Don't Let Your Student Bring Bed Bugs Home In Their Backpacks

Ensure your college student arrives home bed bug free with these helpful tips

December

15

2010

Parents in Michigan, Ohio and throughout the country are rightfully concerned that their college student could bring bed bugs home on their backpacks or in their luggage over the holiday season.  With increased reports of schools, colleges and universities being infested with bed bugs, it only makes sense to minimize the risk of a bed bug infestation. 

Preparing and packing for home

  • Advise your college student to wash and dry clothing and other washer/dryer safe items at the highest temperature possible and pack them in a sealed plastic container or bag that has been labeled “CLEAN”.

  • If only drying, place items in the dryer at the highest setting possible for at least 20 minutes.

  • Other belongings should be packed in sealed plastic bags or containers that have been labeled “INSPECT”.

  • Items that do not fit in a sealed bag or container should not be transported home.  This includes furniture. 

Travel day

  • Students should shower and change into clothes that have been washed/dried and stored in a sealed bag or container labeled “CLEAN”.

  • Dirty clothing should be placed and transported in a sealed bag labeled as “WASH”.

  • Keep all clean items separate from un-inspected items on the way home.

Arriving home

  • Any items that have not been inspected for bed bugs should be left outside of the home until it is checked over and deemed bed bug free.

  • Any dirty clothes should be washed and dried immediately.  If more than one load is to be done, leave successive loads in their sealed containers or bags outside until it is time to launder them.

  • Thoroughly inspect un-washable items for bed bugs outside.

  • Small items that may be infested that are not heat sensitive should be placed in the dryer at the highest setting possible for at least 20 minutes.

For more information on how you can avoid bed bug infestations in your home, please review our Bed Bug Identification section.  If you are concerned that bed bugs have already infested your home, Rose Pest Solutions can help.  We offer accurate bed bug inspections performed by our bed bug dogs highly effective bed bug treatments for homes and businesses in our coverage area including in Detroit, Cincinnati and Cleveland.  Please contact us by phone at  or by filling out our online contact form.