There’s a common misconception that bed bugs are a sign of a dirty home. They’re not. They’re one of the most indiscriminate pests in existence — found in five-star hotels, first-class train carriages, and immaculately kept houses just as often as anywhere else. Bed bugs aren’t attracted to dirt or food. What draws them is warmth, carbon dioxide, and human blood — and as long as they have access to those things, they can thrive anywhere. ThermoPest
What makes them so difficult to avoid is the sheer number of ways they can enter your home without you ever realising it. Understanding those routes is the first step to protecting yourself. Here are the ten most common ones.
1. Hotels and Holiday Accommodation
This is the big one. Bed bugs thrive in high-turnover environments such as hotels, hostels, and holiday rentals, where guests leave bags and clothing on beds, floors, and furniture, giving bed bugs every opportunity to climb on and hitch a ride. ThermoPest
Research compiled from 2.5 million hotel stays across the UK found five times the number of bed bug cases in the first three months of 2024 compared to the same period the previous year Hackney Gazette — so this isn’t a rare occurrence. The risk applies regardless of how clean or well-rated the accommodation is.
When you travel, keep your luggage on a rack rather than the floor, inspect the mattress seams and headboard before unpacking, and when you get home, wash everything on a hot cycle straight away.
2. Second-Hand Furniture
The rise of online resale platforms has been great for bargain hunters — but it’s also contributed significantly to the spread of bed bugs. A rise in furniture recycling through websites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace has been identified as one of the key factors driving increased infestations across the UK. The Week
Bed bugs hide in the cracks of wooden furniture, the seams of upholstered items, and even in the folds of second-hand clothing — and when these items are brought into a home without proper inspection, they spread easily. ThermoPest
If you’re buying used furniture, inspect it thoroughly in natural light before bringing it indoors. Pay particular attention to joints, seams, and any cracks in the frame.
3. Public Transport
Bed bug infestations in the UK have been increasing since 2003, partly due to the ease with which they travel on clothing worn by commuters and passengers on buses, trains, and other forms of public transport. PEST UK
It sounds alarming, but it’s worth keeping in perspective. A single bug on your clothing doesn’t guarantee an infestation — but it does mean that regularly washing clothes after long journeys, particularly on busy routes, is a sensible habit.
4. Visiting Friends or Family
Even the most well-meaning guest could bring bed bugs into your home without realising it. If a visitor has been staying somewhere infested, they could unknowingly transport bed bugs on their luggage, clothes, or shoes. ThermoPest
The reverse is also true. If you’ve been staying with someone whose home has an undetected infestation, you could bring bugs back with you. This is one of the reasons infestations can be so difficult to trace — the source isn’t always obvious.
5. Neighbours in Flats and Shared Buildings
In blocks of flats and high-density housing, bed bugs can spread through cracks, corridors, plug sockets, and even pipes — with infestations traced across entire floors of buildings through just a handful of electrical conduits. Merlin Environmental
If you live in a flat and your neighbour has an infestation, there’s a genuine risk it can reach you regardless of anything you’ve done. This is why swift action is so important in shared buildings — the longer an infestation goes untreated in one unit, the further it can spread.
6. Cinemas, Theatres, and Other Public Venues
Bed bugs can be found anywhere people gather — public transport, buses, trains, taxis, cinemas, theatres, and even office chairs are all places where bed bugs can crawl onto your clothing or bags. ThermoPest
David Cain, microbiologist and founder of Bed Bugs Ltd, noted that bed bugs are no longer just found in people’s beds — they’re on public transport, in doctor’s surgeries, cinemas, and restaurants. East London Advertiser The risk in any single visit is low, but it’s worth being aware of, particularly in upholstered seating areas.
7. Luggage and Bags
Your luggage doesn’t have to be left in an infested hotel room to pick up bed bugs. When you place a bag or coat on an infested surface — whether in a hotel lobby, a friend’s home, or on public transport — bed bugs can crawl onto your belongings and be carried home without you knowing. ThermoPest
Fabric bags and soft-sided luggage carry a higher risk than hard-shell cases, simply because bed bugs find it easier to cling to and hide within softer materials. Keeping bags off the floor where possible is a simple precaution that makes a difference.
8. Buying Second-Hand Clothing
It’s not just furniture that carries the risk. Bed bugs can hide in the folds of second-hand clothing just as easily as in furniture seams — and when these items are brought into a home without proper inspection, they can spread quickly. ThermoPest
If you shop at charity shops or buy clothes through online platforms, running purchases through a hot wash (60°C) before wearing or storing them is the most effective way to eliminate any risk.
9. Students and University Accommodation
Student housing is a particularly high-risk environment. High turnover of residents, shared bedrooms, communal laundry facilities, and the frequent movement of belongings between term-time addresses and family homes create ideal conditions for bed bugs to spread.
Schools, offices, colleges, and any space where people gather, rest, or leave belongings for extended periods can all become sources of bed bug spread. ThermoPest Parents of students heading back after a university break should be aware that luggage and bedding are worth checking before they come into the house.
10. Wildlife
This one surprises most people. Bed bugs originally evolved feeding on bats in caves, and wild animals — including bats and birds — can still carry bed bugs or closely related species into buildings through roof spaces and cavities. Wikipedia
If you have a bird’s nest under the eaves of your home, or any evidence of bats or other wildlife in your loft space, it’s worth being alert to this as a potential source — particularly if you notice bites but can’t identify an obvious route of entry.
What to Do If You Think You Have Bed Bugs
The most important thing is to act quickly. A female bed bug can lay up to 10 eggs a day and up to 500 in her lifetime, meaning a small problem can become a serious infestation in a matter of weeks. CIEH
DIY chemical attempts can actually spread bugs further into your home and worsen resistance problems, making professional treatment more difficult further down the line. The Bed Bug Doctor If you spot the signs — small dark spots on bedding, shed skins, a sweet musty smell, or unexplained bites — contact a professional pest controller as soon as possible rather than reaching for a supermarket spray.
The good news is that when bed bugs are caught early and treated correctly, they can be fully eliminated. The key is knowing what you’re dealing with and getting the right help quickly.
Bug Blitz by Destrodent provides professional bed bug heat treatment across Surrey, including Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Reigate, Camberley, Weybridge, Dorking, Cobham, Esher, Walton-on-Thames, Hersham, Epsom, and Redhill. Spotted the signs? Get in touch today for a free consultation.