If you’re welcoming your kids home from college for summer break be prepared for stories of campus life, lots of laughs, and at least a couple loads of laundry. But one unwelcome souvenir of college life might be coming home along with your student – bed bugs.
College dorms, with their close quarters, shared furnishings, and high student turnover, can become hot spots for bed bug infestations. If you start to notice itchy bites, rust-colored stains on sheets, or small bugs around furniture or mattresses it’s possible your college student has unwittingly transported these unwelcome pests home.
Why College Dorms are Vulnerable to Bed Bugs
Dorm rooms, as well as off-campus housing, offer some ideal conditions for bed bug infestations. Students are living in close proximity to one another, often bringing in second-hand furniture to save a buck, and traveling between housing units.
Bed bugs are hitchhikers. The crawl into luggage and backpacks with ease. From there they can quietly make their way into new environments – like dorm rooms or your home. To compound matters, college students are often unaware of the signs of a growing bed bug problem. Between demanding class schedules, late nights, and the general chaos of college life it can be easy to miss the early signs of an infestation.
Signs That Bed Bugs Have Come Home
When students come home from college, whether for summer break, a long weekend, or the holidays, keep an eye out for these common signs of bed bug activity:
- Unexplained Bites – Small, red, itchy welts (especially in a line or cluster) often appearing arms, legs and other exposed areas.
- Blood or Fecal Stains – These may appear on sheets, mattresses, or pillowcases. The spots could be from crushed bugs or from bed bug droppings.
- Living Bugs or Shed Skins – Bed bugs are about the size of an apple seed. They’re usually reddish-brown and oval shaped. You may also find small pale-yellow skins that have been shed as bed bugs grow.
- A Musty Odor – In the case of large infestations, a sweet musty smell (similar to Coriander) may be noticeable.
Tips for Prevention
If your college student is planning to come home for a break there are some simple proactive measures you should take to avoid bringing bed bugs into your home. These simple tips could mean the difference between a welcome visit home and the start of a bed bug nightmare.
- Inspect Everything – When your kids arrive home inspect their luggage, clothing, and bedding before bringing anything indoors. A garage, porch, or laundry room is a good place to stage your inspections.
- Wash and Dry Clothing – Immediately wash all clothing and bedding in hot water. Then dry on the highest setting for at least 30 minutes. Heat is powerful weapon in the fight against bed bugs and will kill bed bugs and their eggs.
- Vacuum Luggage Thoroughly – Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to clean suitcases and backpacks. Pay close attention to seams. Dispose of the vacuum bag or empty the vacuum canister in an outdoor trash bin.
- Isolate Suitcases – Store luggage in the garage or the basement. If necessary place them in plastic bags or bins with tight fitting lids for added protection.
If You find Bed Bugs in Your Home
If, despite your best efforts, you find evidence of bed bugs you need to act quickly. Bed bugs are notorious for breeding rapidly, and a small bed bug problem can become a big one in just a few weeks.
Some basic tips to help you cope with the infestation:
- Avoid moving belongings to other rooms. This can spread the infestation further and make it more difficult to control.
- Clean and declutter as much as possible. Reducing clutter eliminates many common bed bug hiding places. This ultimately makes treatment easier and more effective. Vacuum regularly and dispose of the contents in an outside trash bin.
- Consult a professional at the first opportunity. Bed bugs are notoriously hard to eliminate with do-it-yourself methods. Call in a license pest control expert – especially one that specializes in bed bug removal –and work with them to devise a treatment protocol that works for you and your family.
College should be a time of learning and growth — not bringing uninvited guests home for the holidays. With a little awareness, some preventive steps, and quick action if needed, you can keep your home bed bug-free and focus on what matters: enjoying time with your family. So next time your child heads home from campus, do a little “bug check” along with your warm welcome. It could save you a lot of hassle and help you sleep soundly — without the bites.
Published by Scott Palatnik
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