Holiday travel picks up quickly after Thanksgiving. Flights fill up, and spare bedrooms fill with guests. Unfortunately, bed bugs travel well during this season too.
Bed bugs cannot fly or jump. Instead, they are carried from place to place in luggage, coats, and bags. A few simple habits can keep them out of your home this winter.
Why Bed Bug Problems Often Start After the Holidays
More people move between hotels, relatives’ homes, and shared rides in December. Each stop gives bed bugs a chance to crawl into a suitcase seam. Once inside, they can go unnoticed for weeks.
A clean home can still pick them up. Bed bugs are not drawn to dirt. They are drawn to people, so one night in the wrong room is often enough.
College students coming home for winter break are another common source. In shared housing, bed bugs spread easily from room to room. Laundry bags and backpacks are often brought straight inside without a second look.
What to Check When You Arrive
Look at the Bed First
Before anything is unpacked, pull back the sheets at the corners. Check the mattress seams, the tags, and the edge of the headboard. A phone flashlight is usually all you need.
Look for small dark spots, tiny pale eggs, or shed skins. Adult bed bugs are flat, brown, and about the size of an apple seed.
Keep Luggage Off the Bed and Floor
Suitcases should be placed on a luggage rack, away from the bed and walls. Check the rack itself as well. In a relative’s guest room, a hard chair or the bathroom floor works fine.
Also, keep your clothes in the suitcase rather than in dresser drawers. That way, fewer items are exposed during your stay.
What to Do When You Get Home
Unpack Away From the Bedroom
Bring your bags into the garage, laundry room, or another hard-floored space. Anything that falls off is easier to spot there.
Use the Dryer, Not Just the Washer
Washing alone generally will not kill bed bugs. For that reason, clothes should go through the dryer on high heat for about 30 minutes. Clean items can go straight into the dryer without washing.
Store Suitcases Out of Sleeping Areas
After your bags are checked, store them in the basement or garage. Suitcases should never be kept under a bed.
Hosting Family This Year?
Guests can bring bed bugs in just as easily. Give visitors a spot near the front door or in a spare closet for their bags.
Once everyone heads home, wash and dry the guest bedding on high heat. Then check the guest mattress seams again a week or two later.
Signs You May Have Brought Some Home
Itchy bites in a row can be one sign. However, bites alone are not proof, since many people never react to them.
Instead, look for rusty spots on sheets and dark specks along mattress seams. Our bed bug facts page explains how they look and where they hide.
Found a bug you cannot identify? Snap a clear photo and upload it through our bug identification tool. Our team will take a look and let you know what it is.
Getting Help From a Local Team
Store-bought sprays rarely reach bed bugs hidden in seams, outlets, and furniture joints. In some cases, spraying pushes them deeper into walls or nearby rooms. A professional inspection confirms the problem before any treatment begins.
Callahan’s has helped homeowners in Ocean, Monmouth, and Middlesex Counties since 1991. If you suspect bed bugs after a trip, learn more about our bed bug detection services.
If treatment is scheduled, our guide on how to prepare your home for a bed bug treatment covers each step.
Request a free estimate or call 732-899-3030 to schedule a Bed Bug Treatment For your New Jersey Home
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