If you’ve got a bed bug infestation, then you know what a complete pain in the butt it is — sometimes literally! And if you’re about to move to a new house, you’re probably excited to get away from your nightly problem.
However, moving won’t be the solution to your bed bug problem. Because unfortunately, they can hitch a ride to your new abode unless you take the right precautions beforehand.
And the last thing that you want is to take these annoying pests with you!
So in this article, we’ll show you how to move without taking bed bugs with you. You’ll be glad that we did!
How To Move Without Taking Bed Bugs With You
Moving to a new place tops the list as one of the most stressful things we endure in life, along with the loss of a family member and divorce. So the last thing you’ll want to do when you’re moving to a new home is to have your new living space invaded by unwanted visitors, especially bloodthirsty bed bugs.
Moving to a new place tops the list as one of the most stressful things we endure in life, along with the loss of a family member and divorce. So the last thing you’ll want to do when you’re moving to a new home is to have your new living space invaded by unwanted visitors, especially bloodthirsty bed bugs.
You deserve to have a good night’s sleep in your new home, and this definitely won’t be the case if you bring your bed bugs with you. Therefore, you must get rid of this problem before the big moving day.
Doing so is going to take some effort on your part. But it is a necessary factor in the process so that you can enjoy your future living space without the hassle of dealing with a bed bug infestation there as well.
Bed bugs are masters at hiding in places you may not consider, and they don’t just tuck themselves away in your mattresses and bedding. They can also hitch a ride to your new home in your clothing, car seats, luggage, appliances, and even your picture frames.
Honestly, if you’re about to move and able to afford it, you should hire a local pest control service focused on bed bugs. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of. There’s a high likelihood you’ll spread them to your new place, and potentially to other places as well.
If that’s not in the budget, here are the tasks you should follow. Get rid of your bed bug infestation before your big move.
Before Moving Day
To avoid bringing these nighttime pests with you to your new home, you’ll need to follow this strategy:
1. Shop Around
If your bed bug infestation is in your mattress and box spring, then it’s a very good idea to throw out your old one and start anew at your new living space (and don’t leave it on the curb for some unsuspecting person to pick up). You should also purchase a bed bug repelling mattress cover.
Decide what you’re going to do with your other furniture, remembering that secondhand furniture definitely comes with risks.
2. Plastic Fantastic
You’ll need to buy an adequate supply of sealable clear plastic bags of all sizes and larger container bins. This is because if you miss any bed bugs when you’re packing, you’ll be able to see them and clean or wash the items again before putting them away after your move.
Just be aware that bed bugs can last for up to a year in those sealed bins. So be very careful and check everything as you take it out.
If you’ve got bed bugs, it’s best to avoid cardboard boxes to move your possessions. Bed bugs love hiding in them, which can cause a problem at the other end.
3. Inspect Everything
You’re going to need to take a close inspection when it comes to your possessions. If the infestation of your mattress and box spring isn’t too bad, then thoroughly inspect them for bed bugs or eggs with a flashlight, making sure that you check all seams, cracks, and creases.
You’ll also have to do this with any upholstered furniture you’re taking with you, and even on wood furniture with cracks and nooks for bugs to hide in.
You’re going to need to take a close inspection when it comes to your possessions. If the infestation of your mattress and box spring isn’t too bad, then thoroughly inspect them for bed bugs or eggs with a flashlight, making sure that you check all seams, cracks, and creases.
During your inspection, you should empty all of your cabinet drawers to inspect them, while also paying attention to the drawer runs and screw heads. Vacuum and clean any bed bugs, eggs, or dust you find, and put somewhere safe away from carpets and fabrics.
4. Wash and Dry
All of your clothing and any other fabric item, like bed sheets, blankets, towels, and cushion covers, must be washed at the hottest recommended setting for 30 minutes or longer, and then dried.
The recommended temperature for washing is 125 degrees Fahrenheit, because this heat will also kill eggs and nymphs, as well as adult bed bugs. When they are fully dried after tumble drying, seal the clean items in your clear plastic bags and seal them shut.
