If all else fails, contact a professional exterminator who can diagnose and treat the problem efficiently.

Having bed bugs can be a serious and irritating problem.

Rest assured that you’re using the correct methods of elimination by visiting our main bed bug page to view all our articles about these pesky pests.

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• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Insects in the City

The best in science-based, pest management solutions from texas a&m agrilife extension service, bed bugs and your apartment.

Bed bug problems are becoming more common in apartment communities. More than ever, it’s important for tenants and landlords to understand these insects and what it takes to eliminate them from apartments.

What are bed bugs?

Bed bugs are tiny insects that live by feeding on human blood, usually at night. They are secretive, hiding in cracks and crevices during the day, and coming out at night to feed. The bite of the bed bug is painless and may or may not leave a red mark or itchiness.

How do I know whether I have bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small, and come out mostly at night.

Because of their small size and painless bite, bed bugs may initially go unnoticed. If you notice that you are waking up with itchy welts, see tiny red spots on bedding, or think you have seen the bugs, you may have a problem. Bed bugs do not have nests, but will congregate in choice hiding places. These areas may be marked by tiny dark spots and stains, and may have a sweetish odor.

Will bed bugs hurt me?

Fortunately bed bugs are not known to carry any diseases to humans, although some people may experience irritation or allergic reactions to bed bug bites. Mostly bed bugs are considered disgusting and can be a source of stress and concern for people living in infested apartments.

How do bed bugs get into my apartment?

Bed bug in textured ceiling with droppings (upper right, lower right and lower left) around harborage between popcorn texture.

Bed bugs are no longer an unusual pest in apartments.  Since approximately 2000, bed bugs have reemerged as an important pest in the United States.  Bed bugs are occasionally introduced into an apartment via luggage that has become infested from a hotel or hostel. In apartment complexes, it is probably more common for bed bugs to enter a home from a nearby infested apartment, during moving, or through picking up used or recycled furniture or mattresses. Once introduced into an apartment building, bed bugs can readily spread from one infested unit to another.

What should I do if I suspect bed bugs?

If you think you see a bed bug, capture it if possible. Place in a leak-proof container, preferably with a little rubbing alcohol, and show it to your apartment manager to confirm its identity. Even if you cannot capture one of the insects, you should inform your building manager if you suspect you have a bed bug problem.

If I have bed bugs should my neighbors be treated too?

When beg bugs are found in one apartment unit, it is considered standard practice in the pest control industry to inspect all apartments surrounding the infested apartment.  If no bed bugs are found, surrounding apartments do not necessarily need to be treated.  But if an adjacent apartment is found infested, it should be treated and all adjacent apartments should also be inspected (see next question).

How do you get rid of bed bugs?

If you live in an apartment or condominium, it’s best to alert the property manager right away (preferably by phone and in writing).  In multi-family housing a manager-coordinated bed bug control effort using a pest control company is generally needed. Bed bugs readily move from apartment to apartment, with many people unaware that they have a problem, so chances are that you will not eliminate a bed bug problem by yourself.  If one apartment is infested, adjoining units (left side, right side, above and below) should be assumed to be infested unless shown otherwise through inspection or monitoring.  Simply asking tenants whether they have bed bugs is not enough .  In one study only half of residents in a large apartment with bed bugs knew (or admitted) they had a bed bug problem.

Bed bug treatment consists of a thorough inspection followed by vacuuming and treatment of all detected bug hiding spots. Treatment is labor intensive and may take several hours per apartment. It will also probably require several visits and treatments to permanently get rid of a bed bug problem.

My landlord wants to treat the problem using in-house janitorial staff. Is this OK?

In Texas, multifamily housing, hotels, or any business providing lodging must be treated for pests by a licensed pesticide applicator.  So unless the apartment employee who enters your home to control bed bugs is licensed by the Texas Pest Control Service, this would be illegal.  Illegal activity by an unlicensed person includes the use of over-the-counter pesticides, heat treatment or any other non-chemical control methods–anything intended to control pests like bed bugs, cockroaches, mice, etc.

What’s my responsibility?

Apartment with clothing and personal items bagged and ready for pest control.

As a tenant, your first responsibility is to report any suspected bed bug problem immediately. Once an appointment is made for your treatment, it will be your duty to prepare your apartment. The following tips will help your pest control service and YOU to get rid of bed bugs quickly.

• Don’t move any of your things to another apartment during or before the treatment. You might end up spreading bed bugs to the other apartment and may re-introduce bed bugs to your newly-treated apartment later, when you retrieve your belongings.
• Pick up and double bag all loose items in bedrooms and other rooms to be treated. Clutter makes it difficult for maintenance crews to inspect all parts of your apartment, and gives bed bugs more places to hide.  Before returning these items, follow your pest control company’s instructions for cleaning and inspecting to make sure you are not returning bed bugs to the treated room.
• Clothing that may be infested should be double-bagged prior to treating the room, and dis-infested before returning to the room. Recent research shows that dry cleaning, washing in hot water, or tumble drying for 30 minutes on high will kill all stages of bed bugs.
• Even though bed bug treatments are mostly focused on bedrooms and living rooms, it’s still a good idea to put away all food in the kitchen and dining areas, and cover tables, counters, etc. to protect from contamination. Although your pest control professional will be careful, and the chemicals used should pose minimal risks to people, this step will reduce your risk of unnecessary pesticide exposure and reduce costs for maintenance staff.
• Unless you intend to get a new bed anyway, it’s not very effective (or economical) to discard your mattress, box spring or bed.  Instead, buy a good quality, bug-proof mattress encasement.  Encasements are special sacks that fit over a  mattress or box spring–usually to reduce allergens. The zippers on bed bug-proof encasements are designed to be tight enough to prevent even the smallest life stages of the bed bugs from escaping. Also, truly bed bug-proof encasements are strong enough to prevent bed bugs from biting you through the encasement. A good encasement will trap all bed bugs in the mattress and box spring inside, and will be smooth on the outside, providing few places for bed bugs to hide. Sears, Target, Walmart and other stores may sell bed bug-proof encasements, but they can also be purchased online. Look online for different brands and reviews of mattress encasements, using the search term “bed bug mattress protectors”.
• Vacuum couches, chairs and recliners thoroughly before pest control service. Many bed bugs in apartments are found in couches and upholstered chairs. Double-bag and discard the vacuum bags in an outdoors dumpster immediately to avoid reintroducing or spreading any bed bugs caught in the vacuum.
• Don’t forget to empty drawers in nightstands and dressers next to beds prior to treatment. This will make it easier for the pest control company to inspect and treat these furniture items.  Bag and clean or inspect these items according to the directions of your pest control professional before returning the items to the treated furniture.

It’s essential to cooperate with management and with your pest control professionals to get complete bed bug control. Once established, bed bugs can be difficult to control, especially without the help of tenants like you.

For more information

For more information about bed bugs, including their biology and how to recognize them, see publication L-1742 Bed Bugs as well as the EPA website on bed bugs .  If you live in a situation where professional pest control is not available or not being provided by management, see our publication on Do-it-yourself bed bug control (ENT-3012) for tips on controlling bed bugs.  The fact sheet on How to Select a Bed Bug Control Provider (ENT-033) has special information to assist apartment managers in working with pest control contractors.

Michael Merchant, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Urban Entomologist, Texas AgriLife Extension Service.  Dallas.

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Bedbugs are reddish brown, oval and flat, and about the size of an apple seed. During the day, they hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards and bed frames.

Bedbugs are small, reddish-brown blood-sucking, wingless insects. Bedbug bites usually clear up without treatment in a week or two. Bedbugs aren't known to spread disease, but they can cause an allergic reaction or a severe skin reaction in some people.

Bedbugs are about the size of an apple seed. They hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames and other objects around a bed and come out at night to feed on their preferred host, humans. The risk of running into bedbugs is higher if you spend time in places where nighttime guests come and go often — such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters.

If you have bedbugs in your home, professional extermination is recommended.

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• A Book: Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies

• Bedbug bites

It can be difficult to tell bedbug bites from other types of insect bites. However, they are typically itchy, and they may appear clustered or lined up in rough rows.

Symptoms of bedbug bites are similar to symptoms of other insect bites and rashes. Bedbug bites are usually:

• Inflamed spots, often with a darker spot in the middle
• Arranged in a rough line or in a cluster
• Located on the face, neck, arms and hands

Some people have no reaction to bedbug bites, while others experience an allergic reaction that can include severe itching, blisters or hives.

When to see a doctor

If you experience allergic reactions or severe skin reactions to bedbug bites, see your health care provider for professional treatment.

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Bedbug infestations may be linked to:

• More frequent travel
• Changes in pest control practices
• Insecticide resistance

Where do they hide?

Bedbug infestations usually occur around or near where people sleep. They can be found in:

• Box springs
• Objects near beds

They can also be found:

• Under peeling paint and loose wallpaper
• Under carpeting near baseboards
• In upholstered furniture seams
• Under light switch plates or electrical outlets

How do they spread?

Bedbugs can move from one site to another by traveling on items such as clothing, luggage, furniture, boxes and bedding.

Bedbugs can easily travel between floors and rooms in hotels or apartment buildings.

Sign of uncleanliness?

Bedbugs don't care if their environment is clean or dirty. All they need is a warm host and plenty of hiding places.

Risk factors

You're at risk of bites from bedbugs if you're in places where people come and go often, such as apartment buildings, dorm rooms, homeless shelters, hotels, cruise ships, trains, buses and refugee camps.

• Cover up. Bedbugs don't tend to burrow under clothing. So you may be able to avoid bites by wearing pajamas that cover as much skin as possible.
• Inspect secondhand items. Look over used bedding, mattresses and upholstered furniture before bringing them into your home.
• Use hotel precautions. Check mattress seams for bedbug excrement and place your luggage on tables or dressers instead of on the floor.
• Kermott CA, et al., eds. Blisters. In: Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies. 2nd ed. Time; 2017.
• Studdiford JS, et al. Bedbug infestation. American Family Physician. 2012; 86:653.
• Dinulos JGH. Infestations and bites. In: Habif's Clinical Dermatology. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 22, 2021.
• How to find bed bugs. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/how-find-bed-bugs. Accessed Dec. 22, 2021.
• Top 10 tips to prevent or control bed bugs. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/top-ten-tips-prevent-or-control-bed-bugs. Accessed Dec. 22, 2021.
• Bed bugs FAQs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html. Accessed Dec. 22, 2021.
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• Diagnosis & treatment

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How Fast Do Bed Bugs Spread, Transfer & Multiply?

Understanding how easily bed bugs transfer and how fast they can spread is necessary for every homeowner. This knowledge will give you a respect for the persistence of these pests, and encourage you to act quickly if you notice a problem.

In this guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about how fast bed bugs spread and transfer (in general plus a room to room breakdown). Once you know how quickly they can multiply in your home, you’ll never underestimate them again!

Table of contents

How easily do bed bugs transfer, how fast do bed bugs spread, how fast do bed bugs spread from room to room, ways bed bugs spread.

Let’s just say that you discover a bed bug or two somewhere in your home. Of course, the first thing you’ll want to know is how easily these bed bugs might be able to transfer from where you found them to another part of your house.

It’s natural to quickly progress in your mind from a few bed bugs to an infestation of biblical proportions, but it’s best to keep calm and think things through.

• Kill bed bugs and bed bug eggs
• Use spray as a spot treatment around bed frames, mattress seams/tufts/folds, and baseboards
• Kills even the toughest bed bugs
• The continuous spray Comfort Wand easily gets into hard-to-reach areas

Luckily, these insects can’t fly, so they have to rely on other means to transfer from one place to another. If they are looking for a food source, someone’s blood, and they need to go searching for it, then there are a few ways that they will be able to do this. 

They can crawl around looking for their next meal, but they are not very speedy crawlers. The one problem is that they are very small and can fit quite easily through tiny holes and cracks. Still, it can take a while for them to crawl and make their way into another area of the home.

However, bed bugs can still transfer very easily. Here are some common ways this can happen:

• Switching around your furniture
• Moving comforters and pillows to other rooms
• Placing clothes in a different closet
• Switching luggage from one place to another

As you can tell, these are things that people do all the time. In other words, our behavior is what makes it easy for bed bugs to transfer.

Quick Tip: One important thing to know is that bed bugs are not like lice. Despite some myths to the contrary, bed bugs do not transfer from person to person. They need to be on or in something (like clothes, backpacks, luggage or jackets) in order to transfer. 

We would also like to note here that bed bugs are not only found in homes that are, let’s say, less than clean. They can be found even in the neatest of homes. We definitely recommend avoiding keeping large piles of clothes on the floor. This is often a common hide-out for roaming bed bugs, and an easy way for them to spread.

In a nutshell, how easily bed bugs transfer from one area to another really just depends on the circumstances and the extent of the original infestation. We recommend taking some time to assess the extent of the infestation to see if you can solve the problem with DIY methods, or if you’ll need to bring in the help of a professional pest control company.

As mentioned above, the speed in which bed bugs can spread will depend on a number of factors. Each individual situation of bed bug infestation is slightly different, so we’ll use this section to present a general overview for the average home.

Bed bugs are part of the Cimicidae family. This taxonomic family includes insects such as the bat bug, swallow bug and poultry bug. These insects (bed bugs included) need to consume blood to survive, and that means that they have to be near their food source.

In the case of bed bugs, their food source will mostly likely consist of you and your family members (ew). This is one reason that these insects are usually found in beds. In fact, if you have bed bugs in your home, there will always be some within eight feet of one of the beds. 

Quick Tip: Strangely enough, most bed bugs will stay away from your pets, and they don’t seem to infest pet beds the same way that they will with human beds. Still, they are known to occasionally bite a cat or dog which makes it a good idea to check any pet beds or pet blankets that you may have around your home just to be safe.

If your bed bugs are happy with you as a food source, and they are getting plenty of blood, then the spread around your home may not be very rapid. However, as the situation changes they may decide to begin looking elsewhere for their next meal.

It’s pretty hard to say just how rapidly they will spread across the whole house, but if you are moving infested items around your house fairly regularly, then the bed bugs will spread very quickly.

That’s why it’s so important to act quickly if you find bed bugs in your home. Taking the right action early will prevent you from having to deal with a larger problem later (which can also save you a whole lot of money).

The rate at which bed bugs will spread from room to room varies with each situation or location.

If the bed bug invasion starts with just one female, then the spread will take a while. In situations where you bring a few home from a trip or visit to an infested house, then they will tend to spread and multiply at a much more rapid rate.

Say you bring one pregnant female into your home, and she lays the standard one to twelve eggs a day. After ten days, the eggs will hatch, and these newly hatched baby bed bugs will need to go through a series of five nymph stages. After two to four months, those young insects will become egg laying adults. With every female laying 200-500 eggs in her lifetime, the number of bed bugs in your home could multiply very quickly.

Bed bugs are very small and can easily fit into the tiniest cracks and holes. They will even latch onto your clothing, shoes or bedding making it a breeze for them to move from room to room. And considering that they can crawl three to four feet per minute, they can spread pretty far on their own.

If you decide to rearrange the house by moving furniture around, that could significantly speed up the spread from one room to another.

In other words, if you have a serious bed bug infestation and leave the problem unchecked, bed bugs can spread from room to room in a matter of days.

