How do you get bed bugs? Where they really come from

Let’s clear up the biggest myth first: bed bugs have nothing to do with how clean or tidy your home is. They feed on blood, not dirt, and are found in spotless five-star hotels and brand-new homes as readily as anywhere else. What bed bugs need is a host and somewhere to hide — so they arrive by being carried in, not by being “caught”.

The main ways bed bugs get into a home

• Travel — the single most common route. Bugs climb into luggage and clothing in hotels, hostels, trains and planes and come home with you
• Second-hand furniture — especially beds, mattresses, headboards and upholstered sofas
• Visitors and guests — anyone who has bed bugs can bring them in on a bag or coat
• Shared buildings — in flats, HMOs and terraces, bed bugs travel between units through walls, pipework and voids
• Used items and deliveries — occasionally via second-hand goods or, rarely, returned items

Why you often don’t notice at first

A few bed bugs brought in on a suitcase can live quietly for weeks before the population grows enough to be noticed. That delay is why people struggle to pinpoint where they came from — by the time you spot bites or evidence, the trip or the second-hand sofa is a distant memory.

How to lower your risk

You can’t make yourself immune, but you can cut the odds: check hotel beds before you unpack, keep luggage off the bed and floor, wash and hot-dry clothes when you get home from a trip, and inspect any second-hand furniture thoroughly before bringing it indoors. Our guide to avoiding bed bugs from travel has the full checklist.

Already have them?

If bed bugs have found their way in, don’t reach for a supermarket spray — use our free matching service to get connected with a vetted local specialist who can confirm it and treat it properly.