Who Is Most At Risk For Bed Bugs?

 

The short answer to this question:

Everyone is at risk for getting bed bugs.

 

Bed bugs, unlike us humans, don’t have specific home requirements or have food preferences. They only need two things to survive, a place to hide and a host to feed on. Which makes every one of us a potential victim to these pests and bed bugs removal is a difficult process.

You can’t “grow” bed bugs at home and they don’t come into your residence from the wild. Patient Zero was thousands of years ago and, thanks to the first settlers, are now here in America. They are spread by bringing yourself or items into an infested area.

Ever go into someone’s home or be around someone that has a cold? Where in a matter of seconds you become a germaphobe and see yourself getting sick a couple of days later?

 

 

Same concept for bed bugs, if you are around them, you are at a higher risk of taking them home with you. There are places and activities that can put you at a higher risk. Thank goodness you can take preventive measures, which we will discuss later in this article.

Bedbugs are more common in crowded lodgings that experience high turnover in occupancy, such as:

 

Apartment Complexes

Due to the mere population density and proximity of homes to one another, apartment complexes are at a higher risk of bed bug infestations. They can travel through walls and be waiting on community furniture.

Prevention Tips: Seal your baseboards, use electric outlet covers, do not sit on any community furniture that isn’t plastic or metal. Make sure you inspect your bed mattress on a regular basis.  

If you need assistance telling your landlord about a bed bug infestation, check out this article: TENANT’S GUIDE TO BED BUG INFESTATIONS

 

Dorm Rooms

Again, population density, proximity to living quarters, and to think that in dorm rooms there are more than one person and more than one mattress. Students typically go home for breaks, vacations, and holidays and bring the bed bugs back to school. With students often visiting each others room and the constant leaving and entering the premise, there should be no surprise that dorm rooms would be a hotspot for bed bugs.

Prevention Tips: Keep bed linens off the floor,  wash linens regularly in hot water and high heat, and do not bring any second hand furniture into the dorm without properly inspecting it. When visiting other dorm rooms or apartments, don’t set your belongings, backpacks, or books on any bed or upholstered furniture.

 

Homeless shelters

The places that are most at risk for developing bed bug infestations are where many people and their belongings move in and out on a consistent basis. So it is easy to see why shelter are particularly prone to having a bed bug issue. Often its clients do not have the means to deal with the issue and thus spreading them to each location they house at.

Prevention Tips: Put all non-essential items is a sealed plastic bag. After leaving the location, dry all clothings and other exposed items on high heat. This is a common method of DIY bed bug removal. Also, due to the high risk of bed bugs infesting shelters, most locations have a bed bug prevention plan set into place, see the manager of the location for details.

 

Hotels

Every knows at this point that hotels are a common location for bed bugs. People are consistently rotating in a single location. If the hotel is not following proper cleaning procedures, the risk of bed bugs staying and infesting continues to grow.

Prevention Tips: When you enter a hotel room, put your luggage in the bathroom. Due to its lack of upholstery and places to hide, it is an unlikely location for bed bugs to be. Inspect the bed sheets, blankets, mattress, box spring, and the head of bed for any signs of bed bugs.

If you need assistance identifying the signs of bed bugs, check out this article: 6 SIGNS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BED BUGS

 

Trains, Taxis, and Buses

Unfortunately, bed bugs can be found on buses and other public transits due to the constant rotation of people. Especially with rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft. With a continuous circulation of occupants, public transit makes a perfect place for bed bugs to spread and with many buses and trains having outdated upholstered seating, it makes a perfect place for bed bugs to hide.

Prevention Tips: Avoid sitting or setting your belongings onb upholstered seats and fabric lined surfaces. If that isn’t an option, standing may be a better choice. Avoid placing your luggage in the trunk of a taxi and keep smaller items like a purse on your lap.

It seems as though bed bugs are unavoidable, but with some minor prevention strategies you are putting yourself in a better position not to need a bed bug removal service.

If you believe that you were in a bed bug infestation location, schedule a FREE inspection with Bed Bug BBQ today! It is our goal to effectively rid your property of bed bugs while saving you time and money. When you partner with us, know that you are receiving guidance from people who have extensive hands-on experience identifying and eradicating bed bugs.