After all of the itch-producing information that was presented above, it’s time for us to list some of the most common ways bed bugs can spread throughout your home. Most homeowners are surprised when they find out the various ways that bed bugs can transfer since they’re actually the ones helping them spread!

This ability to spread in many different ways is not so surprising when you consider that bed bugs and humans have been battling for at least 3,500 years. It’s thought that bed bugs and humans first came together when humans came in contact with bats. This likely happened when people were sharing cave dwellings with bats.

Quick Tip: Bed bugs have even been mentioned in the writings of ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Even back then, bed bugs were already enough of a nuisance to end up in their literature.

So, let’s cover some of the main ways that these small but persistent insects use to spread throughout the human population with such ease.

Crawling On Their Own

Bed bugs don’t have wings, so flying from area to area is not an option. Instead, bed bugs crawl to spread to new places. This crawling is mostly done at night, so they are able to do so with a certain amount of stealth. Unless you’re awake and turn on a light, you probably wouldn’t even know that they are on the move. 

Since these insects are so small, they are able to easily crawl through cracks in floors and walls. They can even travel through pipes. This fact makes them the scourge of apartment buildings, condos and other such living spaces. 

Transfering On Objects Within The Home

Staying with the theme of living spaces, bed bugs can definitely follow you if you move to another place. If you don’t check your furniture, bedding, clothes and other items carefully, you may unwittingly spread your bed bug infestation to a new location. This can even happen if you’re just moving furniture around from one room to another.

Hitching A Ride From The Outside

Not many people think about bringing home unwanted visitors when they return from a trip, but this is a very common way for bed bugs to spread and transfer. We can’t stress enough how important it is to always check your luggage, clothing, shoes, and bags for any signs of these insects. All it takes is one female bug to become attached to your things, and you may soon end up with a huge infestation later.

Like to thrift? As much fun as it is to land a great bargain at a thrift store, you have to be very careful that you don’t bring home these unwanted critters. Bedding, furniture, clothing, and even books can be hiding places for bed bugs. Make sure to inspect any items you may want to purchase.

Some other ways that bed bugs can end up in your home include using any kind of shared laundry facility, visiting friends or bringing them into your car. Really, the possibilities are pretty much endless, so it’s always best to be cautious.

Closing Thoughts

Now that you know how fast bed bugs can spread and transfer, there’s no excuse for you to take their presence lightly. It only takes a matter of days for them to go room to room and multiply!

If you find bed bugs in your home, the best thing you can do is act fast and try to remove them. Whether that be with DIY methods or by hiring an exterminator, action is required.

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Bugs Explorer

Uncovering the Secrets of How Bed Bugs Travel Between Apartments

Bernard Lee

January 25, 2023

As a homeowner, I’m always looking for ways to keep my home safe from bed bugs. But one question that often comes up is “how do bed bugs travel between apartments?” After all, it’s one thing to keep your own home safe from an infestation, but what about the people living in the same building? In this guide, I’ll take a closer look at the different ways bed bugs can travel between apartments and what you can do to protect your home from an infestation.

What are Bed Bugs?

• Bed bugs are small, oval-shaped, parasitic insects.
• They feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals.
• Bed bugs typically hide in crevices and cracks in furniture, mattress seams, bed frames, baseboards, and wall outlets.
• They can survive for months without food and reproduce rapidly.
• Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye and are reddish-brown in color.
• They are typically 1/4 to 3/8 inch in length.

Bed bugs have a unique ability to hitchhike on people and objects, which makes them difficult to contain and prevent in apartment buildings. Here are five common ways they travel between apartments:

Clinging to Clothes and Bags

Through Wall and Ceiling Crevices

Through Electrical Outlets and Plumbing

Through Furniture and Bedding

On Public Transportation

I take regular steps to prevent bed bugs from traveling between apartments. Firstly, I sanitize my bedding and clothing regularly. This is essential to destroying any bugs that may be living in my linens. I use hot water and the highest setting on my dryer to ensure all bugs and eggs are killed. Additionally, I vacuum my bed and surrounding area to remove any potential bugs or eggs.

I also inspect my belongings before bringing them into my home. I check for signs of bed bugs, such as dark spots or eggs. If I find any, I immediately discard the item. I also inspect any second-hand items, such as furniture, before bringing them into my home.

Finally, I practice good hygiene. I vacuum my carpets frequently and mop my floors regularly. I also keep my apartment clutter-free. This helps to prevent bed bugs from taking up residence in my home.

2. Vacuum Thoroughly and Regularly

3. Seal Cracks and Crevices in Walls and Floors

• Fill cracks and crevices in walls, floors and ceilings with silicone caulk or other sealants.
• Check for cracks and crevices around windows, door frames, baseboards and other entry points in the home.
• Inspect behind wall mounted items such as pictures, clocks, and electrical outlets.
• Check for cracks and crevices in furniture, bed frames, and other items.
• Apply door sweeps to all exterior doors.

By taking these steps to seal off any cracks and crevices in the home, bed bugs will have fewer entry points and will be less likely to travel between apartments.

4. Check for Bed Bugs when Moving Into a New Apartment

It is important to inspect a new apartment for bed bugs before you move in. Check around the seams of mattresses and box springs, along baseboards, and behind electrical outlets for signs of bed bugs. Look for black spots, which is the excrement of the bugs, and shed shells which are the skins that were shed as the bugs grew. You may also want to look for tiny eggs around the bedding and furniture.

If you spot any of these signs, you should contact an exterminator to come and treat the apartment. It is also important to thoroughly clean the apartment and wash any bedding and clothing that may have been exposed to bed bugs.

Effects of Bed Bugs in Apartments

The presence of bed bugs can also cause tenants to be reluctant to stay in their units and may lead to high turnover rates. This can be a significant financial burden for landlords, as they may have to repair and replace items in vacated apartments. Furthermore, bed bugs can be a major source of embarrassment and can put a strain on landlord-tenant relationships.

Finally, an infestation of bed bugs can also have a negative effect on the property’s value. Prospective buyers may be put off by the prospect of dealing with an ongoing problem and may look elsewhere. This can make it difficult for landlords to sell their properties at a fair price.

In summary, bed bugs can have a serious impact on apartments. If left unchecked, they can cause financial losses, damage relationships, and even affect the market value of the property. Therefore, it is essential to take quick and decisive action to prevent and eradicate infestations whenever they occur.

1. Health Risks

Bed bugs can cause physical and psychological damage to people. They feed on human blood, which can lead to skin irritation, allergic reactions, and infection. They can also transmit other diseases, such as Chagas disease, through their bites. Additionally, their presence in an apartment can lead to anxiety and insomnia.

2. Financial Costs

Bed bugs can be expensive to eradicate. Treatment can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the severity of the infestation. The cost of pest control services, as well as the cost of replacing furniture and other items that have been infested, can quickly add up. In addition, some landlords may require tenants to pay for bed bug removal, so it is important to make sure you understand your lease agreement before signing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can bed bugs spread between apartments.

Bed bugs can spread rapidly between apartments in multi unit buildings, such as apartment complexes, due to their ability to crawl through cracks and crevices in walls and floors. Bed bugs can move swiftly and easily between units, infesting other apartments in a matter of days or even hours. As they can survive for months without feeding, this is a major concern for apartment complexes and other multi unit buildings. In order to prevent the spread of bed bugs, it is important to immediately address any infestations and take preventative measures, such as regular inspections and the use of effective pest control methods.

How Likely is it for Bed Bugs to Infest an Apartment Building?

Bed bugs have the potential to infest an apartment building, depending on a few key factors. Bed bugs can easily spread from one apartment to another through shared walls, plumbing, and electrical outlets. They can also travel through clothes and furniture that is shared between tenants. Additionally, bed bugs can hitch a ride on items such as suitcases and bags, bringing them into apartment buildings from outside sources. Therefore, if one tenant has bed bugs, it is possible for those bugs to spread to other apartments.

What are the most common ways for bed bugs to travel between apartments?

Bed bugs commonly travel between apartments through cracks and crevices, along electrical wiring, and through shared items such as furniture, clothing, suitcases, and other personal items. They can attach themselves to items used in common areas such as vacuum cleaners, and can travel through ventilation systems and shared hallways. Bed bugs can also be carried from one apartment to another on people and animals.

Is there any way to prevent bed bugs from spreading in an apartment building?

Regular inspections and preventive treatments are the best way to prevent the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. Residents should be informed about the signs of bed bugs and encouraged to report any suspected infestations. Pest control professionals should be consulted to properly identify and treat the infestations. It is also important to use bed bug-proof covers on mattresses and box springs to reduce the spread of bed bugs. Regular vacuuming and laundering of bedding, linens, and other items can also help reduce the spread of bed bugs.

How can I tell if my apartment is infested with bed bugs?

Bed bugs are small, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. Signs of a bed bug infestation include bites, dark spots of excrement on bedding and mattresses, bug shells, eggs, and a sweet musty smell. Bed bug infestations can also be identified by looking for live bed bugs or their eggs in mattress seams, bed frames, furniture, and other cracks and crevices. If you suspect you have an infestation, contact a pest control professional.

Bed bugs are a serious issue that can spread quickly and cause a lot of damage. By understanding how they travel between apartments and taking steps to prevent them from entering your home, you can protect yourself from an infestation. Reduce clutter, inspect for bed bugs regularly, and use bed bug-proof furniture if you are at risk of getting bed bugs. If you do find evidence of bed bugs, contact a professional pest control company immediately. Taking these steps can help you stay bed bug free.

• EPA: Preventing and Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
• CDC: Bed Bugs

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How Do Bed Bugs Travel?

Bags & personal belongings.

Bed bugs are transported by people, most often in personal belongings such as the following:

Luggage & Suitcases

Items kept close to sleep areas

They can hide in your personal belongings, or even on you, and hitchhike a ride back to your home, condo, townhouse or apartment.

A bed bug on jeans

Where do you pick them up?

It’s possible to pick up bed bugs almost any place - they've infested offices, stores, hotels, gyms and countless other places.

Prefer people over pets

The common bed bug prefers to feed on human hosts and does not prefer pets or other furry animals.

Bed bugs are easily transported into previously non-infested dwellings.

Once indoors, they can be extremely difficult to control without the help of an experienced pest specialist.

If you suspect you may have picked up some of these hitchhikers in your travels, call Orkin for a comprehensive bed bug inspection and assessment and implementation of a treatment solution.

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Are bed bugs nocturnal | do bed bugs only bite at night, do bed bugs hide in pillows | signs of bed bugs, do bed bugs feed every night | bed bug life cycle, pest control, bed bug pest control treatment | bed bug exterminator.

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What eats bed bugs | bed bug predators, what do bed bugs look like | bed bug identification, connect with us.

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Protecting Your Home from Bed Bugs

Información relacionada disponible en español

Bed bugs are great hitchhikers. They can move from an infested site to a new home by traveling on furniture, bedding, luggage, boxes and clothing.

Although they typically feed on blood every 5 to 10 days, bed bugs can be quite resilient; they are capable of surviving several months to a year without feeding.

A few simple precautions can help prevent bed bug infestation in your home:

• Check secondhand furniture, beds and couches for any signs of bed bug infestation before bringing them home.
• Use a protective cover that encases mattresses and box springs to eliminate many hiding spots. The light color of the encasement makes bed bugs easier to see. Be sure to purchase a high quality encasement that will resist tearing and check the encasement regularly for holes or a cover that has been pre-treated with pesticide to control bed bugs.
• Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs.
• Vacuum frequently to remove any successful hitchhikers.
• Be vigilant when using shared laundry facilities. Transport items to be washed in plastic bags (if you have an active infestation, use a new bag for the journey home). Remove from dryer directly into bag and fold at home. (A dryer on high heat can kill bed bugs.)
• Installing door sweeps on the bottom of doors to discourage movement into hallways.
• Sealing cracks and crevices around baseboards, light sockets, etc., to discourage movement through wall voids.
• Be sure to read and carefully follow the directions if you use one of these units and be aware that they are not regulated by EPA or other federal agencies. 
• More information on controlling bed bugs .
• Bed Bugs Home
• Learn about Bed Bugs
• — Characteristics of Bed Bugs
• — Finding Bed Bugs
• Protecting Your Home
• Protecting Yourself in Public Places
• Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
• — Do-it-yourself Bed Bug Control
• — Pesticides to Control Bed Bugs
• Bed Bug Information Clearinghouse
• Bed Bug Product Search Tool
• Finding Help with Bed Bug Problems

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How Do Bed Bugs Spread From One Place To Another?

Are you searching the answer for how do bed bugs spread in your home?

Then you can end your search here, as in this piece of the guide we are going to discuss how bed bugs move and spread from one place to another. The bed bug population increases along with the growing human population because they spread with humans from to place to another.

Due to their tiny size and flattened body, it’s very hard to find them if they enter your luggage. Once entering your home, they will take a couple of days to settle at their desired place. It can be your couch, mattress, closed, box spring or cracks and crevices of your furniture.

But how do they move from one place to another?

Keep on reading to find the answer.

The guidelines in this page:, how bed bugs spread from one place to another, can it be spread from one person to another.

• Can Bed Bugs Spread from One Room to Another?
• How Bed Bugs Spreads in an Apartment or in Larger Properties

Final Words Before Wrapping Up

After entering your home bed, bugs need a couple of days to settle in their desired places which might include your mattress, couch, closet, bedspring and cracks and crevices of your furniture. They cannot fly or jump like the flea, but they can crawl really faster on your bedding material, floors, and walls. Bed bugs are nocturnal and also expert in hiding.

So, whenever they crawl from one place to another, it will hard to find them because of their tiny size. Because of their flat bodies, they can hide almost everywhere. They can spread through your clothes or your bedding material.

They will not stick to your body because they don’t like your body heat, but they really prefer to stay close to their food sources (human). They will live with 10 to 20 feet of human so that it will be easier to have a blood meal whenever they require.

Second Hand Furniture

Do not buy second-hand furniture, because in most cases bed bugs spread from already infested places. If you buy second-hand furniture you will never know whether that has bed bugs or not.

From one furniture it will spread to other places and eventually make larger infestation within a couple of weeks. So, before purchasing furniture make sure it is not second hand.

Out Of Anxiety

However, bed bugs sometimes spread due to our mistakes that we tend to do out of anxiety due to bed bug bites. Sometimes the victims take an illogical decision, which makes the situation worse.

Sometimes the victims throw out their belongings out of anxiety, and they think doing this will stop the infestation further. Which a misconception. You cannot do anything to stop the bed bug infestation, especially by throwing out the bedding materials.

Using Random Pesticides

Another prominent reason behind spreading bed bug infestation is the application of random insecticide without the proper information. Most of the insecticide contains harmful chemical substances that harm your health; moreover, whenever you apply different pesticides bed bugs tend to move different places to escape the pesticides, which might result in re-infestation.

Lack of Sanitation

In order to prevent the spreading of bed bugs, you need to keep an extra eye on your regular house cleaning routine. You should use vacuums every day to clean your bedding material which might include your bedding material, carpet, closet, box spring and any other suspected hiding place of the bed bugs.

Excessive Travel

If you are a traveler, you must be very careful because in most cases bed bugs spread from an already infected area. They will hide within your luggage and end up in your house without your notice.

After a couple of days, they finally settle in their desired place which might include your bedding material like mattress, pillow, box spring, etc. you will start getting the bites within one week of infestation.

So, if you travel excessively treat your luggage after coming back from your destination, so in case of bed bugs enter your home they will not survive longer.

