Can I Get Bed Bugs From My Neighbours?

Everybody knows you can bring bed bugs home after travelling or buying second-hand furniture, right? But what if the threat is closer than you think? Could your neighbour’s bed bug problem become your own? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. These opportunistic pests can travel between properties.

So, what can you do to protect your home from a potential bed bug invasion? In this article, Bed Bug Specialist London will share expert insight on how bed bugs spread from your neighbours, how to approach this delicate situation, and a few tried-and-tested steps you can take to prevent bed bug infestation.

To successfully control bed bug infestation, you must understand how these critters move and relocate from place to place. Bed bugs don’t jump and fly but can crawl and climb, successfully attaching themselves to clothes, luggage, furniture, and other belongings.

Read also: How to Check Second-Hand Furniture for Bed Bugs?

In buildings where you share a wall with your neighbours, the risk of infestations spreading between homes is very high. In terraced houses, semi, and flats, bed bugs easily cross through vents, pipes, and electrical outlets. These pests can also squeeze through the tiniest cracks, crevices and holes in the walls. Bed bugs can even escape through a neighbour’s window, crawl on the wall and enter your home through your window.

If you live in a detached home, getting bed bugs from your neighbours is less common but still possible. Shared activities like pet interactions, children playing together, or social visits can increase the risk of bed bugs spreading to your home.

There are many reasons why bed bugs may choose your home as their next feeding ground. Overcrowding in their current location often leads to increased competition for food, prompting them to seek out new territory. Additionally, if your neighbour initiates pest control measures, the disturbance and use of chemicals may drive the bed bugs away, sending them in search of a safer place.

Furthermore, bed bugs are attracted to carbon dioxide, which we exhale during sleep. If your neighbour goes out of town for a while, their apartment becomes less appealing, so your home might become a more attractive target. And while bed bugs can survive for extended periods without feeding, they are drawn to the availability of a food source. Extreme temperature fluctuations can also trigger them to emerge from hiding and seek more suitable conditions.

Check also: What Draws Bed Bugs Out of Hiding?

The first step in dealing with a potential bed bug issue from your neighbour is to have an open and understanding conversation. Bed bug infestation is a sensitive topic, so you must approach the situation with empathy and avoid judgement. Bed bugs can invade any home, but many people feel embarrassed or ashamed about having bed bugs.

So, when you talk to your neighbours, start by reassuring them that you’re not blaming anybody and that you are simply trying to contain the situation. Offer to help them find reputable bed bug control professionals to address the issue effectively. You can also discuss using potential temporary measures like decluttering and cleaning shared areas, for example, until the pest control service.

Read also: Why DIY Bed Bug Treatments Don’t Work (and What Actually Does)

The general precautions to help prevent bringing bed bugs home (like checking your luggage after travels or being cautious when using public transport) might not be relevant if there is an infestation in your building.

What’s more helpful is learning how to identify bed bugs and the warning signs of infestation. Also, there are a few specific measures you should take to prevent getting bed bugs from your neighbour:

• Be vigilant: Increase your inspections for signs of bed bugs, such as rust-coloured stains on bedding, shed skins, or live bugs. Focus on areas like mattresses, box springs, and furniture seams.
• Change your laundry routine: Do all your laundry in a high-temperature setting to kill any potential bed bugs. Wash your bedding regularly. If you have to use a shared laundry area in your building, don’t leave your laundry in the machines after the cycle. Remove your items immediately to minimise the risk of infestation.
• Avoid leaving items in the hallways: boxes, shoes, packages, and bags can all become vehicles for opportunistic bed bugs.
• Reduce interactions: Avoid neighbourly visits until you know your neighbours had professional bed bug treatment. If you have children or pets that play together, examine their clothes, toys, and other belongings when coming into your home.
• Seal the gaps: Inspect walls, skirting boards, and around pipes and electrical outlets for cracks or openings. Caulk these areas to create a barrier against unwanted visitors. Put filters on vents and ducts.
• Vacuum regularly: Pay close attention to areas where bed bugs might hide, like carpets, furniture, and along the skirting boards. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag outside immediately after use.
• Tidy up: Reducing the clutter in your apartment leaves fewer hiding places for bed bugs.
• Trap them: Install bed bug traps in high-risk areas like bedrooms and common areas to aid in the detection of the pests.
• Protect your bed: Install mattress encasements on all beds to reduce the risk of long-term infestation.
• Consider professional Help: Get your own home inspected for bed bugs immediately! If you suspect bed bugs have already spread to your home, immediately call a reputable pest control company specialising in bed bug removal.
• Keep talking to your neighbours: Work together on a plan to address the infestation and monitor the progress of the bed bug removal.

Check also: Should I Throw Out My Mattress if I have Bed Bugs?

If you suspect a problem, don’t hesitate to contact us! Here at Bed Bug Specialist, we have the expertise and tools to eradicate bed bug infestations quickly and effectively. Our professional exterminators employ two highly effective methods to eliminate these pests: bed bug heat treatment and steam and spray treatment. We will also help you identify any signs of reinfestation, as post-treatment monitoring is crucial to completely eradicating all the bed bugs in the building.