State education department fights bedbugs. How to keep them out of your home
With the California Department of Education telling its workers to hold off returning to the office until July 27 as its headquarters are treated for bedbugs, there is renewed interest in how to identify, avoid and get rid of the insects.
Bedbugs are commonly spread when they get into the seams and folds of luggage, overnight bags, folded clothes, bedding, furniture, and anywhere else their small, flat bodies can hide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bugs are not known to spread disease to people, but they can bite and cause irritation and itching of the skin. They can also cause an allergic reaction, although rare. The bugs bite people and animals, feeding on their blood, and they can go months without a blood meal, the CDC website said.
In 2024, Los Angeles and San Francisco were among of the top 50 cities in the United States with the biggest bedbug problems, according to Orkin.
Here’s how to spot bedbugs in hotels, homes and elsewhere and how to get rid of them.
What do bedbugs look like?
In general, adult bedbugs are reddish brown and about the size of an apple seed, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They measure about 3/16 to 1/4 inch long.
Young bedbugs, also known as nymphs, are smaller and translucent or whitish-yellow in color, the EPA said.
Though the insects have wings, they cannot fly, the EPA’s website notes.
The CDC reminds people that how clean a place or hotel is does not determine if bedbugs are present or not.
Where do bedbugs hide?
Bedbugs are only about the width of a credit card, meaning they can squeeze into small hiding spots, according to the EPA.
Both the EPA and the CDC note that if a room is heavily infested, you may find bedbugs:
- In the seams of chairs and couches, between cushions and in the folds of curtains
- In drawer joints
- In appliances
- Under loose wallpaper and wall hangings
- At the junction where the wall and the ceiling meet
What are the signs of bedbug infestation?
You may think you have bedbugs if you wake up with bites on your skin, but that’s not the best indicator of an infestation, the EPA says, since bites can resemble those of other insects, such as mosquitoes or chiggers.
The EPA recommends looking for the following signs when checking for bedbugs:
- Red stains on bed sheets or mattresses caused by bedbugs being crushed
- Dark spots, which are bedbug excrement (spots may bleed on the fabric like a marker would)
- Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny and pale yellow skins that bedbugs shed as they grow larger
How to get rid of bedbugs
If you find bedbugs in your home, there are ways to get rid of them, according to the EPA.
- Remove infested items and seal them in a plastic bag.
- Wash bedding, clothes, curtains and any other fabric in hot water, preferably with temperatures above 140 degrees.
- Vacuum all surfaces, including mattresses, box springs and furniture.
- Use a bedbug-proof cover to trap the insects.
The California Department of Public Health recommends contacting a licensed pest control company to control the infestation and using heat treatments and insecticides to target bedbugs.
How to prevent bedbugs
- When staying in a hotel, store luggage in an area with “hard surfaces,” such as a luggage rack.
- After traveling, wash all of the clothes you bring home immediately, then dry them using the hot setting, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
- Using a hand steamer on your luggage can also help kill bedbugs and their eggs.
- Avoid bringing secondhand furniture into your home, or exercise precautions through careful inspection.