Bed bugs don’t act like lice, though they love to stay close to their food source (human) but don’t prefer to stick to their bodies. They are heat-sensitive; they don’t like the body temperature produced by a human so after having a heavy blood meal they go back to their hiding places.

So, it’s very unlikely to spread from person to person like lice. It’s not impossible though! If they hide in your clothes and you carry them with you to some other place, they can easily settle there if found suitable; it can be another person’s cloth as well.

So, like that, they can spread from one person to another. It can happen during regular traveling or travel through bus, train, or even through a flight. By that, you might carry the bed bugs really far!

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Can Bed Bugs Spread From One Room to Another?

Bed bugs can easily move from one room to another.

But how? Can they fly?

They cannot fly or jump like fleas, but they can crawl really faster, so they can easily spread from one room to another by crawling. Spreading always does not include crawling. They can travel from one room to another by means of bedding material.

If you carry an infested piece of bedding material from one room another due to storage or for some other reason, they can easily spread room to room. If you apply some random bed bug killing spray to remove them from your home, they will spread to new places to escape the chemical which may force you to spread them from one room to another.

If interested check this video to see how bed bugs spread from one place to another:

Bed bugs can seamlessly survive up to months without having a single blood meal, so after settling down somewhere in your home, if they cannot feed themselves for a long period, they will spread other places in search of food.

If you think you can get rid of the bed bugs by throwing infested material stop right now! This is not the way to remove the bed bugs from your home. Instead of removing you may, spread them all over your house.

Can bed bugs spread from one person to another?

How bed bugs spreads in an apartment or in larger properties.

If the bed bugs can spread from room to room, person to person, and from one place to another, they can easily spread from one apartment to another. Though traumatic insemination bed bugs mate after which adult female lays eggs which take 7 to 10 days to hatch. An adult bed bug can lay 200 to 250 eggs in her lifetime.

Without human blood, they cannot reproduce, but in case of unavailability, they can survive on other mammalians’ blood. If a bed bug infestation left untreated for a long time, it would take a horrible shape within less than six months. In the case of an abundant apartment, it will spread faster than any other place.

But if they fail to feed on human blood, they will search for fresh suitable places, and they can easily land in another apartment in close proximity. A few bed bug is enough to form a large infestation in an apartment if left untreated. Public sectors like school, college, hospitals, movie theatre might effect in case of a larger infestation.

It is almost impossible to remove the bed bugs from a large apartment without the help of a professional pest control agency. So, if you notice bed bugs in any public sector notify the owner or the administration, they need to take immediate action to remove the bed bugs.

Heat treatment is the ideal process to eradicate large scale bed bug infestation. A bed bug spray with long residual effect must be combined with the heat treatment to provide longer protection from bed bugs. If you want to know more, read our full guide on heat treatment to remove bed bugs .

Bed bugs can spread by various methods, and instead of using di monitoring tool it is sometimes impossible to track their presence. Another reason for this may be bed bugs can survive without a blood meal for about a month. Do not try to apply any DIY techniques or random bed bug, killing products to remove the bed bug infestation from your home.

In most cases, these products fail to provide the desired results. Moreover, bed bugs can move to different places to escape those chemicals which may result in a new infestation. You should call an exterminator to examine your suspected area who will suggest an appropriate method to remove the bed bugs from your place.

You can use our exterminator search tool to get a couple of free quotes from authentic local exterminators. So, getting rid of the bloodsucker is not as hard as you might think! In case we miss something please let us know, our team will love to hear from you.

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How to Prevent Bed Bugs in an Apartment (7 Easy Ways)

If you’ve ever spent a night in a bedbug-infested apartment, you probably already know what a nuisance it is to wake up with red and itchy bumps.

Bed bugs come out at night from their hiding places to dine on sleeping, unsuspecting humans.

They are not only annoying, but an unmanaged bed bug infestation in your apartment can also take a toll on your health.

This makes it essential to prevent bed bugs in your apartment to enjoy a peaceful and good night’s sleep every night!

Table of Contents

How to Prevent Bed Bugs in Your Apartment

Bed bugs are extremely resilient, excessively good at hiding, and difficult to kill.

For all these reasons, it is generally hard and expensive to manage a full-blown infestation and get pest control done. In such a case, prevention is your best bet.

Scroll down to take a look at how to steer clear of bed bugs and prevent an infestation in your apartment.

Always Check Second Hand Goods for Bed Bugs

Think of bed bugs as sneaky hitchhikers. They are excellent hiders, and their inflated bodies fit in the smallest and tightest cracks, cervices, and folds.

When you bring second-hand goods, especially used furniture or mattresses, into your home, these pesky bugs can seamlessly infiltrate into your home.

This makes it important to check second-hand goods before bringing them home. Here are a few signs that could help you determine if an item has bed bugs.

• Redish rusty stains. They are caused when a bed bug is crushed due to external pressure or weight.
• Tiny black or dark brown spots. These spots are caused due to bed bug excrement and may look like tiny dots made with a marker pen.
• Pale yellow skin sheds or eggs and eggshells. Bed bug eggs and eggshells are usually white and about 1mm long in size.
• If the item is heavily infested, you may see live bed bugs.

Check for these signs of bed bug infestation in the seams of the couches and chairs, between and under the seat, bed frames, and in the fold of the fabric. Bed bugs can also hide in the drawer joints and even the head of a screw.

Even seemingly harmless objects, such as electronics, can be the ideal hiding spot for bed bugs.

Therefore, inspect second-hand items carefully, even if they look clean or hardly used. This is the only way to make sure you don’t bring uninvited guests into your apartment.

Use Protective Covers for Mattresses

Using protective mattress covers can be the difference between an easily manageable bed bug problem and a huge and resilient infestation.

It is best to purchase pesticide-treated covers to control bed bugs. It is also a good idea to opt for light-colored covers.

This will allow you to spot bed bugs quickly and easily. Keep in mind that the earlier you realize you have bed bugs in the apartment, the easier it is to control them and avoid a bed bug infestation.

Another reason why you’d want to use a protective cover for mattresses is that it will eliminate hiding spots for bed bugs, as they love to hide in and under the mattress.

However, a high-quality cover (encasement) can keep them from infesting your mattress. Be sure to purchase encasement that resists tearing.

Also, check your covers regularly for holes to make sure you are fully armored up against bed bugs at all times.

Vacuum Your Apartment Regularly

If you want to prevent bed bugs in your home, make sure you vacuum your apartment regularly . Bed bugs are not restricted to bed and furniture.

They hide in carpets as well. Therefore, vacuuming is an excellent way of getting rid of them. The high-pressure suction of the vacuum will pull out bed bugs from their hidings spots.

However, you will have to vacuum your apartment very thoroughly for effective results. You must also know  how to find bed bugs .

Make sure you reach all the nooks and crannies of the apartment. Vacuum under the bed and remove your couches or other furniture to vacuum underneath.

You can also use the vacuum cleaner on your mattress, couches, and other similar furniture items.

It must be mentioned that this tip will not work effectively unless you vacuum your apartment frequently, regularly, and thoroughly.

Once you are done vacuuming, remove the bag and place the trash in a sealed garbage bag (plastic bag). Dispose of trash in an outdoor garbage can. This will prevent bed bugs from escaping and returning back to your house.

De-clutter Your Apartment

Bed bugs are found in cluttered apartments. This is because clutter provides bed bugs with plenty of places to hide.

Therefore, it can be extremely hard to eliminate even a few bed bugs in a cluttered space. An easy solution is to get rid of the clutter.

Doing so will not only keep bed bugs at bay, but it will also enhance the look of your apartment. A good place to start is to eliminate clutter against the walls.

These areas are more susceptible to infestation than others. While you are at it, make sure you clean and organize your wardrobe as well.

If you have noticed signs of a bed bug infestation in your apartment, try storing your clothes in airtight, vacuum-sealed bags. This will keep the bed bugs out of your wardrobe while you exterminate the pests.

Also, refrain from placing empty boxes or other such stuff under the bed, over a cupboard, or any other place that may make a good hiding spot for bed bugs.

For example, instead of an open cloth basket, use plastic bags to keep unwashed clothes.

Donate, recycle, or discard any belongings that you don’t need.

Travel Smart!

While we bring happy memories and souvenirs from vacations, sometimes, bed bugs tag along. You are highly susceptible to coming in contact with bed bugs when you travel.

Staying in hotels, traveling in public transport, and using public laundry facilities can increase your chances of transferring bed bugs into your home.

This makes it important to be extra vigilant about bed bugs when traveling. It is advisable to keep all your belongings in airtight, vacuum bags.

Avoid unpacking and hanging your clothes in cupboards in hotels if you are not staying for long. Once you get home, wash and heat-dry your clothes and bedding.

It will ensure you eliminate any bed bugs you may have been exposed to and stop an infestation in its track!

Bed Bug-Proof Your Apartment

There are various steps that you can take to bedbug-proof your house. These preventative measures will keep bed bugs out of your house and help you avoid an infestation.

Start by covering up your power outlets. Bed bugs use power outlets to hide.

They often hide into the socket holes. In some cases, bed bugs even travel through electrical outlets, spreading the infestation to all parts of the apartment.

Therefore, make sure you buy socket covers for the power outlets in your apartment.

Another trick is to isolate different areas of your house. So, for example, if you have noticed signs of bed bug infestation in the lounge, seal it off immediately to keep bed bugs from spreading to other areas.

You can install door sweeps on the bottom of your doors to block passage for traveling.

Also, take the time to seal cracks and crevices around light sockets and in the floorboard to further discourage movement through the walls.

Consider Investing In a Portable Heating Chamber

Purchasing a portable heating chamber may be the best decision you make! A portable heating chamber is a device designed to get rid of bed bugs by exposing them to high temperatures.

Bed bugs generally thrive at temperatures as low as 46°F. However, they are not a fan of heat and die if their body temperature reaches 113°F.

If you think an item may be infested, you can use a portable heating chamber to treat it. Heating chambers are available in different shapes and sizes.

Some are big enough to accommodate large pieces of upholstered furniture. However, they are generally designed to treat smaller items.

Some common items that you can successfully treat in a heating chamber include clothes, beddings, books, suitcases , pillows, cushions, etc.

However, make sure you read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before using your portable heating chamber to treat any object.

The Bottom Line

Bed bugs can be a real nuisance. However, with a little care and vigilance, it is possible to avoid these pesky bugs from infesting your apartment.

Use the tips and tricks discussed above to steer clear of bed bugs. Make sure you stay consistent. Bed bugs don’t rest and can infiltrate into your apartment at any time.

On the other hand, if you are dealing with a large-scale infestation, these preventative measures may not be enough to eliminate bed bugs from your apartment. In that case, it is best to seek professional help and first get the bed bug treatment done.

Professional exterminators will use various methods to put an end to the bed bug infestation in your home. Once they are done, you can follow these preventative tips to keep the bed bugs from returning!

Other articles you may find useful:

• 7 Easy Ways to Make Your Small Apartment Homey
• 5 Easy Ways to Test for Mold in an Apartment
• Best Bed Bug Fogger
• Can You Withhold Rent for Mice?
• Who Is Responsible for Bed Bugs? The Landlord or the Tenant?
• How to Get a Bat Out of My Apartment?
• How to Get Rid Of Fleas in My Apartment?
• Who Pays for the Bed Bugs in Apartment Buildings?

January 23, 2012

10 min read

Bed Bug Confidential: An Expert Explains How to Defend against the Dreaded Pests

Everything you ever wanted to know about bed bugs but were afraid to ask

By Kate Wong

Vial of live bed bugs.

Brian Kersey Getty Images

Chances are, you or someone you know has had a run-in with bed bug s. It might have happened in a scrupulously clean bedroom. Or maybe it was a hotel room, office or college dorm. In the February issue of Scientific American entomologist Kenneth Haynes of the University of Kentucky explains how, after a lengthy absence, bed bugs are staging a comeback . The good news is scientists are intensively studying these insects, and their insights suggest novel ways of detecting the bugs and eradicating infestations. Some of those potential solutions are a long way off, however. In the meantime the best bet is to avoid bringing bed bugs home in the first place. I called Haynes to ask him how to do that and what to do if one suspects an infestation (eek!), among a bunch of other practical-minded questions.

Do bed bugs only feed on humans? No. Bed bugs are also pests in poultry operations, and they're known to parasitize bats. Some labs that study bed bugs rear them on guinea pigs and mice. The bugs might feed on cats and dogs. Fur is probably a barrier to them, but they could feed at any place on the body without fur. Bed bugs are not specific to humans, but they are adapted to parasitizing us.

Could you have a bed bug infestation in your home and not know it?

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That's very possible. I have heard of couples reporting that only one partner is getting bitten. The truth is that both are getting bitten, but only one has a reaction to the bites. Thirty percent of people or more don't react to bed bug bites at all, and the elderly are less reactive than the rest of the population. Among those people who do react to the bites, most of them don't respond to early bites, but develop a sensitivity to subsequent ones. Those individuals who are not sensitive to bed bug bites may not know they have an infestation. Because bed bugs are nocturnally active, it's hard to see other signs of their presence—unless you're accustomed to waking up at 3 A.M. and taking a census. With a huge infestation, bed bugs start to move away from the bed, so you're more likely to see one in an exposed place during the day. In very severe infestations people can become anemic. That takes a lot of bugs though—maybe 100,000 feeding once a week or more.

Another clue to infestation is odor. Like many species of bugs, bed bugs release odors called alarm pheromones. When a group of bed bugs gets disturbed, you may get a whiff of that odor, which is similar to the odor stink bugs give off. At higher concentrations the odor is unpleasant. Some people say at low concentrations it's a pleasant smell—like coriander. In fact, older literature refers to the bed bug as the coriander bug. I've tried to smell the coriander scent in bed bug alarm pheromones and have not been able to make the connection, however.

What can one do to avoid getting bed bugs? The first thing is you have to be able to recognize and distinguish a bed bug from any other insect. Everything starts to look like a bed bug if you start to worry about them. An adult bed bug is about the size and shape of an apple seed. If it has not fed recently it will be flattened and brown. If it has fed it will be round in circumference and reddish. Immature bed bugs have a similar appearance to adults, with the smallest being the size of the head of a pin. You can then learn to look for their fecal spots, which can be easier to detect than the bugs themselves. Check your hotel rooms when you travel. And think twice before bringing home used furniture. If you are purchasing used furniture, ask the furniture store how they deal with bed bugs. If they have no plan whatsoever, that's probably not a good sign. If you purchase used clothing, put it through a clothes dryer on a medium to high setting for a cycle as soon as you bring it home. And before you move into an apartment, ask the landlord whether there has been a bed bug infestation, or whether the building has ever been treated for bed bugs.

What should one do upon suspecting a bed bug infestation

The first question I would ask that person is, what makes you think you have bed bugs? A skin reaction alone does not necessarily indicate the presence of bed bugs. Other bugs, allergies and irritants in the environment can produce similar skin reactions. And it's hard to confidently identify a bed bug bite because reactions vary from person to person. My next question would be, have you seen an insect in an area where you sleep and, if so, was it the correct size and shape to be a bed bug? Carpet beetles in an immature stage are commonly mistaken for bed bugs. The carpet beetle actually doesn't look anything like a bed bug, but it is the right size. And it's another common insect to have indoors around the bed. If you find an insect that you think is a bed bug, save it in a pill bottle or another container so its key characteristics won't get crushed and a professional can identify it.

