How to Check for Bed Bugs When Moving Into a New Home

Knowing how to check for bed bugs when moving into a new home matters. It can save you from inheriting someone else’s infestation. You have not unpacked a single box yet, so this is the easiest time to look. An empty apartment or house can still carry bed bugs from a previous occupant. A quick check before move-in day beats finding out after you have already settled in. The whole process takes only a few extra minutes. It is far easier to do before furniture and boxes fill the space.

Start by running a flashlight along baseboards, outlets, and closet corners. Check behind any built-in shelving too. Pay close attention to the corners of empty closets and the gaps around baseboard trim. Bed bugs can survive for months without a host by staying tucked into cracks like these. Did the previous tenant leave furniture behind? Treat it the way you would treat any secondhand piece, and inspect it closely before you use it. A nightstand or bookshelf the landlord includes with the unit deserves that same close look.

Where to Check for Bed Bugs When Moving Into an Apartment

Apartments and shared buildings add a wrinkle a single-family home does not have. Bed bugs can travel between units through shared walls, outlets, and plumbing lines. If you want to check for bed bugs when moving into an apartment, start with the shared walls. Look closely at the areas that back up to neighboring units. Ask the property manager whether another unit has reported an issue recently. A short conversation before you sign the lease can save you a much bigger headache after you move in.

A few minutes now can save a lot of trouble later. See Bed Bug Inspection & Detection to learn more. Or read How to Inspect Used Furniture for Bed Bugs if the previous tenant left anything behind.

Frequently Asked Questions