Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. While the idea of these pests living on you all day is alarming, the answer to whether they stay on your clothes is generally no. Bed bugs do not live on a host or on clothing long-term like fleas or lice. They utilize clothing and belongings as temporary vehicles to move from one location to another, which is the primary way new infestations begin.
Understanding Bed Bug Movement and Habitat
Bed bugs are transient parasites, meaning they only seek out a host briefly to feed and then retreat to a hidden location. They are primarily nocturnal, emerging from their hiding spots at night to feed on a sleeping or stationary host. This behavior dictates why they do not remain on clothing that is being worn and is actively moving.
These insects prefer stable, dark harborage areas that are close to their food source, which is typically a bed or upholstered furniture. Their preferred hiding spots include mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, cracks in walls, and furniture crevices. Movement, heat, and light, all associated with a person wearing clothes during the day, make apparel an undesirable long-term home.
A bed bug’s flat body is perfectly suited for squeezing into tight spaces, but it offers little advantage for clinging to a rapidly moving host. If a bed bug finds itself on clothing while a person is active, it will likely disembark quickly to seek a more secure and stationary hiding place. This preference for a secure, stationary harborage explains why they are not found living on people or clothing “all day.” They seek shelter and proximity to a resting host, not a ride on an active one.
How Bed Bugs Hitchhike on Apparel
Although bed bugs do not reside on worn clothing, they are highly skilled at using garments and personal items as a means of passive transport, often called “hitchhiking.” This transfer occurs when clothing is left near an infested area, such as draped over a chair, piled on the floor, or packed in luggage near a bed. The bugs simply crawl onto the fabric seeking temporary refuge or a new location.
The risk of carrying a bed bug is high for items that remain stationary in an infested location, such as a backpack left on the floor of a hotel room or a coat hung in an infested office. Bed bugs, including nymphs, can cling to the seams, folds, and cuffs of fabric for a short period. Once the item is moved, the bed bug is carried along and may disembark at the new location, potentially starting an infestation elsewhere.
Bed bugs can lay their eggs in the seams of clothing, particularly if the garment has been left undisturbed in an infested area. This makes even unworn items a risk factor for spreading the pests. Travelers frequently bring bed bugs home this way, as the pests hide in suitcases, gym bags, and the clothing packed inside, which are often left motionless near the bed in an unfamiliar environment.
Eliminating Bed Bugs from Clothing and Items
Eliminating bed bugs from clothing relies on the pests’ intolerance for extreme temperatures, particularly heat. The most reliable method for treating fabrics is by using a clothes dryer set to a high temperature. Research indicates that exposing clothing to temperatures of 122°F (50°C) for at least 20 minutes will kill all life stages of the bed bug, including the eggs.
The drying cycle is often more effective than the washing cycle alone. Washing at lower temperatures, such as 100°F (40°C), may kill adult bugs and nymphs but is less effective against the eggs. To ensure elimination, wash items using the hottest water setting the fabric can tolerate, ideally 140°F (60°C). Immediately transfer them to a high-heat dryer for a minimum of 30 minutes. For items that cannot be washed, such as shoes or delicate fabrics, placing them directly into a hot dryer for 30 minutes is an effective treatment.
Any clothing or item suspected of contamination should be immediately sealed in a plastic bag before being moved to the laundry area to prevent bed bugs from escaping during transit. Dry cleaning is a viable option for temperature-sensitive materials, as the process kills all life stages. After treatment, all cleaned items should be placed into new, sealed plastic bags for isolation until the entire infestation is resolved.