I wouldn't try to get rid of an infestation on my own. I would call a pest control operator. A good pest control operator will spend a fair amount of time inspecting the place for evidence of bed bugs, and will educate the person on what makes it clear that it's a bed bug infestation.

Once you have a suspicion or a confirmed infestation, do not spread things outside of the bedroom. Don't take linens off the bed and go to sleep somewhere else—that will just move the infestation to other rooms. Ultimately pest control operators will tell you to put everything you can through the washer and dryer, since bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures. I don't think bed bugs would be able to survive solvent-based dry cleaning, but I don't have any first-hand knowledge that that's true. Unfortunately, dry cleaners and Laundromats can be places where people pick up bed bugs. I think it's a low probability, but it only takes one adult female bed bug that has been mated to get an infestation going.

The safest and most effective approach to getting rid of bed bugs is heat treatment, in which a trained professional heats the home's rooms one by one to a temperature of 50 degrees Celsius and sustains the heat for four hours. Heat does not penetrate well into wall voids, though, so desiccant dusts are often applied to those areas. No single technique can eliminate bed bugs—combinations of approaches are essential to getting the job done.

What are the mistakes people make in trying to get rid of bed bugs on their own, without professional help? DIY approaches come with risk. It's not uncommon for someone to use a pest-control bomb or fogger that is available over the counter. These don't work well against bed bugs, according to research from Ohio State University. They can also expose people to toxic chemicals. Neither are over-the-counter aerosol insecticides effective against bed bugs. Most of these products have either pyrethrin or a pyrethroid as a main ingredient and those compounds have the same mode of action as DDT, which bed bugs have become resistant to. If you spray the bug directly you might kill it, but that is not going to get rid of the infestation. The problem is finding all the bed bugs. Some just can't be reached with insecticide. It's difficult for nonprofessionals to do anything more than kill what they can see, but that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's there.

Some of the dusts that are available to consumers, such as diatomaceous earth, can help in this regard. Pest controllers will put dusts in wall voids and other places where pesticide won't reach. What happens is the bugs will wander through the dust and pick up particles and be more vulnerable to desiccation after that exposure. But dusts will not solve the problem if deployed incorrectly, and if they are applied at too high a level they can cause breathing difficulties in some people.

The Internet abounds with so-called miracle cures for bed bugs. But bed bugs are hard to get rid of, so anything that advertises an immediate solution is not accurate—it's snake oil. These "cures" have included (as reported by pest control operators who come in afterward to tackle bed bugs correctly) using bleach, ammonia and even DIY heat treatment, which carries fire risk.

Another solution you hear about is vacuuming. You can vacuum up a lot of insects, but eggs are harder to get, and vacuuming won't in and of itself kill bed bugs. Indeed, vacuuming can end up spreading bed bugs to other rooms—when emptying the canister, for example. Pest control operators who use vacuums take measures to prevent bed bugs from escaping when the vacuum is emptied.

Encasing mattresses is one of many good parts of a solution, but it doesn't get rid of the infestation. There are going to be other bugs away from the mattress, hiding nearby. What mattress covers are good at is entombing the sometimes large number of bed bugs that can live on a mattress. And because the covers tend to be uniform in color and don't have a lot of seams that the bugs can hide in, it's easier to see the insects.

Given that you work with bed bugs, how do you avoid bringing them home? I have four risk factors. I work with bed bugs in a lab situation, so we have to take extreme precautions to prevent escapes there. I visit infested apartments sometimes. I travel a fair amount, so I may be exposed to bed bugs in hotels. And I've had college-age kids, who can bring bed bugs home from dorms.

In the lab we handle all the bed bugs in a specific room that we steam clean once a week, and we have double-stick tape barriers that they can't walk through (as long as the adhesive remains dust-free). And the bed bugs themselves are enclosed in containers that they can't get out of. We actually feed them inside those containers—we lay a blood reservoir against the cloth "lid" and the bed bugs have to push their mouthparts through the cloth into the reservoir to eat.

If I go to an infested apartment, then when I leave I check my shoes very carefully for bugs that may have crawled onto them. I also keep a change of clothes in my garage and put them on before entering my house. Once inside, I immediately put the clothes I wore to the infested apartment in the dryer, which is located in a room just off the garage.

When staying in a hotel, I check the bed before I bring the suitcase into the sleeping part of the room so that if I have to ask the manager for another room, then I haven't exposed my suitcase to the bugs. When settling in, I put my suitcase up on the suitcase stand or the desktop so that any bugs are less likely to crawl into it. An extreme measure would be putting the suitcase in the tub. If it's a porcelain tub, bed bugs would have a hard time crawling up it. It's also unlikely that they would randomly crawl up a tub, because it's not near the bed. But if I don't see bed bugs in the room when I inspect it, I just put my suitcase on the stand because I know the probability is really low that a bug is going to crawl up the stand and into my suitcase. I keep my clothes in the suitcase or hang them in the closet—I don't leave them on the floor because wandering bed bugs might crawl into them.

I actually haven't found bed bugs in my hotel rooms, but I've seen them in other peoples' rooms. Enough of my students and postdocs have found them that I'm surprised I haven't seen them yet in a room where I'm staying.

How should one check a hotel room for bed bugs? Bring a little flashlight—hotel room lighting is always pretty poor and the dimmer the lighting, the harder it is to see small bed bugs or their fecal spots. I would pull back the bed covers and look all around the head of the bed. Pull back the sheets, too, and look at mattress seams and edges that are exposed. bed bugs love to hide under mattress tags. Look all around the box springs, too. If there's a dust ruffle, pull it up and look under it as much as possible. Look for moving bugs and stationary, hiding bugs.

The space behind the headboard is prime bed bug territory. Most headboards are hanging on the wall. If my wife is with me, we'll remove it and look behind it. This exposes a lot of possible bed bug territory. Even if you don't remove headboard, look around it. Or if you move the bed out from wall, look at the wall under the headboard.

Bed bugs could also be at the foot of the bed, but they're more likely to reside at the head of the bed. The foot of the bed, if the sheets are tucked in, doesn't allow bed bugs easy access to a sleeping host. The bugs would have to come up to the head of the bed to get you, and they typically minimize the distance to the host.

All of the stages of bed bugs are visible, at least if you don't need reading glasses and you have a sufficient amount of light. So if you're looking closely enough, you can even see bugs in the nymphal first instar stage. A fecal spot, for its part, can be as large as a bed bug itself in terms of the area it covers. The spots are basically digested blood, so most are dark in color. On a white mattress, they stand out pretty well.

Are there tactics that professional exterminators use that don't work? No one tactic alone will be effective. A good pest control operator will develop a strategy to deal with the bed bugs that takes the particulars of the setting into account, and will return several times to check on progress. Dry ice sprays that freeze bed bugs have limited potential to reach hidden bugs. Steam has somewhat better penetrating ability. The downside of steam is that it leaves moisture behind. Dry ice doesn't leave any residue at all. Vacuuming has a role, but it has limitations, too. Some insecticides leave behind deposits that are slow to act but are effective in the long-term. Other insecticides kill on contact, but only reach insects that are in view. Insecticide resistance makes the choice of tactics more difficult.

An important thing to remember is that good professional pest controllers do get rid of bed bugs. The fine line that bed bug experts have to walk in talking to the public is the line where the anxiety and depression and so forth that can result from thinking about bed bugs too much can cause more problems than the bugs themselves would.

What if Another Tenant in My Building Has Bed Bugs?

Depending on factors like the city where you live and type of building you live in, your landlord may be legally required to keep your apartment free of bed bugs and other insect infestations. But what happens if the infestation isn’t in your apartment? If your neighbor has bed bugs, is your landlord responsible? Is the affected tenant required to take any action? Most importantly, is there anything you can do before the bugs spread to your unit? Our apartment bed bug infestation attorneys explain some of the legal considerations tenants of multi-unit buildings should be aware of.

Can Bed Bugs Travel From Apartment to Apartment?

Yes, they can. As you may be aware, bed bugs are expert travelers; with that in mind, it comes as no surprise they can absolutely travel from one infested apartment to neighboring units.

Can Bed Bugs Travel Through Apartment Walls?

Bed bugs aren’t taking hallways and staircases like you and your neighbors do. So, how exactly do bed bugs travel between apartments? Bed bugs can enter the walls of an infested room through light switches, outlets, and essentially any cracks or voids present. They can squeeze into any space big enough for a credit card to fit. Once they’re in the apartment walls, bed bugs can easily travel along electrical wires and pipes to reach other units.

Can Bed Bugs Travel From House to House on Their Own?

Bed bugs can hide in clothing, linens, furniture, luggage, and other belongings to find new homes across the street, on the other end of town, or even the opposite side of the country.  Guests in an infested home or apartment can easily and unknowingly spread the infestation back to their own home.

How to Tell If There’s Bed Bugs in Your Apartment Building

Bed bugs are notorious for their ability to spread rapidly. Thanks to the combination of short breeding cycles, large broods of eggs, and ever-increasing resistance against some of the most common types of insecticides and pest control products, it takes only a few months (and sometimes only a few weeks) for small populations to explode into full-blown infestations. While bed bugs are cause for concern in any living environment, these factors make them a particularly serious problem in crowded quarters — for example, urban apartment buildings.

But how will you know if your neighbor has bed bugs in the first place? After all, you certainly can’t confirm your suspicions by sneaking into his or her unit. The sudden appearance of itchy red bites on your skin, red spot on your sheets, and bed bugs on your laundry, in your bed, or on your walls is another clear indication that a population already exists somewhere inside the building.  Also, if your neighbor begins to move furniture out of their unit, especially mattresses, it is a sign they are dealing with bed bugs.

Keep in mind that bed bugs are speedy travelers capable of covering distances of up to three feet per minute, so if they’ve infested your neighbor’s apartment, it’s only a matter of time before they spread to your unit as well. Walls, ceilings, light switches, and pipes are all pathways that bed bugs use to travel to seek out human blood.

But what, if anything, can you get the building’s landlord to do about it? Do renters have any legal recourse when it comes to apartment units they don’t actually pay for? Or are you simply out of luck until the affected tenant complains?

How Property Code Affects Tenant-Landlord Bed Bug Liability

The answer depends partially on the building code in the community where you live. However, while each town and city is governed in part by its own municipal code, these local codes are sometimes superseded by the IPMC, or International Property Maintenance Code. The IPMC belongs to a family of national codes, such as the International Plumbing Code and the International Private Sewage Disposal Code, which are administered by the International Code Council (ICC). These codes are collectively referred to as “I-Codes.”

As we discussed in our previous blog post about landlord responsibility for bed bugs , some of the key IPMC factors which impact pest control liability are the total number of units in the building and the type of dwelling it is. For example, one portion of the code specifies that renters in multi-unit buildings are responsible for bed bug extermination in cases where only the renter’s unit has bed bugs.  However, if one unit is infested, it is almost certain they are not the only unit dealing with an infestation. 

What Should I Do If My Neighbor Has Bedbugs?

• Visually inspect your apartment’s furniture with a flashlight. Check your sofa, dressers, nightstands, and your bed. Signs of bed bugs include small blood spots, black spots, caste skins of immature bed bugs, and of course bed bugs themselves.
• Check your belongings and shoes before entering your unit. Do not set purses, backpacks, or shopping bags on the ground outside your door.
• Avoid contact with your neighbor until the building is cleared by a pest management professional.
• Contact your landlord in writing to (1) report your concerns about the infestation spreading and (2) to determine if bed bug inspection or treatment is necessary. Since bed bugs live in cracks, outlets, and voids, units that share a wall with an infected apartment are at higher risks of bed bug infestations.

My Apartment Has Bed Bugs — What Are My Rights?

So what does this all mean for you as a tenant? In some jurisdictions, any infestation in a rental unit is the property owner and/or operator’s responsibility. In other jurisdictions, as long as your neighbor’s unit is the only one being affected, he or she assumes financial responsibility for addressing the infestation. However, if the infestation spreads to other units in the building — yours, for example — then responsibility for extermination measures can potentially shift to the landlord. Of course, each situation is different, and there are other factors that can become important when determining responsibility for treating an infestation.

If your landlord is considered responsible for handling extermination, he or she should always hire a licensed pest control company . In most jurisdictions, only licensed professional exterminators can safely (and legally) apply certain pesticides and other pest control treatments, including heat treatment. 

Unfortunately, landlords often try to cut corners by relying on cheap and ineffective DIY treatments — typically foggers or consumer-grade bug spray. Some landlords even attempt to perform heat treatment themselves, all to the extreme detriment of their tenants, which can worsen the infestation and cause it to be driven deeper into hiding. If you sustain bite-related injuries because your landlord refuses to pay for professional extermination measures, you may be able to recover financial compensation by filing a personal injury claim.

Whitney, LLP has been fighting for victims of bed bug infestations for many years. As experienced attorneys in bed bug infestations in Maryland, the team at Whitney, LLP has secured significant settlements for those that have suffered due to the negligence of others.

As seen in many of their bed bug and termite fraud settlements , the lawyers at Whitney, LLP have worked diligently to ensure that their clients receive fair compensation for damages and injuries sustained by seemingly indifferent landlords and realty management companies. 

By using the standard of Maryland law as their guiding principle, these attorneys have been able to receive just settlements like that in the case of Han v. Highland #689 LLC et al . Non-disclosure of a previous infestation creates the basis to allege fraudulent concealment and violation of Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act.  In the Han case a  young woman moved into a unit and almost immediately began to experience bed bugs.  She recovered a $70,000.00 settlement after alleging she was never informed of the company’s unsuccessful treatment of the townhouse for bed bugs up to the day before she moved into her new residence.

The Maryland Consumer Protection Act, as well as other precedents regarding negligence and fraud, are intended to hold landlords responsible for their actions. The attorneys at Whitney, LLP have extensive experience navigating the often complex legal process and can assist their clients in fighting for what is rightfully theirs.

Contact Us for What to Do If Your Neighbor Has Bed Bugs

Worried there are bed bugs in the apartment next door? Do you feel your landlord isn’t doing all they can to address the issue? We’re here to help.

If you’re concerned that your landlord or other tenants in your building are violating state laws or municipal health code, the bed bug litigation attorneys of Whitney, LLP may be able to be of assistance. Recovery can include fees you have wrongfully paid, and attorneys’ fees. To start learning some of your options in a free and private legal consultation, call our law offices today at (410) 583-8000.

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How Do Bed Bugs Travel In Apartment Buildings? Solved

Last Updated on April 22, 2024 by Alene Schill

Tiny, annoying bed bugs are infamous for eating blood and causing irritation and unease for anyone who comes across them.

One of the most challenging aspects of dealing with bed bugs is their ability to spread quickly and easily from one location to another. 

This is especially concerning for people living in apartment buildings, as bed bugs can easily travel from one unit to another, making it difficult to eradicate them. 

We will explore how bed bugs travel in apartment buildings, including the common routes they take and the steps you can take to prevent them from spreading. 

Table of Contents

How Do Bed Bugs Move From One Apartment To Another?

Bed bugs [ 1 ] are skilled at moving from one apartment to another and can use various methods.

They can crawl through wall voids and electrical outlets, move along pipes and wires, and travel through shared spaces like hallways and laundry rooms. 

Bed bugs can also hitchhike on clothing, bedding, and furniture, making it crucial to take precautions when transporting personal belongings. 

