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How to Prevent Bed Bugs at Home, When You Travel, and in College Dorms

How to prevent bed bugs at home, when you travel, and in college dorms

Most people don't think about bed bugs until they have them. Then they think about little else. The treatment takes time and money, and the worry can linger long after the last bug is gone.

So let's talk about keeping them out in the first place. The good news is that learning how to prevent bed bugs comes down to a handful of simple habits at home, on the road, and in shared housing. Here's what the EPA and CDC recommend, plus a few habits we've relied on for years.

Why Prevention Starts With Hitchhikers

Bed bugs don't fly or jump. They travel with us. The EPA calls them great hitchhikers that move on furniture, bedding, luggage, boxes, and clothing. The CDC adds that most people have no idea they're carrying them.

Cleanliness doesn't keep them away. The CDC notes that bed bugs turn up in five-star hotels and resorts. Your risk goes up when you travel often or sleep where many other people have slept. Every tip below is about closing those doors.

Protect Your Home

The EPA suggests these precautions to help keep bed bugs out:

  • Check secondhand furniture, beds, and couches for signs of bed bugs before they come through the door.
  • Encase your mattress and box spring. A zippered encasement removes many hiding spots, and its light color makes bed bugs easier to see.
  • Reduce clutter, so bed bugs have fewer places to hide.
  • Vacuum often to pick up any hitchhikers before they settle in.
  • Be careful in shared laundry rooms. Carry laundry in plastic bags, move clothes from the dryer straight into a bag, and fold them at home.
  • In apartments, install door sweeps and seal cracks around baseboards and light sockets to slow bugs moving between units.

Want extra peace of mind? The EPA describes bed bug interceptors, small cups placed under each bed leg that catch bugs trying to climb up. Pull the bed a few inches from the wall and keep sheets and blankets off the floor, so the legs are the only way up.

Why We Start With the Mattress

Your bed is where bed bugs most want to be, because that's where you are for hours each night. The EPA says to buy a high quality encasement that resists tearing, and to check it regularly for holes.

We recommend AllergyCare Stretch Knit (BedBug Solution Elite) covers for prevention as well as for active infestations. The polyester knit is fused to a urethane membrane, so it's bed bug proof and blocks dust mite allergens too. If bed bugs ever do get in, a sealed bed is far easier to protect. Curious why a standard dust mite cover isn't enough? See Are Dust Mite Proof Covers Bed Bug Proof?

How to Avoid Bed Bugs When You Travel

Travel is where most of us are likeliest to meet a bed bug. A few minutes of checking when you arrive can save months of trouble.

When you check in:

  • Set your bags in the bathtub or on the bathroom counter while you look around. Hard, light surfaces make bugs easy to spot.
  • Pull back the sheets at each corner and check the mattress seams, piping, and tags. Use your phone's flashlight. You're looking for rusty stains, tiny dark spots, shed skins, or live bugs, the same signs the EPA lists for home.
  • Shine the light behind and along the headboard, and check the seams of upholstered chairs and the folds of curtains.
  • Check the luggage rack too, as the EPA suggests.

During your stay: keep luggage on the rack, a hard tabletop, or the bathroom counter, never on the bed or floor. We also keep clothes in the suitcase instead of the dresser drawers. If you see signs of bed bugs, politely ask for a different room, ideally one that isn't next door or directly above or below.

On the way: a habit we've kept for years is putting bags on the back seat floor of a rental car rather than in the trunk, where many other suitcases have been. Hard-sided luggage has fewer seams for bugs to hide in, too.

Coming Home Without Hitchhikers

The trip home is when bugs get their chance. Here's our routine:

  • Unpack outside your living space if you can, in a garage, carport, or balcony. If not, unpack in the bathtub, where a stray bug will stand out.
  • Look over each item as you unpack, then put travel clothes in a clothes dryer on high heat. The EPA says a dryer on high heat can kill bed bugs.
  • Use a flashlight to check the seams, pockets, and lining of your suitcase, then vacuum it before you store it.
  • Store luggage away from bedrooms, not under the bed.

If you find signs of bugs on a bag, the EPA notes that small items sealed in black plastic bags in a hot car in the sun may get hot enough to kill bed bugs, though results depend on the weather. Freezing works only if your freezer reaches 0°F, with items left sealed inside for three days.

Bed Bugs in College Dorms and Shared Housing

The CDC lists dorm rooms, apartments, and shelters among the places bed bug infestations usually happen. Lots of people, lots of luggage, and lots of move-in and move-out days give bed bugs plenty of rides. A few steps help students stay ahead of them:

  • Encase the dorm mattress on move-in day, before any bedding goes on it. Our guide to heading back to school for college covers dorm bedding in more detail.
  • Skip free and curbside furniture unless you can inspect it closely. The EPA says to check secondhand beds and couches before bringing them in.
  • Keep belongings stowed separately. The EPA suggests a plastic bin when there's a known problem in a shared space.
  • Speak up early. If you see signs of bed bugs, tell the RA or housing office right away. Don't panic, and don't try to handle a shared-building problem alone.

Host guests in a rental property? See How to Protect Your Rental From Bed Bugs.

If You Find Bed Bugs Anyway

Even careful people bring home a hitchhiker sometimes. If that happens, start with What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like? and our step-by-step guide, How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in a Mattress. Catching them early makes everything easier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to prevent bed bugs?

Stop them from hitchhiking in. The EPA recommends checking secondhand furniture before bringing it home, sealing mattresses and box springs in bed bug encasements, reducing clutter, vacuuming often, and being careful with luggage and shared laundry.

Where should I put my luggage in a hotel room?

Keep it off the bed and the floor. Check the luggage rack first, as the EPA suggests, then use the rack, a hard tabletop, or the bathroom counter while you inspect the bed.

What should I do with my clothes after a trip?

Unpack outside your living space, such as in a garage, and check your bags. Put travel clothes in a clothes dryer on high heat, which the EPA says can kill bed bugs.

Do mattress encasements prevent bed bugs?

They help a lot. The EPA says encasements remove many hiding spots, and their light color makes bed bugs easier to see. Choose a high quality, bed bug tested cover and check it regularly for holes.

How can college students avoid bed bugs in dorms?

Encase the dorm mattress, skip free or curbside furniture unless it has been inspected, keep belongings stowed separately, and tell the RA or housing office right away if you see signs of bed bugs.

A Few Habits, a Lot of Peace of Mind

You don't have to live in fear of bed bugs. A sealed mattress, a quick hotel check, and a careful unpack after each trip go a long way. Questions about covers for your home, a dorm bed, or a rental? Call us at (800) 771-2246. We've helped people with allergies since 1989, and we're happy to help.

Want the complete picture? This post is part of our free Practical Guide to Allergy-Free Living, built on allergy expertise we've been sharing since 1989 and covering dust mites, pet dander, air quality, laundry, and more.

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Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider — such as an allergist or your primary care physician — before making changes to your allergy management plan, starting new treatments, or if you have questions about a medical condition. In the event of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately and use an epinephrine auto-injector if one has been prescribed.