Can someone who has bed bugs bring them to your house? Well, here’s the answer.
If your visitors have a bedbug infestation in their home, then know that it is possible that they can bring them into your home.
Most times, people with bed bug infestation are not even aware of it. (Source)
Because of this, they may carry them around unawares and leave them in places they have been.
Keep in mind that bed bugs don’t like body heat.
So, they will try as much as possible not to hang on to your skin.
The only places that you can find them are in your clothes but not in immediate clothes such as underwear.
They will hide on coats, shoes, or bags.
Therefore, if you want to prevent these creatures from entering your homes, focus on these clothes when you have a visitor.
It is easy for someone to bring bed bugs into your home.
Bed bugs are good at hiding, so it may not be evident that your visitor has carried the bugs with them when they come visiting.
Also, their small size makes it harder for you to notice that they are actually there.
Can someone who has bed bugs bring them to your house?
If you ever find yourself wondering about this question, just know someone can bring the bed bugs into your home.
How to Prevent Visitors from Bringing Bed Bugs into your House?
But the good news is that you can stop them from bringing these little creatures into your home.
Bear in mind that dealing with short-term visitors is different from how you would deal with long-term visitors.
You may talk to them about the bed bug issue, but it probably won’t be necessary if they are not staying too long.
So, you can take precautionary measures discreetly.
Use the tips below to help you deal with bed bugs if someone has brought them into your home.
1. Watch Where You Place Your Visitors Clothes and Bag
When you receive a visitor, it is polite to take the coats and bags or provide a safe place for them to store the items.
A good place that you have probably been placing them is in their bedroom because there is more privacy there.
However, if you are trying to avoid a bed bug infestation, you need to be mindful of where you place your visitor’s items.
A bedroom is not a good place for this.
The best place to store your visitor’s coats and bags are on the entryway or the foyer.
You can hang a coat rack and limit it for visitors only. By doing this, you will prevent the bed bugs from spreading into other rooms.
You should also ask them to take their shoes off before coming into the living room.
2. Cover the Seats
Ensure you cover your seating area with sheets or sleep covers before your visitor arrives.
Besides adding to the appeal in your home, sleep covers also help protect your seats from bed bug infestation and dirt.
Slip covering is a temporary method recommended for visitors who are not coming to stay for too long.
This is because you will need to take the sheet or the cover out after the visitor has left and washed them.
If you don’t have money to buy sleep covers, you can use your bedsheets.
Depending on the number of seats and the visitors you are expecting, you may need more bedsheets.
But on the standard level, you will need two queen-sized bedsheets.
3. Dispose of Items
If your visitor brought some items, you should wash them but only wash the washable.
If the items were in cartons or present wrappers, make sure to place them in a trash bag, then dispose of them properly.
Sealing items in a trash bag is a good way of preventing the bed bugs from spreading to other areas in your home.
As you do this ensure, you remove any item that the visitor came in contact with then clean them.
4. Offer to Wash Your Visitors Clothes
Offer to wash and clean clothes for the visitors who are spending the night.
By offering to clean the clothes, you are reducing the risk of the bed bugs spreading.
You will also know what to look for and how to handle these clothes to ensure these creatures are not spreading to some other places.
5. Buy an Encasement for Your Mattress
If your visitor will be spending the night at your place, ensure you use a mattress encasement. An encasement not only protects your mattress against bed bug infestation, but it also helps in the early detection of the infestation.
An encasement ensures that the bed bugs are only restricted to the areas they can be seen, making it easier for you to deal with them.
Ensure you also purchase bed bug interceptors for the guest bedrooms.
Bed bug interceptors are small devices that you place below your bed’s legs to prevent them from climbing to the top of the bed.
6. Avoid Going to Bed Bug Infested Homes
Your friend or visitor may not be the only one to bring bed bugs into your home; you can also do the same.
If you know that your friend has bed bugs in her home, the best way to prevent them from infesting your house is to avoid going to their home.
This may not be an ideal solution, but it is necessary to don’t want the creatures in your home.
7. Talk to Your Visitor
Talk to your visitor about bed bugs and their effects.
Your visitor may not be aware that they have a bed bug infestation in their home.
Talking to them will also help them find solutions to the problem.
When talking to them, ensure you tell them what bed bugs are and how they look to know what to look for in their homes.
Also, tell them the different ways they can protect their homes against the pests.
When talking to them, ensure you are calm and polite.
Some people may think you don’t want in their homes by throwing accusations of bed bug infestation.
Remember, you want to protect your friends and family from a bed bug infestation, so talking is essential.
Conclusion
Can someone who has bed bugs bring them to your house? Yes, it’s possible for anyone with bedbugs to unknowingly carry them into your home.
However, if you follow the above tips, you will prevent bed bugs from transfer into your home.