If an infested apartment is near the HVAC system, bed bugs could spread through the walls to other apartments. 

It is essential to be vigilant and take proactive measures to prevent the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings, such as regular inspections and prompt treatment.

How Do Bed Bugs Enter An Apartment Building?

Bed bugs can enter an apartment building in a variety of ways. They are excellent hitchhikers and can attach to clothing, bags, and other personal belongings. 

Bed bugs can also crawl through cracks and crevices in walls, floors, and ceilings.

Additionally, bed bugs are commonly found in secondhand furniture, which can be brought into an apartment building without proper inspection. 

Once inside an apartment building, bed bugs can quickly spread to other units, making it crucial for tenants and landlords to take proactive measures to prevent infestations.

Can Bed Bugs Travel Through The HVAC System In An Apartment Building?

Bed bugs are not known to travel through HVAC systems in apartment buildings. However, they can move through wall voids and other spaces connected to the HVAC system. 

If an infested apartment is near the HVAC system, bed bugs could spread through the walls to other apartments.

“ I installed a skylight in my apartment… the people who live above me are furious!” – Steven Wright, American Solo Comedian

It is essential for landlords and property managers to regularly inspect and maintain the HVAC system to prevent the spread of bed bugs and other pests. 

Additionally, tenants should be educated on the importance of promptly reporting any signs of infestation to their landlords to prevent the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings.

How Can You Prevent Bed Bugs From Spreading In An Apartment Building?

• Education : Educate tenants about bed bug prevention and encourage them to report any infestation signs immediately.
• Inspection : Regularly inspect apartments for signs of bed bugs, such as blood spots on bedding, shed skins, or live bugs.
• Treatment : If an infestation is identified, promptly treat the affected apartment and surrounding units with professional-grade insecticides [ 2 ].
• Encapsulation : Use mattress and box spring encasements to prevent bed bugs from infesting these items.
• Furniture inspection : Inspect all secondhand furniture before bringing it into the building.
• Sealing : Seal cracks and crevices in walls, floors, and ceilings to prevent bed bugs from entering the building.
• Laundry : Wash and dry all bedding and clothing at high temperatures to kill bed bugs or eggs.

What Should You Do If You Suspect A Bed Bug Infestation In Your Apartment Building?

If you suspect a bed bug infestation in your apartment building, it is crucial to take immediate action.

Notify your landlord or property manager right away and request an inspection. 

If an infestation is confirmed, work with your landlord to develop a treatment plan to eliminate the bed bugs and prevent their spread to other apartments. 

In the meantime, take steps to prevent the spread of bed bugs by avoiding contact with infested areas, washing and drying bedding and clothing at high temperatures, and vacuuming regularly. 

It is also essential to follow any instructions provided by pest control professionals and take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family from insecticide exposure. 

How fast do bed bugs spread in an apartment building?

Bed bugs can spread quickly in an apartment building, with infestations potentially growing from a few bugs to hundreds or thousands within just a few months.

The exact rate of spread can vary depending on factors such as the size of the building, the severity of the infestation, and the effectiveness of control measures.

How long can bed bugs live in an apartment?

Bed bugs can live for several months to a year or longer in an apartment, depending on the availability of food (blood), temperature, and humidity.

Final Thoughts

Bed bugs are a challenging pest that can quickly spread throughout apartment buildings, making them difficult to control. 

These tiny insects can enter apartments through various means, including hitchhiking on personal belongings or crawling through cracks and crevices in walls and floors. 

Once inside, bed bugs can quickly move from one apartment to another, making it crucial to take proactive measures to prevent their spread. 

By understanding the behavior of bed bugs and taking steps such as regular inspections, treatment, and education, tenants and landlords can work together to keep apartment buildings free of these unwanted visitors. 

If a bed bug infestation is suspected, prompt action should be taken to prevent the infestation from becoming more severe and to protect the health and well-being of those living in the building.

References:

• https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/bedbugs-infestation
• https://www.epa.gov/caddis-vol2/insecticides

Alene Schill is a property manager from Columbus, Ohio, who has dealt with numerous pest control agencies. She helps families find the perfect homes and knows very well that bed bugs are an ultimate deal-breaker. She enjoys cycling around Scioto Mile during her spare time.

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Home > diy > Building & Construction > How Do Bed Bugs Spread In An Apartment Building

• Building & Construction

How Do Bed Bugs Spread In An Apartment Building

Modified: January 9, 2024

Written by: Daniel Carter

Learn how bed bugs can quickly spread in apartment buildings due to the close proximity of units and shared spaces. Discover effective strategies for preventing and eliminating these pests in building-construction.

• Health & Lifestyle
• Architecture

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• Introduction

Living in an apartment building has its perks – convenient amenities, close proximity to neighbors, and a sense of community. However, there is one unwelcome guest that can disrupt the peace and comfort of apartment living: bed bugs. These tiny, blood-sucking pests are notorious for infesting apartments and rapidly spreading from one unit to another.

Bed bugs are incredibly resilient and can survive for months without feeding. They can hitch a ride on clothing, furniture, or even luggage, making it easy for them to move from one apartment to another. Once they make their way into an apartment building, they can quickly infest multiple units, causing discomfort and frustration for residents.

Understanding how bed bugs spread in apartment buildings is essential in order to prevent and control infestations. In this article, we will explore the factors that contribute to the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings and discuss effective strategies to prevent and eliminate these pesky pests.

Key Takeaways:

• Collaboration and communication among residents, proactive education, and regular inspections are crucial in preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. A united front is essential for a pest-free living environment.
• Proper disposal of infested items, sealing cracks and crevices, and comprehensive treatment plans are vital in eradicating bed bug infestations. Ongoing education and preventive measures are key to maintaining a pest-free environment.

Read more : How Fast Do Bed Bugs Spread

• Understanding Bed Bugs

Before we delve into the factors that contribute to the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings, it is important to have a basic understanding of these pests. Bed bugs are small insects that feed on human blood. They are nocturnal creatures that typically hide during the day and come out at night to feed on sleeping hosts.

Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can easily travel from place to place by clinging onto clothing, bedding, or furniture. Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs do not discriminate between clean and dirty environments. They can infest homes, hotels, hospitals, and yes, even apartment buildings.

The most common sign of a bed bug infestation is waking up with itchy, red bites on your body that are often arranged in a cluster or a line. You may also notice small blood stains on your sheets or dark spots on your mattress, which are the bed bug droppings.

It is important to note that bed bugs are not a sign of poor hygiene or cleanliness. They are simply opportunistic creatures that are drawn to warmth, darkness, and the carbon dioxide we exhale during sleep. So, if you find yourself dealing with bed bugs in your apartment building, understand that it is not your fault.

Now that we have a better understanding of bed bugs, let’s explore the factors that contribute to their spread in apartment buildings.

• Factors Contributing to the Spread of Bed Bugs in Apartment Buildings

Apartment buildings provide the perfect environment for bed bugs to thrive and multiply. The close proximity of units, shared spaces, and constant movement of residents all contribute to the rapid spread of these pests. Here are some key factors that contribute to the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings.

• Lack of Awareness and Education: Many people are unaware of the signs of a bed bug infestation and may unknowingly bring them into the building. Without proper education and awareness, residents may not take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of bed bugs.
• Infested Furniture and Belongings: Infested furniture and belongings brought into the building are one of the primary ways that bed bugs are introduced. Residents may unknowingly bring in secondhand furniture, mattresses, or clothing that is infested with bed bugs, allowing them to spread throughout the building.
• Cracks and Crevices in Walls and Flooring: Apartment buildings often have numerous hiding spots for bed bugs, such as cracks and crevices in walls, floors, and baseboards. These hiding spots provide ideal conditions for bed bugs to lay their eggs and multiply, making it easier for them to spread to neighboring units.
• Shared Laundry Facilities: Shared laundry facilities in apartment buildings can be a hot spot for bed bug activity. Bed bugs can easily hitch a ride on clothing or bedding and infest the laundry machines, leading to the spread of these pests to other residents’ clothing and belongings.
• Visitors and Neighbors: Visitors or neighbors who are unknowingly infested with bed bugs can easily transfer the pests to other units. Bed bugs can crawl from one apartment to another through cracks in walls, electrical outlets, or shared ventilation systems.

Understanding these factors is crucial in developing effective strategies to prevent, detect, and eliminate bed bug infestations in apartment buildings. In the next section, we will discuss preventative measures to help stop the spread of bed bugs.

• Lack of Awareness and Education

One of the primary factors contributing to the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings is the lack of awareness and education among residents. Many people are simply unaware of what bed bugs are, how they spread, and how to prevent infestations. This can lead to a lack of vigilance and unintentional actions that facilitate the spread of these pests.

Without proper education, residents may not know the signs of a bed bug infestation or how to take preventive measures. They may not inspect their belongings or furniture before bringing them into their apartment, unknowingly introducing bed bugs into the building. Additionally, residents may not take immediate action to report a bed bug infestation, allowing it to spread to neighboring units.

Education is key in combating the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. Property managers and landlords should provide educational materials and resources to tenants, informing them about the signs of bed bugs, how to prevent infestations, and what steps to take if they suspect an infestation. This can be done through informational brochures, workshops, or online resources.

Tenant education should include information on how to properly inspect secondhand furniture or other items before bringing them into the apartment. Teaching residents how to identify bed bugs, their eggs, and signs of infestations can help them take early preventive measures and report any issues promptly.

In addition to educating residents, property managers should also prioritize their own education and training on bed bug prevention and control. This will enable them to provide accurate information and guidance to tenants, as well as have the knowledge required to implement effective prevention and control measures in the building.

By addressing the lack of awareness and education about bed bugs in apartment buildings, residents can be better equipped to prevent the spread of these pests. This knowledge empowers individuals and encourages a proactive approach to keeping the building bed bug-free.

• Infested Furniture and Belongings

Infested furniture and belongings pose a significant risk for the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. Bed bugs are skilled hitchhikers and can easily attach themselves to furniture, mattresses, clothing, and other items.

Residents may unknowingly bring in infested furniture or secondhand items into their apartments, providing a haven for bed bugs to thrive. Even seemingly clean and well-maintained furniture can harbor these pests. They can hide in the seams, crevices, or cracks of furniture, making it difficult to detect their presence.

When infested furniture is brought into an apartment, the bed bugs quickly spread to other areas. They crawl out of the furniture and start infesting neighboring units, creating a domino effect of infestations within the building.

To prevent the spread of bed bugs through infested furniture and belongings, it is essential for residents to take precautions. Before bringing any secondhand furniture or items into their apartment, residents should thoroughly inspect them for signs of bed bug activity. Look for live bugs, shed exoskeletons, dark spots (which are bed bug droppings), or bloodstains.

If signs of bed bugs are found, it is crucial to avoid bringing the infested item into the building. Instead, residents should consider discarding the item or contacting a professional pest control company to handle the situation properly. Taking such proactive measures can prevent infestations from taking hold in the apartment building.

For existing furniture and belongings, regular inspections and maintenance are key. Residents should periodically check their furniture, mattresses, and upholstery for signs of bed bugs. If any signs are detected, immediate action should be taken, such as contacting a pest control professional for treatment.

In the case of an active bed bug infestation, it is important to properly dispose of infested furniture and belongings to prevent the spread of these pests. Seal the items securely in plastic bags and label them as “infested” to avoid others from unknowingly picking them up. Additionally, inform the building management or landlord about the infestation so that appropriate steps can be taken to address the issue in a prompt and efficient manner.

By being cautious about infested furniture and belongings, residents can help minimize the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings and maintain a pest-free environment for everyone.

Read more : How Fast Do Bed Bugs Reproduce

• Cracks and Crevices in Walls and Flooring

One of the prime locations for bed bugs to hide and breed in apartment buildings is the cracks and crevices in walls and flooring. These tiny pests are incredibly adept at squeezing into small spaces, making these gaps the perfect harborage sites.

Cracks and crevices in walls and flooring provide bed bugs with a safe and secluded place to lay their eggs, hide during the day, and emerge at night to feed on sleeping hosts. These pests can easily travel through electrical outlets, gaps around baseboards, or openings in walls to move from one apartment to another.

The presence of cracks and crevices in apartment buildings is often inevitable, as wear and tear, settling of the structure, and other factors can create these openings. Additionally, repairs or renovations in neighboring units can inadvertently create new hiding spots for bed bugs.

To prevent the spread of bed bugs through cracks and crevices, it is essential to seal off these potential entry points. Property managers should regularly inspect and maintain the building’s walls and flooring, repairing any cracks or openings found. This can be achieved through caulking, patching, or using appropriate sealants to close off these gaps.

It is recommended to involve professional pest control services to address cracks and crevices effectively. They have the expertise and tools to identify and seal off potential entry points that may not be immediately visible. By sealing off these openings, the spread of bed bugs within the building can be significantly reduced.

Residents can also play a role in preventing the spread of bed bugs through cracks and crevices. They should inspect their own apartments for any signs of cracks or openings and report them to the building management or landlord promptly. In addition, residents should avoid using DIY methods to seal off cracks, as some materials may not be effective in deterring bed bugs.

By addressing and sealing off cracks and crevices in walls and flooring, apartment buildings can create a more inhospitable environment for bed bugs, reducing their ability to spread throughout the building.

• Shared Laundry Facilities

Shared laundry facilities in apartment buildings can be a hotspot for bed bug activity and a major contributor to their spread. Bed bugs have a knack for hitchhiking on clothing, bedding, and other fabrics, making the laundry room an ideal place for them to move from one apartment to another.

When an infested item is brought into the laundry room, the bed bugs can quickly crawl off and infest the machines, folding tables , or nearby surfaces. As residents use the machines to wash or dry their clothes, the bed bugs can transfer onto their clothing, thus spreading to other units when the clothing is taken back to the respective apartments.

To prevent the spread of bed bugs through shared laundry facilities, it is essential to establish proper protocols and guidelines for their use and maintenance.

First and foremost, regular cleaning and inspections of the laundry room should be conducted by building management or staff to identify any signs of bed bug activity. This includes checking machines, countertops, and other surfaces for live bugs, eggs, or other indications of infestations.

Moreover, it is crucial for residents to take individual responsibility for preventing the spread of bed bugs through the laundry room. They should inspect their clothing and other items before bringing them into the laundry facility. If bed bugs are suspected or detected, the infested items should not be taken to the laundry room, but instead should be handled separately and treated accordingly.

When using the machines, residents should avoid leaving their belongings unattended for long periods, as this provides an opportunity for bed bugs to crawl onto their items. It is also important to properly package and transport laundry, such as using sealed bags, to prevent bed bugs from escaping or hitching a ride.

Regular maintenance and cleaning of the laundry machines is essential. The machines should be inspected and, if necessary, treated for bed bugs by a professional pest control service. This can help eliminate any existing infestations and prevent new ones from occurring.

By implementing proper protocols, regular inspections, and resident education, the spread of bed bugs through shared laundry facilities can be minimized, creating a safer and more hygienic environment for apartment building residents.

• Visitors and Neighbors

Visitors and neighbors have the potential to play a significant role in the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. Bed bugs are notorious hitchhikers and can easily crawl from one apartment to another through various means, including shared walls, electrical outlets, or even ventilation systems.

