Bed bugs move from place to place by clinging to clothing, bags, furniture, and other personal items. You won’t feel them, and most people don’t even notice they’re bringing them home until it's too late.

Here are some of the most common ways people accidentally bring them in:

1. Luggage and Travel Bags
Hotels, motels, and short-term rentals can be hotspots for bed bugs. They hide in mattresses, headboards, and even behind the curtains. Once they’re in your luggage or backpack, they come home with you

2. Used Furniture and Mattresses
Free curbside finds or secondhand furniture might seem like a great deal, but they’re one of the most common sources of infestations. Bed bugs love couches, chairs, dressers, and box springs

3. Public Transit and Waiting Areas
Bed bugs have been found on buses, subways, rideshares, and even airport lounges. If you set your bag down or brush against a seat, that might be all it takes

4. Shared Laundry Rooms
If someone else in your building is dealing with bed bugs, they could transfer to your laundry bag or clothes in a shared laundry space, especially if laundry is left unattended 

5. Apartment Buildings and Condos
Bed bugs can move between units through cracks in the walls, electrical outlets, baseboards, or vents. Even if your space is spotless, they might still show up from next door

Do Bed Bugs Spread from Person to Person?

Not directly. Bed bugs don’t live on our bodies like lice. But if you’re wearing clothes or carrying items that have bugs or eggs on them, you can unintentionally pass them on. That’s why it’s so important to act quickly.