Preventing Bed Bugs When Students Return Home from College/School 

  • Instruct your students if they are planning to bring home any laundry that before leaving their room, anything that is to be laundered should be sorted and placed in plastic bags. Separate the laundry as they would if they were normally laundering items, specifically: light colored clothes from dark items; delicate items from items that can be laundered on wash / dry regular cycles; and finally, dry cleanable items. Separating the clothing permits easy loading of the washing machine and you can avoid escaping bed bugs as you try to sort the laundry at home.
  • Plastic bags that contained the suspect laundry can be frozen or collected into a clean garbage bag.
  • When washing, set the washer and dryer for the hottest setting that the fabric can withstand to kill the bed bugs.
  • Carefully inspect backpacks and suitcases for the bed bugs. If bed bugs are found (or you are not sure) place the backpack or suitcase into plastic bags, and store in your deep freeze for at least four days.
  • Don’t place suitcase or backpack on or under beds.