Visitors to an infested apartment can unknowingly carry bed bugs on their clothing, bags, or belongings, allowing the pests to gain access to other parts of the building. Similarly, neighbors who are dealing with a bed bug infestation can inadvertently transport the pests to common areas or shared spaces.

To prevent the spread of bed bugs through visitors and neighbors, it is essential to increase awareness and promote proactive measures:

• Education: Tenants should be educated about the signs of bed bugs and how to prevent their spread. This knowledge can be shared through informational pamphlets, building-wide meetings, or online resources. By educating residents, they can take precautions and inform their visitors about the potential risks of spreading bed bugs.
• Communication: Open communication channels should be established among residents. If a resident is dealing with an active bed bug infestation, they should notify their neighbors and building management. This allows others to be vigilant and take preventive measures to avoid introducing bed bugs into their units.
• Vigilance: Residents should be encouraged to inspect their units regularly for signs of bed bugs. If they suspect an infestation or notice any suspicious activity, they should promptly report it to building management or a pest control professional. This early intervention can prevent further spread and minimize the impact on the entire building.
• Visitor Guidelines: It can be beneficial to establish visitor guidelines that emphasize the importance of preventing the spread of bed bugs. This may include guidelines such as not bringing in secondhand furniture, inspecting belongings before entering the building, or using designated entrances to minimize contact with potential infested areas.
• Collaboration: Building management and residents should work together to address any bed bug issues promptly. This may involve coordinating professional inspections and treatments, providing resources for affected residents, or offering support in terms of education and prevention strategies.

By increasing awareness, promoting communication, and encouraging vigilance among residents, the spread of bed bugs through visitors and neighbors can be minimized. Collaboration and proactive measures are key to maintaining a bed bug-free environment in apartment buildings.

To prevent bed bugs from spreading in an apartment building, regularly inspect for signs of infestation, educate residents about bed bug prevention, and promptly address any reported issues to prevent further spread.

• Preventing the Spread of Bed Bugs in Apartment Buildings

Preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings requires a comprehensive approach that involves both proactive measures from building management and active participation from residents. By implementing the following strategies, the risk of bed bug infestations can be minimized, creating a healthier and more comfortable living environment for everyone:

• Regular Inspections and Monitoring: Building management should conduct regular inspections of units, common areas, and shared spaces to detect any signs of bed bug activity. Prompt action can be taken to address infestations before they have a chance to spread.
• Proper Disposal of Infested Items: When residents discover infested furniture, mattresses, or other belongings, they should properly dispose of them to prevent further spread. This involves sealing the items in plastic bags and labeling them as “infested” to alert others.
• Sealing Cracks and Crevices: Regular maintenance should be performed to identify and seal off cracks, crevices, and other potential entry points for bed bugs. Professional pest control services can be utilized to ensure thorough and effective sealing.
• Educating Tenants and Staff: Building management should provide educational materials, workshops, or online resources to educate residents about bed bugs, their signs, and prevention methods. Proper training should also be provided to building staff to effectively detect and address infestations.
• Collaboration and Communication among Residents: Open communication among residents is crucial in preventing the spread of bed bugs. Encouraging residents to report suspected infestations, share information, and support one another in addressing bed bug issues creates a unified approach.

Additionally, individual residents can take proactive steps to protect themselves and their apartments:

• Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections of your apartment for any signs of bed bugs, such as bites, bloodstains, or dark spots. Promptly report any suspicions to building management.
• Preventive Measures: Avoid bringing in secondhand furniture or items of unknown origin without thorough inspection. Encase mattresses and box springs in bed bug-proof covers to prevent infestations.
• Vigilance during Travel: When traveling, inspect luggage and clothing for any signs of bed bugs before returning to the apartment. Use luggage racks or stands to keep items off the floor in hotel rooms.
• Laundry Precautions: Inspect and shake out clothing before placing it in shared laundry machines. Put clothes in sealed bags when transporting them to and from the laundry room.
• Proper Response: If you suspect a bed bug infestation, immediately report it to building management. Follow their guidelines in terms of treatments, inspections, and necessary steps to prevent further spread.

By combining these preventive measures, apartment buildings can significantly reduce the risk of bed bug infestations and minimize their spread. Proactive actions, education, and collaboration are vital in ensuring a bed bug-free environment for all residents.

Read more : How Do People Get Bed Bugs

• Regular Inspections and Monitoring

Regular inspections and monitoring are essential in preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. Building management should conduct routine inspections of units, common areas, and shared spaces to detect any signs of bed bug activity. These inspections serve as a proactive approach to identify and address infestations before they have a chance to spread throughout the building.

During inspections, trained professionals should carefully examine areas where bed bugs are most likely to hide, such as beds, upholstered furniture, cracks in walls and flooring, and electrical outlets. They look for live bugs, shed exoskeletons, dark spots (which are bed bug droppings), and eggs. If any signs of bed bugs are detected, prompt action should be taken to treat the affected areas and prevent further infestations.

Additionally, the use of monitoring devices like bed bug traps or interception devices can be helpful in detecting bed bugs early on. These devices can be placed strategically around the building to catch any bed bugs that may be crawling between units or in common areas.

Residents should also be encouraged to report any suspected bed bug activity to building management. Prompt reporting allows for swift inspections and targeted treatments, minimizing the spread of these pests.

Regular inspections and monitoring not only help detect and address existing infestations, but they also serve as a preventive measure by identifying potential bed bug introduction sources. By proactively addressing these sources, such as cracks and crevices in walls, residents bringing in infested furniture, or other factors specific to the building, the risk of bed bug infestations can be significantly reduced.

It is important for building management to develop a comprehensive inspection and monitoring schedule, ensuring that all areas vulnerable to bed bug infestations are thoroughly checked. Regular inspections, along with resident cooperation and awareness, create a proactive approach to keeping apartment buildings free from bed bugs and providing residents with peace of mind.

• Proper Disposal of Infested Items

Proper disposal of infested items is a crucial step in preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. When residents discover furniture, mattresses, or other belongings that are infested with bed bugs, it is important to handle their disposal appropriately to avoid further infestations.

Infested items should be securely wrapped and sealed in heavy-duty plastic bags to contain the bed bugs and prevent them from escaping. It is important to ensure that the bags are tightly sealed to prevent any potential spread of bed bugs during transportation or disposal.

Labeling the bags as “infested” can help alert others and prevent accidental contact or retrieval of the infested items. This simple action serves as a clear warning to building staff, residents, or waste management personnel to handle the bags with caution and avoid spreading the bed bugs.

It is crucial to follow the guidelines and regulations set by local waste management authorities for the disposal of infested items. Some areas may require specific instructions for disposing of infested furniture, mattresses, or large items. This may include scheduling a special pick-up or bringing them to designated waste disposal areas.

Building management should work closely with residents to ensure they are aware of the proper procedures and provide guidance on how to dispose of infested items. Clear communication between management and residents is key in minimizing the risk of others inadvertently coming into contact with infested furniture or belongings.

In some cases, it may be necessary to contact a professional pest control company to handle the disposal of infested items. They have the expertise, tools, and experience to properly handle infested materials and ensure they are disposed of in a manner that does not contribute to the spread of bed bugs.

By properly disposing of infested items, apartment buildings can effectively break the cycle of bed bug infestations. It eliminates potential hiding places for bed bugs and reduces the risk of other residents inadvertently coming into contact with the infested items and introducing bed bugs into their units.

Proper disposal, in conjunction with other preventive measures, plays a crucial role in keeping apartment buildings free from bed bugs while maintaining a safe and healthy living environment for all residents.

• Sealing Cracks and Crevices

Sealing cracks and crevices in apartment buildings is an effective strategy to prevent the spread of bed bugs. These tiny pests are experts at finding small hiding spots, and cracks and crevices in walls, flooring, and furniture provide perfect harborage sites for them to thrive and reproduce.

To minimize the opportunities for bed bugs to infest the building, it is essential to proactively seal off these potential entry points. Building management should conduct regular inspections to identify cracks, gaps, or openings that could serve as hiding places for bed bugs.

Professional pest control services can be utilized to properly seal the cracks and crevices. They have the knowledge, expertise, and appropriate sealants to effectively close off these entry points. Depending on the severity and location of the cracks, various sealing methods such as caulking, patching, or using weather stripping may be employed. It is important to select high-quality sealants that are specifically designed to deter bed bugs.

Sealing cracks and crevices not only helps prevent the entry of bed bugs into individual units but also prevents their movement between units. By closing off these potential access points, the spread of bed bugs can be significantly limited within the apartment building.

In addition to structural cracks, attention should also be given to other areas prone to bed bug activity, such as electrical outlets, baseboards, and gaps around pipes or cables. Special attention should be given to areas near beds and furniture, as these are common hiding spots for bed bugs.

Residents can also contribute to the sealing efforts by inspecting their own units for cracks and gaps. If they identify any areas that need attention, they should promptly report them to building management to ensure they are properly sealed.

Regular maintenance and periodic re-inspections are essential to ensure that sealants remain intact and effective. Over time, cracks may reappear or sealants may deteriorate, creating new opportunities for bed bugs to infiltrate the building.

By sealing cracks and crevices, apartment buildings create a more inhospitable environment for bed bugs, making it harder for them to establish infestations and limiting their ability to spread from one unit to another. This preventive measure, combined with other strategies, plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings and maintaining a pest-free living environment for residents.

• Educating Tenants and Staff

Education is a powerful tool in preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. By providing comprehensive education and training to both tenants and staff, building management can empower everyone within the building to recognize the signs of bed bug infestations, understand how they spread, and take proactive measures to prevent their introduction and spread.

Tenant education is essential in creating a proactive and vigilant community. Building management should provide educational materials, such as brochures or handouts, that highlight the signs of bed bugs, their behavior, and prevention strategies. These materials can be distributed during lease signings, posted in common areas, or made available online for easy access.

Tenant education should cover topics such as:

• The identification of bed bugs, their eggs, and signs of infestation.
• How bed bugs spread and their ability to move between units.
• Preventive measures, such as inspecting secondhand furniture, regularly vacuuming, and practicing good hygiene.
• Proper reporting procedures for suspected infestations.
• Responsibilities and expectations of tenants in maintaining a bed bug-free living environment.

In addition to educating the tenants, it is equally important to provide education and training to building staff. Property managers, maintenance personnel, and other staff members should receive training on bed bug detection, reporting procedures, and appropriate actions to take when an infestation is suspected. This ensures that the staff can accurately identify signs of bed bug activity and respond swiftly and appropriately.

Building management should also keep staff members updated on the latest bed bug prevention techniques and treatment methods. This ongoing education equips staff with the necessary knowledge to effectively address bed bug issues, minimize their spread, and coordinate efforts with tenants.

Regular meetings, workshops, or training sessions can be conducted to reinforce the education and provide opportunities for tenants and staff to ask questions or share experiences related to bed bugs. Open communication channels should be established, allowing residents to report suspected infestations, ask for guidance, and receive prompt assistance.

With a well-informed community, tenants are more likely to take preventive actions, promptly report suspected infestations, and collaborate with building management to address bed bug issues. Residents who are equipped with accurate knowledge are less likely to inadvertently spread bed bugs or delay necessary treatments.

By investing in tenant and staff education, apartment buildings can foster a proactive mindset, creating a united front against bed bugs. This educational approach not only prevents the spread of bed bugs but also promotes a healthier and safer living environment for everyone within the building.

Read more : Where Do Bed Bugs Live

• Collaboration and Communication among Residents

Collaboration and communication among residents are pivotal in preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings. When residents work together as a community, they can collectively take proactive measures, share information, and support one another in addressing bed bug issues effectively.

Open communication channels should be established within the building to encourage residents to report suspected bed bug infestations promptly. Building management should provide clear instructions on how and where to report any signs of bed bugs, ensuring that residents understand the importance of early intervention.

Residents should be encouraged to share their experiences and insights related to bed bugs. This can be done through building-wide meetings, community forums, or online platforms where residents can exchange information, tips, and advice. These platforms can prove invaluable, as experiences shared by others can help identify potential infestation sources and prevention strategies.

Collaboration is especially crucial when addressing bed bug infestations that may have originated from one unit and spread to others. When residents are aware of their responsibility to report suspected infestations, they can play an active role in preventing the further spread of bed bugs throughout the building.

Residents should also support one another by adhering to bed bug prevention measures. For example, if a neighbor reports a suspected infestation, neighboring residents should take proactive measures, such as conducting inspections, vacuuming regularly, and minimizing clutter, to reduce the risk of bed bugs spreading into their units.

Sharing preventive measures and best practices can be particularly helpful in ensuring that all residents are equipped with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and their units from these pests. For instance, residents can discuss the importance of inspecting secondhand furniture, tips for preventing bed bugs during travel, or effective cleaning techniques to eradicate any potential infestations.

Building management should actively promote collaboration and communication among residents through various means, such as newsletters, community bulletin boards, or regular meetings. By fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility, residents are more likely to actively participate in bed bug prevention and control efforts.

Collaboration and communication enable residents to take a proactive and unified approach in the fight against bed bugs. By working together, they can support each other, share valuable information, and implement preventive measures, ultimately minimizing the spread of bed bugs within the apartment building.

• Treatment and Extermination of Bed Bugs in Apartment Buildings

When bed bugs infest an apartment building, it is crucial to implement effective treatment and extermination methods to eradicate these pests. Timely and thorough treatment is essential to prevent the further spread of bed bugs and provide residents with a pest-free environment.

Professional pest control companies should be consulted for comprehensive treatment plans tailored to the specific needs of the apartment building. Here are some key considerations for the treatment and extermination of bed bugs:

• Inspection and Assessment: Prior to treatment, a thorough inspection should be conducted by pest control professionals to determine the extent and location of the infestation. This helps in developing a targeted treatment plan.
• Chemical Treatment: Chemical treatments, such as insecticide sprays, are commonly used to eliminate bed bugs. Pest control professionals will apply appropriate insecticides to infested areas, including beds, furniture, cracks, and other hiding spots. Non-chemical treatments, such as heat or steam treatments, may also be employed depending on the situation and preferences.
• Comprehensive Treatment: It is essential to treat all infested units simultaneously to avoid the migration of bed bugs from treated to untreated areas. Coordinating with residents and ensuring their cooperation is vital to the success of the treatment process.
• Follow-up Inspections and Treatments: Regular follow-up inspections should be conducted to monitor the effectiveness of the treatments and identify any potential re-infestations. Additional treatments may be necessary to address lingering bed bugs or newly discovered infestations.
• Collaboration with Residents: Residents play a crucial role in the treatment process. They should closely follow the instructions provided by the pest control professionals, such as preparing their units and laundering infested clothing and bedding. Ongoing communication with residents, addressing their concerns, and providing support are key to ensuring their cooperation during the treatment and extermination process.
• Preventive Measures: After the completion of the treatment, residents should continue practicing preventive measures to reduce the risk of future infestations. Regular inspections, proper maintenance, and adherence to recommended preventive practices can help maintain a bed bug-free environment.

It is important to note that successful treatment and extermination of bed bugs in an apartment building may require multiple treatments over a period of time. This is due to the resilient nature of bed bugs and the possibility of hidden infestations that may not be apparent initially.

Building management should work closely with pest control professionals to create a long-term plan that includes regular inspections, ongoing monitoring, and preventive measures to prevent the re-infestation of bed bugs in the future.