For fabrics that can’t get wet, such as children’s stuffed toys, inspect them for bed bugs first before putting them in the dryer on the highest setting for at least 30 minutes. When this is done, place them inside a plastic bag and seal it shut, before adding the sealed bags to one of your plastic containers and closing the lid.
Note: check the tags of all items to make sure they’re safe to put in the dryer.
Note: check the tags of all items to make sure they’re safe to put in the dryer.
You might want to check your dryer’s lint catcher after each load, because you’ll generally find dead bed bugs caught in it that were killed by the heat.
This will also give you a good visual representation of how infested your current home is.
5. Seal of Approval
You’ll also need to check your other possessions, like your suitcases, books, shoes, electronics and small appliances for hiding bed bugs. Give them a good vacuum as well, then seal them inside separate plastic bags, which you can add to your larger plastic containers.
Make sure you close the lids when you’re done.
It Sucks
Your vacuum cleaner is going to become your new best friend during your packing-unpacking routine. And you’ll need to vacuum everything before you actually move, to get rid of any hiding bed bugs and their eggs. So have an adequate supply of vacuum cleaner bags on hand.
What do we mean by everything?
Well, if you’re bringing your mattresses and box springs with you, then you’ll need to vacuum these. And don’t forget about the bed frames, dressers, cabinets, and their drawers.
And along with the carpets, you’ll have to vacuum all of your floors, paying attention to all cracks in wooden floorboards and wall boards. In addition, you need to vacuum all of your upholstered furniture.
Like we said, everything.
When you finish vacuuming, carefully remove the vacuum cleaner bag, and place it in a sealed plastic bag, before you dispose of it in an outdoor garbage can. Again, you’ll have to do this vacuuming routine every single day before your move.
On Moving Day
On your big day, you’ll want to keep your stress levels down by making doubly sure that you don’t transport any bed bugs along with you to your new abode.
When you and any family or roommates shower in the morning, put on clean clothing and shoes, and then pack up the discarded clothing into sealed plastic bags labeled ‘dirty laundry’. It is possible that these will be infested, so you will have to launder them later. And you’ll be able to see any bed bugs through the plastic.
If you have any pets, then you’ll need to bathe and brush their coats as well. Bed bugs generally don’t feed on animal blood, unless you have a severe infestation. But they could be hiding in your pet’s bed and bedding.
If you don’t have the time to wash the bedding before you go, also put these into sealable plastic bags and put them in a plastic container marked for dirty laundry.
Be Vigilant When Unpacking
Once you have moved into your new living space, you need to be vigilant and look out for any signs of bed bugs when you’re unpacking all of your possessions. Again, this will take a lot of time and effort on your part. But it will be worth it, because you may have brought a bed bug with you from your last home unaware that you have done so.
Once you have moved into your new living space, you need to be vigilant and look out for any signs of bed bugs when you’re unpacking all of your possessions. Again, this will take a lot of time and effort on your part. But it will be worth it.
When you start, be very careful and inspect every item before you put it in its new place.
It would be a good idea to start with any dirty laundry that you have brought with you, making sure again that you wash everything at the highest temperature before tumble drying on hot.
Inspect all of your furniture again before moving it into place, especially if it’s been acquired or is secondhand.
You should also make sure that you vacuum your new home on a regular basis, and don’t allow things to get cluttered, especially under your beds.
Following these simple strategies will help to ensure that you won’t have to deal with another infestation in your new home.
In the unfortunate case that you do notice bed bugs, either contact your building manager immediately, or call in the exterminators. Because the earlier you take action, the easier the infestation will be to treat.
Conclusion
You are now equipped with all the information you need in order to make sure that you move without taking bed bugs with you.
As we said, your best bet is to call in a professional. But if you can’t do that, follow the steps above to minimize your chance of taking bed bugs with you when you move.
It may seem like a lot of work. But when you settle into your new living space without worrying about being bitten, you’ll sleep as sound as a baby every night.
And who doesn’t want that?
