We are here to inform you about 19 common places where bed bugs hide. All of these hiding spots are where we (Doctor Sniffs) have found bed bugs. Bed bugs are often hard to find because they squeeze in between tiny spaces during the day and only feed at night.
Since bed bugs are small, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of humans at nighttime, they are often hard to find during the day. They are between 1.5 mm – 6 mm and can flatten their bodies to fit into tiny spaces.
The way they squeeze into tight places makes them difficult to spot since many hiding spots are not visible. Earlier, we wrote an entire article with tips on how to find bed bugs during the day.
Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?
Most people know that bed bugs like to hide in cracks and crevices. But did you know that they also want to hide behind paintings, moldings, and even your headboard? Yep, those little critters are pretty good at hiding.
Furthermore, the box spring is one of their favorite spots. So if you’re dealing with a bed bug infestation, check all these areas for possible hiding spots.
Check out our list of top places where bed bugs hide. Studying this list will also help you look for early bed bug stains on sheets.
Beds
Obviously, beds are one of the more common places where bed bugs hide. They will be in the bed frame’s cracks and crevices, the mattress and box spring, and the bedding.
We often find them inside a box spring or under the plastic corner protectors of a box spring. We have a complete guide on helping you learn more about how to spot bed bugs.
Places to look for bed bugs on a bed:
Mattress (underneath near seams)
One of the most common places for bed bugs to hide is underneath a mattress. They often congregate near the seams of the mattress, where they can easily access their blood meal. If you suspect bed bug activity in your home, start by inspecting your mattress first.
Headboard
Look on all sides of the headboard, paying particular attention to the seams.
Box Spring
Start by looking under the box spring. The photo below shows a bed bug we found under the box spring near the plastic corner piece. If you don’t see anything there, look inside the box spring; you’ll need to take off the stapled-on cover underneath.
Sofas
You can find bed bugs in sofas, however, due to the intricacies of a couch, it’s hard to find them. They will hide in the cracks and crevices of the wooden frame, as well as in the seams of the cushions. If you are contemplating if bed bugs can live on leather couches, the answer is “yes, they can.”
Chairs
Like sofas, we sometimes find bed bugs on chairs. Recently our bed bug-sniffing dog Goosey alerted to a kitchen chair. So when I flipped over the chair, I found two-bed bugs between the wooden frame. Later I learned that this was a chair the resident would sit on in the middle of the night when they couldn’t sleep. Therefore it made perfect sense why bed bugs would be on this kitchen chair.
Curtains
Always check the curtains; sometimes, after a blood meal, they will go up onto a nearby curtain instead of going down under the bed. They will hide in the folds of the fabric and the seams.
Check out the photo below, our dog alerted near this curtain, and it took me a while to spot the bed bug. The resident was happy that we found it, so now they can begin a treatment plan.
Hardwood floors
Hardwood floors often have spaces between the beams where bed bugs can hide. If you are self-treating your bed, you may cause the bed bugs to move away from the bed and hide in the floor beams. It’s important to inspect your hardwood floors for bed bugs.
Often DIY treatments are not strong enough to kill bed bugs, but they will make them scatter. The video below shows a bed bug in midtown, NYC, that we found while inspecting a few apartments for bed bugs.
Clothes
Why are bed bugs in closets on clothing? If you find bed bugs on your clothes, you may have an infestation at home. But can bed bugs stay on your clothes? They often get in there because we accidentally put a piece of clothing away with a bed bug. Sometimes if we fold our clothing on the bed, a bed bug can crawl onto the clothing and then get transferred to our closet. What’s the deal: how long in the dryer to kill bed bugs?
Luggage
We often have clients who call us because they find a bed bug in their luggage. Sometimes it’s because they just stayed at a hotel or Air BNB with bed bugs. Then other times, it’s because you store the bags under the bed. Anything you keep under your bed can become a potential hiding spot for a bed bug.
If you are questioning what the chances are of bringing bed bugs home from a hotel, check out this article.
Backpacks
Taking your backpack places and setting it down on the ground is risky. A bed bug can crawl onto it and hitchhike a ride back to your home. They will hide in the backpack’s crevices, seams, pockets, and fabric.
Books
Bed bugs in books are a common problem if you read in bed. Bed bugs can easily hide within the pages of a book. You can also pick up bed bugs in library books. So it’s important to heat treat your books within a ThermalStrike or ZappBug portable bed bug heater.
Shoes
If you keep your shoes under the bed, bed bugs can easily crawl into your shoes and find a good hiding spot. You can inadvertently pick up a bed bug on your shoe and bring it back home. I always spray my boots with Sterifab before getting into my car, then again before stepping into my home.
Moldings
One of the top bed bug hiding places. A bed bug can sit along molding or slip under the molding. We have seen fecal matter behind moldings too many times to count. Moving your bed away from the wall and inspecting the molding behind your bed is imperative if you are having trouble finding the common places where bed bugs hide.
Drawers
Dresser drawers are one of the more common places where bed bugs hide. They will squeeze between two pieces of wood or crawl into the clothing.
If you have a dresser or nightstand with drawers, it’s essential to search the entire piece of furniture for signs of bed bugs; look for baby bed bugs, droppings, or eggs.
Pictures/Artwork
When we inspect an apartment for bed bugs, we also look behind the framed artwork. First, we have the dog sniff there, and then we’ll take it off the wall and look behind it. There have been numerous occasions where a bed bug was sitting behind a piece of artwork.
Electrical outlets
We find bed bugs in electrical outlets when the outlets are right behind the bed. These outlets make a great hiding spot for a bed bug. So, if you are doing your bed bug inspection, remove the outlet cover and look inside.
Light fixtures
Sometimes a light fixture is screwed into the wall. You will want to unscrew the light fixture and look behind the plate. Any place where you can slide a credit card is a place where a bed bug can hide.
Carpets
If you wondering, “can bed bugs live in carpets?” the simple answer is “yes”. Unless you have a serious infestation or sleep on the floor, then most of the bed bugs will not be in your carpets. However, if you are under treatment for an active infestation and have carpet, you’ll want to vacuum and steam them regularly until your bed bug situation is gone.
Brick walls
Brick walls often have plenty of tiny holes and openings. These can make excellent hiding spots for bed bugs, especially if your bed is up against a brick wall. If you rest your blankets and pillows against a brick wall, the brick wall will have some unhatched bed bug eggs deposited into the tiny holes.
Conclusion for “Common Places Where Bed Bugs Hide”
Conclusion paragraph: So, there you have it – 18 common places where bed bugs hide. Remember, if you do find any signs of bed bugs in your home, don’t panic! We hope this article was helpful and gave you a good starting point for your inspection process.
There are plenty of solutions available to get rid of these pests. And if you need help along the way, feel free to reach out to us – we’re always happy to answer questions and offer advice. Thanks for reading, and be sure to check back soon for more interesting articles from Doctor Sniffs!