By implementing comprehensive and coordinated treatment strategies, involving residents, and maintaining open communication with pest control professionals, apartment buildings can successfully eliminate bed bug infestations, minimize their spread, and create a comfortable living environment for all residents.

Bed bug infestations can be a major nuisance in apartment buildings, but with proper prevention, education, and proactive measures, it is possible to prevent their spread and maintain a pest-free environment for residents. Understanding the factors that contribute to the spread of bed bugs, such as lack of awareness, infested furniture, cracks and crevices, shared laundry facilities, and visitors and neighbors, is crucial in developing effective prevention strategies.

Preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings requires a collective effort from building management, residents, and pest control professionals. Regular inspections and monitoring, proper disposal of infested items, sealing cracks and crevices, educating tenants and staff, and fostering collaboration and communication among residents are key strategies in preventing infestations and minimizing the spread of bed bugs.

When bed bug infestations do occur, prompt and comprehensive treatment is essential. Professional pest control services should be consulted to assess the extent of the infestation and develop a tailored treatment plan. Collaboration with residents, follow-up inspections, and ongoing preventive measures are necessary to ensure successful eradication and prevent re-infestation.

By implementing these preventive measures and strategies, apartment buildings can create a safer and more comfortable living environment for their residents, free from the nuisance and frustration caused by bed bug infestations. Ongoing education, strong communication, and collaboration among all stakeholders are critical in combating bed bug infestations and maintaining the wellbeing of the community.

Remember, preventing the spread of bed bugs in apartment buildings is a continuous effort that requires vigilance, cooperation, and a proactive approach. With a united front and a commitment to bed bug prevention, residents can enjoy a peaceful and pest-free living environment in their apartment building.

• Frequently Asked Questions about How Do Bed Bugs Spread In An Apartment Building

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What to Do if You Find Bed Bugs in Your Apartment

By Lilly Milman

Apr 24, 2023

Updated on Oct 17, 2023

As headlines scream of a "bed bug infestation" in Paris , you may be wondering what you can do to protect yourself against these pests. In our guide below, we cover everything from identifying a bed bug problem to preventing one.

Discovering you have bed bugs in your apartment can be upsetting, scary, and embarrassing — but if you suspect you have bed bugs, finding and identifying them is the first step to getting rid of them. One common myth spread is that if you have bed bugs in your house, that must mean it’s dirty or unsanitary, but bed bugs are just as likely to infest a clean house. In fact, one in five Americans have either had a bed bug problem or know someone who has , so it’s incredibly common and should not be associated with any shame.

If you have bed bugs, you’ll need professional help to get rid of them, but we’re here to walk you through the process of ridding your apartment of these tiny pests.

In this guide, we explain:

• How to identify a bed bug infestation
• What to do if you find bed bugs
• What your tenant rights are if you have bed bugs
• How to prevent future infestations
• Common myths about bed bugs

How to Identify a Bed Bug Infestation

Bed Bug Bites

Bed bugs pose no serious health threat to humans, which is one reason why you shouldn’t panic if you discover an infestation. However, this means that they can be incredibly difficult to find and identify. For many people, one of the first signs they look for when trying to figure out if they have a bed bug infestation in on their own body, as bed bug bites typically leave clusters of small red spots. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not recommend relying on the occurrence of bug bites, though, because many people have little to no physical reaction from bed bug bites. Plus, the bites look similar to those of mosquitos or spiders or can mimic the appearance of other reactions like eczema or hives. That being said, if you are consistently waking up with red bug bites on your skin, especially ones that turn into itchy welts, that could be one sign of bed bugs.

Evidence in Your Home

The EPA instead recommends looking for physical signs of bed bugs in your home as a more accurate way of identifying an infestation. If you suspect that you have bed bugs in your apartment, check your mattress and bedding.

If your bed is infested, it will likely show the following signs:

• Reddish-brown stains on your mattress or bedding, which could be a sign of crushed bed bugs
• Small, dark spots on your mattress or bedding, which may be bed bug droppings
• Tiny, white eggshells
• Live bed bugs, which look like an apple seed as adults but are smaller and more translucent when young

Catching an infestation early on is key to getting it eradicated quickly. To see how far a bed bug infestation has spread, start checking around your room. Bed bugs are known for their tendency to hide in hard-to-reach places. Also check any cracks or crevices on your bed frame or headboard, as well as in the folds of curtains, in or between couch cushions, or under loose wallpaper and wall hangings when seeking out evidence of bed bugs.

What to Do if You Find Bed Bugs

It’s important to recognize that you won’t be able to solve a bed bug problem on your own, but what you can do is create a plan of action to control the infestation as soon as possible.

We recommend taking the following steps when starting bed bug treatment in your apartment:

• Tell your landlord or property manager. While each state has different laws on tenants’ and landlords’ responsibilities when it comes to removing bed bugs (which we will cover later in our guide), the first step to controlling your pest problem is always telling your landlord, preferably in writing, to begin establishing a timeline. They also may have dealt with bed bugs before or already have a method for controlling infestations, so getting them involved is a necessary step.
• Call a professional. There are many steps you can take in your home to prevent the spread of bed bugs and try to avoid bringing them back in the future, but bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of. To completely remove an infestation, it often requires multiple sessions from an exterminator. Ask your landlord if they have a pest control service that they work with already for bed bugs. If not, find a licensed pest management professional who will help you determine the extent of the infestation and draft an appropriate action plan. They may need you to double bag any personal items, and empty your closets, drawers, and other spaces to aid in their exterminating process.
• Inform your neighbors. It may not be pleasant to tell others about a bed bug infestation, but if you have one, chances are that neighboring units in your apartment building are also having an issue. Check with your landlord to see if they already have a process for informing all tenants about bed bugs. If not, let them know so that they can check their own apartments and potentially prevent any further spread.
• Get a bed bug proof mattress cover. You may be tempted to buy a new mattress, but this actually isn’t necessary to stop an infestation. A plastic mattress cover with special zippers designed to stop bed bugs from passing through will do the trick when it comes to controlling the spread. The plastic cover will kill all of the bugs that are on your mattress, and prevent any more from getting in. There are similar covers for box springs you can buy. Keep receipts for anything you buy in case you are able to get a reimbursement from your landlord.
• Clean your bedding, as well as any clothing that may have been infested. Take any linens that have been exposed, then wash and dry them on high heat settings to kill any eggs. To ensure that bed bugs don’t get back into your bedding or clothing, store them in sealed plastic bags or bins.
• Vacuum thoroughly. Bed bugs can be hidden just about anywhere. Vacuuming all of the floors in your apartment, including tough-to-reach corners, under any furniture, and any of your couches and chairs is an important step in getting rid of bed bugs.
• Declutter. While bed bugs don’t discriminate, and a clean apartment can’t prevent them, clutter gives them more places to hide in. By decluttering your apartment, you can remove some of their options for hiding places. Plus, this will make it easier for your exterminator to completely rid your space of bed bugs.

If panic-mode is setting in, try to relax. If you’ve already taken all of the above steps, it can be tempting to want to do more to curb the infestation sooner, but be wary of taking actions that may actually result in spreading the infections further.

Try to avoid doing the following:

• Moving your furniture to another apartment. If you know that bed bugs are in a certain room in your apartment, you may be thinking that perhaps you can save some of your furniture in other rooms from a similar fate. That’s not the case, unfortunately. Removing furniture from your place and temporarily storing it elsewhere can actually just facilitate the spread of bed bugs, since it will be hard to tell if the piece that you’re moving is completely bug-free.
• Sleeping on a piece of furniture that’s not your bed. Sleeping in a bed you know was infested with bed bugs may gross you out, but similar to the above point, sleeping elsewhere can spread the bugs to more rooms of your house. If you’ve cleaned your sheets already and covered your mattress with a bed bug proof plastic encasement, then your bed should be your safest bet. If you choose to sleep in a hotel, just make sure that you are not spreading any bugs to the hotel.
• Rely on DIY solutions. Adult bed bugs can live up to a year without eating in certain climates , and many specialists agree that they are incredibly difficult to get rid of. They spread easily and are able to hide in cracks and crevices. While doing some DIY tactics, like what we listed above, can be helpful, you must work with a professional exterminator to ensure that an infestation is fully stopped.

It may be hard to get rid of a bed bug infestation, but it’s not impossible — especially when working with the right specialist.

What Your Tenant Rights Are if You Have Bed Bugs

As we said earlier in the guide, your rights as a tenant when it comes to bed bugs depend on the state where you’re living. According to the EPA, 21 states have some level of law that applies to bed bugs . In some states, your landlord is required to house you elsewhere while they get rid of a bed bug infestation. In many, they will be required to cover the costs of ridding the infestation. However, in others, the tenant will be required to cover the cost if theirs is the only unit with a bed bug presence or the infestation is deemed to be the tenant’s responsibility.

If you live in a state where there are laws requiring your landlord to take care of bed bugs, then make sure you keep all receipts for anything bed bug–related that you purchase and keep a written timeline. You should have documentation that shows when you told your landlord about the bed bugs, any actions you took, any actions they took, and any actions taken by an exterminator.

For the EPA’s full guide to each state’s bed bug laws and regulations, click here.

How to Prevent Future Infestations

To prevent bed bugs from getting back into your apartment, it’s important to know how they usually get in in the first place.

Possible ways that bed bugs can be introduced include:

• On luggage, overnight bags, or folded clothes that you took to a hotel or hostel
• From a nearby or neighboring infested unit in your apartment complex
• Through used furniture picked up from the street or a secondhand store

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) , those who travel frequently and sleep in living quarters that have been used by other people (like a hotel or hostel) are at higher risk of spreading a bed bug infestation.

If you want to be extra cautious about bed bug control in the future, you may want to consider some of the following guidance from the EPA :

• Be wary of secondhand furniture unless you are certain it is free of bed bugs
• Vacuum frequently, especially in hard-to-reach corners
• Transport items that you washed in a shared laundry facility in sealed plastic bags, and folding your clothing at home
• Wash clothing items and bedding in hot water
• Install door sweeps on your doors and seal any cracks or crevices that you can in your apartment, like where your baseboards meet the wall
• Purchase a portable heating chamber to treat any bed bug–infested items
• Place bed bug interceptor traps under legs of furniture to catch bed bugs

Common Myths About Bed Bugs

There are a few widely spread, false ideas that are prevalent about bed bugs. Being informed about what’s true and what’s just a myth can help you stay vigilant when it comes to preventing or exterminating an infestation in your home.

We are here to bust the following myths, which according to sources like Scientific American and the EPA , are all untrue :

• You can’t see a bed bug with your naked eye.
• Bed bugs only live in dirty places.
• Bed bugs can transmit diseases.
• Keeping the light on will deter bed bugs from coming out of their hiding places and biting you.
• Bed bugs can fly.
• Bed bugs only bite at night.
• Bed bugs can spread by latching on to your body.
• Bed bugs only live in mattresses.

The Bottom Line

A bed bug infestation can be a scary and frustrating problem to handle, but it isn’t the end of the world. If you act quickly and vigilantly, you can rid your apartment of bed bugs and likely prevent future infestations. Just make sure that you work alongside your landlord as well as a pest control professional to ensure that you are completely ridding an infestation.

For more informative articles on all things renting, check out our Renter Guide .

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Bed Bugs: Frequently Asked Questions

Bed bugs are tiny parasitic insects that, like fleas or mosquitoes, live on the blood of animals or humans. While they do not spread disease, the presence of bed bugs and their resulting bites are becoming more of a nuisance in community housing buildings such as hotels, dormitories, and hostels where travelers unknowingly spread them around.

About the size of a grain of rice or smaller, and ranging in color from translucent to dark brown, bed bugs may enter a room undetected on clothing, luggage, or used furniture. For example, a traveler may pick up bed bugs in a hotel and transport them home in their luggage.

Bed bugs do not fly, but can travel across floors or through wall openings (e.g. outlets), are nocturnal, and like to hide in mattresses, box springs, and bedframes.

No, bed bugs feed only on blood. The presence of bedbugs is not related to food or the dirtiness of a room.

A rash or trail of small red bites may be a sign of bed bugs. Whereas flea bites usually occur on the lower legs, bed bug bites may occur on any area of skin exposed during the night. Many people experience red bumps or bites, but there are some who exhibit no symptoms. Other signs of their presence include small dark brown spots on linens and mattresses.

Immediately tell the Unit Manager or send a work order request to maintenance.housing.berkeley.edu . You should also take immediate precautions not to spread them beyond your living space. This means you should inspect your clothing and personal belongings closely. They can hide in pants cuffs, in USB ports on laptops, and in the seams of backpacks. Reducing their hiding spots will help improve eradication efforts. Talk with your roommate and let them know of your concern.

Yes, if your room is confirmed to have bed bugs. Bed bugs travel quickly, especially around food sources, and won’t stay on one side of the room. In order to eliminate them, all treatment steps must be followed by all residents.

There's no simple answer to that. In the past few years, bed bugs have become an international issue. Across the US, five-star hotels, universities and many multi-unit buildings have had to deal with bed bugs. Because they are so small, they're hard to spot unless you're looking for them. When you travel, they can latch on to your belongings and by the time symptoms develop, you've moved to another location.

Cal Housing takes bed bugs seriously. When you alert our staff to the possibility of their presence, we send out campus Pest Control to do an analysis during business hours, Monday through Friday. The professionals will ask to have access to your room, and they will perform various tests to confirm possible infestation. They work with contracted Pest Control companies who bring specialized equipment on site to treat your room.

Treatment will vary depending on the specifics of your location, but may include heat treatment, freezing, and chemical applications.

The chemicals are laid down after a heat treatment to reduce the likelihood of re-infestation. They are typically applied along the baseboards of the room and, while harmful if ingested, are safe once applied. They will always be applied by professionals, when there is no occupant present.

One of the most important things you can do is to follow all instructions provided by Pest Control. They will give you a list of tasks to prepare for their visit. Even if you're not personally experiencing bites, it is vital to follow all instructions to the letter.

Inspect the 'cracks and crevices' of your belongings before you leave your room. When you do your laundry, be conscious of where and how you leave your belongings. Bags should not be left on the floor. All clothing must be washed and dried at high temperatures.

Let your neighbors know what to look for, so we can readily identify the extent of treatment.

No, you do not need to stay away from them, but be conscious of your belongings. Be considerate of their space and let them know that you are being treated. Help educate them on what to look for, and let them know that it's a common problem occurring across the country. It has nothing to do with your cleanliness habits.

No, you do not need to avoid public places, but again: check your clothes and belongings before leaving your room to minimize the possibility of spreading an infestation. Bed bugs, while they can live up to 18 months without feeding, do not like bright light, heat or extreme cold. Typically, public spaces do not provide the optimal environment for them.

Bed bugs will seek out optimal territory and because of their small size, they can easily travel in minute cracks between walls. Studies show that they are much more likely to spread from one room to connecting rooms if the environment is favorable. Cal Housing's aggressive eradication program depends on containing and eliminating all bed bugs at once. Otherwise, the potential for re-infestation grows to near certainty.

Not usually. In most cases heat treatment will be sufficient. However, it is advised that you do not bring delicate or valuable items with you if it's avoidable. The full answer on this question will vary depending on the circumstance.

Depending on the nature of your location and the extent of the infestation, Pest Control will be able to initiate treatment of the affected area within two weeks.

