You wake up scratching at small red bites and think, Surely not.
But then you see the telltale dots on the sheets. The panic sets in.
How did this happen? You’re clean. You’re careful. You don’t even know anyone with bed bugs.
That’s what most people say, right before discovering how effortlessly these insects sneak into homes.
1. The travel trap
The number one culprit is travel.
Bed bugs love hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs, not because they’re dirty, but because they’re full of fresh humans and fast turnover.
They hide in mattress seams, curtains, and behind headboards.
When you rest your suitcase on a bed, chair, or carpet, a few hitchhikers crawl inside the folds of your luggage or clothing.
You fly home, unpack, and, congratulations, you’ve just imported a population.
Tip: Keep luggage on a hard surface or luggage rack, never on beds or carpet. When you get home, unpack straight into the washing machine and run items on hot.
2. The second-hand surprise
Second-hand furniture is a stealthy offender.
That bargain sofa on Marketplace or “free curbside find” might carry more than character.
Bed bugs can hide deep inside cushions, screw holes, or even the joints of wooden frames.
They can live for months without feeding, waiting patiently for their next victim.
Used bedding, curtains, rugs, or storage boxes from unknown sources can also carry eggs and nymphs.
Tip: Always inspect used furniture under seams and in cracks. If in doubt, skip the freebie.
3. The neighbour problem
In apartments or townhouses, your problem might not even be yours.
Bed bugs can crawl through wall cavities, electrical outlets, baseboards, and even along plumbing and wiring routes.
When a neighbour sprays or disturbs an infestation, the bugs scatter and look for new shelter, sometimes next door.
Tip: If someone nearby reports bed bugs, act early. Use mattress covers, traps under bed legs, and a light dusting of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) around skirting boards to block their path.
4. Guests, deliveries, and daily contact
Sometimes, they walk right in.
Visitors returning from travel, kids coming home from sleepovers, or a tradesperson’s tool bag can all carry bed bugs.
Deliveries, rental furniture, and even moving trucks that serviced infested homes are also known vectors.
And don’t forget workplaces or waiting rooms—upholstered seats in cinemas, trains, taxis, and offices occasionally host a hidden hitchhiker.
Tip: Store coats and bags away from beds and couches. Bed bugs don’t like smooth surfaces, so hooks and hard floors are safer.
5. Stored goods and moving day mishaps
Moving house? That’s another risk point.
Bed bugs can linger in reused boxes, moving blankets, or the truck itself if it carried an infested load before yours.
Storage units also spread infestations when tenants move belongings in and out.
Tip: Inspect storage areas before moving items in. Wrap soft goods in sealed plastic and label boxes clearly so they aren’t reused blindly later.
6. The less obvious hideouts
It’s not just beds.
Bed bugs can squeeze into electronics, picture frames, books, wheelchairs, prams, or instrument cases, basically any dark, still crevice near where people rest.
Pets aren’t a host species (they prefer human blood), but their bedding or carriers can carry hitchhikers from an infested room.
Tip: If you’re treating an infestation, include bedside gadgets, skirting boards, and fabric furniture, not just the mattress.
7. The myth of “dirty houses”
This is the part that shocks most people.
Bed bugs don’t care how clean you are. They don’t feed on crumbs or grime, just blood.
They’ll infest a five-star suite as easily as a student dorm.
All they need is one opportunity: a human, a place to hide, and time.
Their flat bodies let them vanish into cracks thinner than a credit card, and they can live months without feeding. That’s how a single female can start a colony in what looks like a spotless home.
8. What you can do next
If you suspect you’ve brought home bed bugs:
- Inspect seams, folds, and corners of your mattress and bed frame.
- Use encasements to trap any bed bugs inside the mattress and prevent new ones getting in.
- Set up bed leg traps (interceptors) filled with Diatomaceous Earth to stop them climbing up.
- Steam or heat-treat affected items—bed bugs die at around 50°C.
- Avoid spraying chemicals blindly; they scatter bugs and make the problem worse.
The key is isolation, turning your bed into a safe “island” they can’t reach. Once they have to crawl across DE powder or a barrier trap to reach you, the battle’s already over.
The uncomfortable truth
Most infestations start with one hitchhiker. A suitcase. A couch. A neighbour’s wall void.
That’s how it begins. Quietly, invisibly. And that’s why awareness, not panic, is your best defence. Because bed bugs don’t just appear out of nowhere. They come with us.
The good news? Once you understand how they move, you can stop them before they ever reach your bed.