Some people still believe that bed bugs are the result of negligent housekeeping. This is simply untrue. Bed bugs have become resistant to many chemicals traditionally used to treat them, and over the last few years a more mobile population, unprepared for them, have unknowingly spread them across the country.

Having bed bugs is not a shameful thing. Due to the nature of their feeding patterns, it's nearly impossible to pinpoint the origin of an infestation, particularly in large residential structures with high population turnover. While it's unfortunate that there has been a resurgence of the pest, it is through no one's fault. In the race between pest and chemical treatment, it is a challenge to find new methods of eradication.

Bed bugs do not transmit disease. Although they bite much like mosquitoes, no test has ever shown a link between bed bugs and disease.

• Treatment add Because bed bugs have built up a resistance to traditional chemicals, most professional Pest Control companies use a combination of treatment types. High heat, freezing cold, certain desiccating chemicals, and pheromone traps are all used, in concert with vigilance and education, to eradicate the pests.
• What won't work add Some companies advertise an off-the-shelf spray that will kill bed bugs along with many other pests. These will not work because bed bugs have built up a tolerance to the chemicals. To truly ensure eradication, professional Pest Management must be involved.
• Can I change rooms? Can I stay in a hotel at the University's expense? add Our policy is not to move affected students. While we acknowledge that co-existing with the pests, however temporarily, can be unpleasant, transferring affected students would mean spreading the infestation.

Know The Facts: Bed Bugs

Monitoring While not technically a control strategy, it is imperative that bed bug problems be verified by a professional to help focus control efforts and resources to those areas most in need. Click here for more information

Click here for the most common bed bug questions (this site is in Portuguese).

Additional Resources

Bed bugs are hard to prevent because of their small size, night habits, and ability to hitchhike. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Know your surroundings. If you return home from a place where bed bugs may have been, do not go or take possessions such as luggage or clothing directly to your bed. Instead, prevent any chance of bed bug reinfestation by laundering and quarantining potential hitchhiking bugs.
• Inspect previously owned items thoroughly before bringing them home. Look for groups of small white eggs and red-brown bed bugs stuck in fabric, cushions, or small openings on furniture. Do not pick up items that were thrown out because you could bring someone else’s problem home.

How do they spread?

Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers. They can easily move from an infested building to a new site as people move. The recent resurgence of bed bugs is due in large part to international travel. Bed bugs hitchhike on luggage or on personal items or clothing and can move from one country to another in a very short period of time. Within a community, bed bugs can spread when people move infested possessions into a new apartment or home. Purchasing infested, second-hand beds or other furniture has been shown to accelerate local outbreaks of bed bugs. Once inside a building bed bugs can move between rooms or apartments by walking or crawling via hallways, or by squeezing through tiny cracks in common walls, ceilings, or utility ports.

How can I prevent bed bugs from entering my home?

The most valuable form of home protection is becoming aware of the threat of bed bugs. Understand where and how they travel. Know what they look like and how to inspect for them. Be very careful about purchasing or bringing home second-hand upholstered furniture and clothing. Always closely inspect items for signs of infestation. Launder any items that can be laundered in hot soapy water and dry with hot air. Bed bugs will not survive this regime. Make vacuuming, cleaning, decluttering and inspecting a regular habit. Steam or heat treatments must be applied to anything that is suspect, before it enters the house.

How do I protect myself from bed bugs while traveling?

Be alert and aware when travelling. If you suspect bed bug infestations, use common sense and what you know about bed bugs to help avoid bringing them home with you. Inspect your hotel room for signs of an infestation BEFORE you move your belongings in. Some travelers will place their luggage in the bathtub or on a wooden chair or desk rather than on a bed while they perform this inspection. Carefully inspect the mattress seams, headboard, and furniture around the bed for fecal specks, cast skins, or live bed bugs. If bed bugs or signs of bed bugs are found, immediately report this to the registration desk and ask for a different room. When returning home, carefully check luggage seams and clothing for any signs of bed bugs before bringing it into your home. Clothing can be immediately washed and dried to ensure that no bed bugs will hitchhike on it. If other possessions and luggage are found to have bed bugs on it, do not take them into the home. Arrange for heat or other reliable treatment of the articles in question.

How do I inspect a hotel room for bed bugs?

Checking into hotel rooms:.

Remember the old addage ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ This has never been more true than in our battle with bed bugs. Avoiding them in the first place is the best prevention.

When checking into a hotel ask if bed bugs have been found there or if treatments for bed bugs have occurred.

Once at your room, do not put your luggage, coat or personal belongings on the bed. Rather use luggage racks, table tops, leave at front door/hall, or place in bathtub upon entry.

Thoroughly inspect the room before unpacking.

Inspection Steps:

• Use a flashlight.
• Remove top comforter (this seldom receives the laundry regime that sheets do).
• Pull back the hotel bed sheets and inspect the mattress seams, particularly the corners, for telltale brownish or reddish specks (fecal specks).
• Look behind the head-board if possible, paying close attention to tight cracks and crevices.
• Inspect folds, cracks and crevices of furniture near the bed.
• Inspect the carpeting and base boards nearest to the bed.

If you suspect a bed bug infestation, contact the management – ask to be moved and not just next door.

Returning Home From a Bed Bug Infested Area?

Remember that providing an opportunity for a hitch-hiking bed bug to move from bed to bed, is the most likely route of re-infestation.

When you return home from an infested residence, thoroughly inspect and vacuum your suitcases, purses, hand bags and any other goods that have been with you before bringing them into the house.

Place all of your clothing in sealable plastic bags and take them directly to the laundry. Wash all your clothes (whether used during the trip or not ) in hot soapy water and dry in a clothes dryer set on high heat. This includes the clothes that you are wearing. Strip at the door and place your clothing in a plastic bag.

Use a large plastic bag to contain your luggage and store in an area not commonly used (garage or storage closet) – not under bed or even in your bedroom.

Shoes and other non-washable items can be placed in a box or bag and then moved to a freezer or ‘pack-tite’ for temperature treatments.

Can Bed Bugs Travel Through Apartment Walls?

As apartment buildings increasingly become attractive housing solutions, the massive flow of people into them has brought with it a number of challenges. Not least of which is pests like cockroaches, mice, rats, and bedbugs getting transferred from household to household. The focus of this article will be on this pest problem, paying special attention to bedbugs.

Can bedbugs travel through apartment walls? Yes, they can. Since most apartments share some common amenities such as plumbing and electrical causeways that go through the walls, the bed bugs can easily crawl in these and get to your apartment from an adjacent infested apartment.

This article will take a closer look at these elusive but common pests, highlighting their behaviors and what you can do to get rid of them.

Table of Contents

Bedbugs and where they come from

Bedbugs are a type of small crawling insect. They appear reddish brown in color when not fed, and almost entirely red when full of blood. Female bedbugs lay hundreds of eggs that can metamorphosize from nymphs to adults within a month in the right conditions.

Within a year, there can be as many as three generations of bedbugs. This means they can rapidly infest any environment they find themselves in as long as they have a good food source. Bedbugs survive exclusively on blood from warm blooded animals. They can attack both humans and pets, although some species such as the Cimex lectularius feed exclusively on human blood.

Interestingly, bedbugs and can live for up to a year without feeding. Bedbug nymphs, which look like fully grown bedbug save their slightly light color that darkens at every molting phase, will molt and shed their skins up to five times before becoming full adults. The nymph stage requires the nymph to feed on blood before each shedding.

Bedbugs are attracted to their hosts’ warm bodies and also when they release of carbon dioxide as they exhale during sleep. They do not have wings so they cannot fly away, but they can crawl rapidly to flee from capture. They hide in mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, headboard, floors, furniture, crevices and cracks on the wall during the day and only come out at night to feed.

Bedbugs can be mistaken for other insects such as small cockroaches. However, you can make the distinction by watching their movements, which are ant-like. Also, when crushed, they release a pungent odor.

Most bedbugs usually hitch a ride to get to your home through personal belongings such as clothing or even from pets. This can happen when you spend some time in an infested area. They can also make their way into your home when you buy second-hand items like furniture from owners who may have had bedbug problems.

What are the signs of a bedbug infestation?

The first sign is usually a painful and physical one characterized by a raised and swollen bump on the skin with a clear center. The bump is usually itchy with a burning sensation. This is because the bedbugs have mouth parts that saw into the skin causing it to bleed as they feed. The bumps may also occur on any exposed skin during sleep.

Stains of blood on the pillows or bed sheets may also be a sign of bedbug infestation. These may occur as a result of the bedbugs being squashed while you turn in your sleep.

As bedbugs excrete, their excrements may also be deposited on the bed sheets and pillows. These will appear as dark brown or rusty marks. In places where they hide, such as the bed frames or in cracks and crevices, egg shells and shed skin can also be found as evidence of their infestation.

Finally, bedbugs secrete a pungent and musty odor from their glands. This is another way that you can tell they are present.

What to do if you suspect a bedbug infestation?

As most bedbugs do their feeding at night while you sleep, you can gather most of your evidence from your beddings. Remove the bed sheets, covers, blankets, and mattress and take them outside. Thoroughly inspect them looking for the bugs or their excrement. This will appear as stained dark spots on the beddings.

You should also check in other household items such as books and clothes. Bedbugs are also fond of clothing and will often attach themselves to them in dark closets.

Getting rid of bedbugs

Good hygiene is the key to ensuring that bedbugs are kept at bay. If you have stayed in a hotel or at a place that may have bedbugs, make sure to clean everything you travelled with in hot water. Bedbugs will die when exposed to high temperatures.

Regularly clean your bed sheets, pillow cases and all other beddings in hot water. Next, because bedbugs do not live far from their hosts, and because they prefer living in the dark, you can discourage them by removing all clutter in your bedroom.

Removing and aerating the mattress and pillows occasionally will also help you fight off these pests. Whenever possible, make sure that your bed is not close to the wall, and make sure that your bedroom is always well-lit during the day.

The next thing you have to do is ensure that you vacuum your entire room daily. You should also do this to your beddings because it will help dispose of the molts from the nymphs and the adult bedbugs. Be careful to dispose of the contents of the vacuum bag in sealed plastic bags so that the bugs won’t crawl back into the house.

Finally, since the bedbugs can crawl through walls, cracks and crevices should be sealed off. Electrical fittings and plumbing fixtures should also be installed and fixed properly.

Final Thoughts

While bedbugs can be a nuisance, they are not known to carry any serious diseases. Most bedbug bites heal within a week if left undisturbed. However, because bacterial infections may occur on or around the bitten area, consider cleaning the area with antibacterial soap and water to prevent infection. If the wound is itchy, anti-itch cream can be procured to sooth the irritation.

Melanie Asiba

Melanie is an author, and she enjoys traveling, reading, and trying out new things. In addition to writing for Apartment ABC.

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How to tell if you have bed bugs in hotels, rentals and what to do if you take them home

When it comes to insects, few are as insidious as the bed bug .

They can live for more than a year without food. Their bodies are slim and flat, allowing them to squeeze into tiny spaces and hide. When they bite, many humans don’t have a visible reaction, so they can freely multiply and spread until the problem is more out of control.

In short, bed bugs are survivors and the last thing you want to bring home from vacation.

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USA TODAY spoke to experts on the subject to help travelers avoid them on the road and to figure out what to do in the worst-case scenario: they infest the home.

Here’s what you should do to avoid bed bugs:

Preventing bed bugs ahead of time

One myth many people have about bed bugs is that they’re only a problem at cheap motels and rentals with low ratings.

That’s simply not true, said Michael Bentley, director of training and education at the  National Pest Management Association .

“Bed bugs don’t see dollar signs,” he said. “It could be the top-of-the-line, five star hotel. It can be the one-star, in-and-out hotel that you're stopping at for a quick overnight while you're making a cross-country trip. Bed bugs don’t care.”

Bentley and other experts recommend scouring through recent reviews of any potential lodging.

“I usually go two or three months deep and see what the cleanliness situation’s been looking like,” said Halee Whiting, owner of a hotel sales support  company  and a popular TikToker who created a viral  video  about how to check your lodging for bed bugs.

Whiting prefers the reviews on TripAdvisor and recommends looking at brand websites for reviews because those are written by loyalty members.

Bed bugs: Potentially record summer travel + low housekeeping staff = bed bug nightmares

How to look for bed bugs

Anytime a traveler walks into a new hotel or a rental like Airbnb or VRBO, either leave the luggage outside or put it in the bathroom, ideally the bathtub, according to experts.

Bed bugs gravitate toward places with fabric where humans like to lounge, like beds and sofas.

“There's likely no place where bedbugs are infesting the bathtub,” Bentley said. “If they're in the bathtub, we've got a bigger problem and we're not we're not making it any further into the bedroom.”

Keep the luggage away from the rest of the property until after it is thoroughly inspected it for bed bugs.

How to find bed bugs in hotels

To find out if a hotel or Airbnb has bed bugs, it’s going to take more than a cursory inspection.

Don’t just pull back the bed’s fitted sheet and eyeball it.

First, turn off all the lights and close the shades and turn on the flashlight on your phone, Whiting recommends.

Shine the flashlight on the beds during inspection. Pull the sheets back and check under the creases of the mattress.

“They’re pretty cryptic insects,” Bentley said. “Their body is flattened, kind of like business cards, so they can tuck themselves into these tiny nooks and crannies inside of beds and bed sheets and a little seams along the bedspread.”

You’re not only looking for bugs but also, “tiny brownish, blackish red spots,” he said.

“As bedbugs feed, they pass a lot of that undigested blood that they're feeding on straight through its feces,” he said. “So they defecate a lot while they're feeding. So if you happen to see little black spots, that could clearly be an indication that bedbugs are there or have been there and have been feeding.”

Bed bugs can also create a sweet, musty odor akin to sweaty gym socks, said Ron Harrison, an entomologist and global director of technical services for Orkin .

"If you have one or two you won't smell it," Harrison said. "But if you have a bad infestation you can smell it when you walk in the room."

What to do if you find bed bugs in a hotel

If you find bed bugs or any sign of them, like their feces, document what you’ve found in photos and video and contact your hotel or rental host immediately.

Most good hotels will refund the stay and put the room you found them in and every room around it out of order until the bed bugs can be exterminated, Whiting said.

One property, however, only put the room in question out of order, which allowed the bugs to spread and eventually forced the closure of 24 rooms until the problem could be solved, Whiting said.

Airbnb's policy is to refund guests if they come across bed bugs but it doesn't always mean there won't be extra costs.

Andrew Forcier of Columbus, Montana, said Airbnb refunded him when he found bed bugs in his apartment rental in Montreal earlier this year, but only covered 30 percent of the more expensive hotel he had to book at the last minute instead. That cost him $500.

What kills bed bugs

Even if travelers don't believe they have been exposed to bed bugs, experts provided best practices to avoid spreading an infestation.

Experts recommend washing the clothes you packed in hot water and putting them in the dryer upon returning home because heat kills bed bugs. They also recommend storing luggage in the attic where it's warmer, or at least away from bedrooms if possible.

If the worst-case scenario happens and bed bugs infest a house, experts agree that it's not the time for home remedies.

"There really are no over-the-counter, do-it-yourself solutions, because these are such incredibly effective, cryptic insects," Bentley said. "When it comes to hide and seek, there is no better player in the game out there than bedbugs."

Using less-effective home methods could allow a population to thrive and spread, he said.

"The safest solution is to go with a pest management professional."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to tell if you have bed bugs in hotels, rentals and what to do if you take them home