Bed Bugs in Apartment Units: How They Get In and How to Get Rid of Them

TL;DR

• Tell your landlord in writing right away. Keep a copy of your message and note the date.
• Keep belongings in the room where you found bed bugs. Don't move your bedding to the couch or another room: bed bugs will follow you.
• Don't spray on your own. Self-treatment can be unsafe and may increase bed bug resistance to insecticides (Quebec government).
• Get licensed professional treatment, as Health Canada strongly recommends, plus checks of the units around yours. Treating one unit alone often fails.
• Follow the preparation instructions. Wash bedding, clothes and curtains in hot water, and put small non-washable items in a hot dryer, usually for 30 minutes or more (Health Canada).
• Need help? Get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

Hauling pillows and blankets to the living-room couch after spotting bed bugs in an apartment bedroom feels like a sensible retreat, but it can carry the bugs into a second room. Virginia Tech's apartment guidance is to clear items from under the bed without moving them into a room that is still free of bed bugs.

In a multi-unit building, the problem rarely stays behind one door. The Canadian Environmental Law Association notes that bed bugs are harder to control in apartments and that action is often needed on the entire building. Knowing how the bugs reached your unit, whether in a suitcase or through a shared wall, tells you who else needs to hear about them.

How Did Bed Bugs Get in My Apartment?

Bed bugs got into your apartment by hitchhiking on something or someone, or by crawling over from a neighbouring unit. They cannot fly or jump (Health Canada), so they need a ride or a path. The University of Kentucky points out that apartments, where residents move in and out constantly, can be a particular problem for this reason. For a broader look at every cause, see our guide on what causes bed bugs.

Luggage

Luggage is one of the most common ways bed bugs reach an apartment. According to UC IPM, people bring bed bugs home on luggage, clothes, bedding, furniture and other objects, and HealthLink BC adds that backpacks and books can also carry them. A trip, a stay in a hotel or a visit from a guest who has bed bugs at home can all be the starting point.

Second-Hand Furniture

Second-hand furniture is a known high-risk source. UC IPM calls second-hand mattresses and furniture high-risk sources of bed bug infestations, and Health Canada advises never taking a mattress or sofa from a curb. If you buy a new mattress, Health Canada suggests insisting that it be sealed before delivery, since delivery trucks may also carry old mattresses.

A Neighbouring Unit

A neighbouring unit can be the source even if you never brought anything home. The University of Kentucky notes that bed bugs can crawl from room to room, and sometimes floor to floor, through cracks and openings in walls, and Health Canada tells apartment residents to check entry points on walls shared with neighbours, including openings for pipes and wires. A Virginia Tech apartment action plan states it plainly: an infestation next door may be the source of the infestation in your unit. Our guide on bed bugs coming from your neighbours covers how to block these routes.

Shared Laundry Rooms

Shared laundry rooms are another possible route in multi-unit buildings, as some Canadian pest control companies point out. Health Canada's laundromat advice works well in a building laundry room too: use a light-coloured plastic basket, and do not set it on the floor or near seating or trash cans.

Clutter and Cleanliness

Clutter and cleanliness do not cause bed bugs. The University of Kentucky notes that, unlike cockroaches and flies, there is often no relationship between bed bugs and cleanliness, and the City of Montreal says bed bugs can be found in all types of homes, clean or unsanitary. Clutter does matter once they are inside, because it gives them more places to hide and makes inspection harder. Read more about bed bugs in clean homes.

What Are the Signs of Bed Bugs in Apartment Units?

Bed bugs in apartment units leave the same evidence as in any home: bites, dark spots, shed skins and live bugs near where you sleep. They mostly feed at night and hide during the day, so you usually find the signs before you see a bug.

Bites

Bites are often the first thing people notice, but they are not proof on their own. Health Canada says bites can take as long as 14 days to appear, depending on the person, and the University of Kentucky reports that some people do not react to bites at all. Bed bugs are not known to spread disease, and their bites do not generally require medical attention (Health Canada).

Dark Spots

Dark spots are bed bug droppings and dried blood. The City of Montreal describes small black spots on sheets and on the seams of the mattress, and HealthLink BC mentions dark spotting or staining on bedding and furniture.

Shed Skins and Eggs

Shed skins and eggs show that bed bugs are breeding. Young bed bugs leave their old skins behind as they grow, and the eggs are white and about 1 mm long, which Health Canada says makes them almost impossible to see on most surfaces. A female lays at least 200 eggs in her lifetime, and the eggs usually hatch in 6 to 17 days (Health Canada).

Live Bed Bugs

Live bed bugs are the clearest sign. Adults are flat, oval and about the size of an apple seed, 5 to 7 mm long according to the US EPA (Health Canada says up to 10 mm). They are brown, and darken to a blood red colour after feeding.

Where to Look

Where to look is mostly around the bed. UC IPM notes that hiding places are typically within about 6 feet (2 metres) of where people sleep or rest. Health Canada's checklist includes:

• Mattress seams, zippers and cushion tufts
• Behind and around the headboard
• Furniture frames and cushions
• Behind pictures, posters and mirrors
• Baseboards, mouldings and window frames
• Cracks in plaster and peeling wallpaper
• Electrical outlets and light switches

For the full list, see where bed bugs hide.

What Should You Do First When You Find Bed Bugs in Your Apartment?

Finding bed bugs in your apartment calls for two quick moves: tell your landlord and keep the bugs where they are. What you do in the first hours can decide whether the problem stays in one room or spreads through your unit and the building.

Tell Your Landlord in Writing

Telling your landlord in writing is the first step in every province. Quebec says tenants must immediately inform the owner of the building, Manitoba says tenants should immediately tell their landlord, and in British Columbia the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre advises notifying your landlord in writing as soon as possible. Keep a copy of your message and note the date. Early reports matter for the whole building: Virginia Tech notes that when tenants were charged for treatment, many stopped reporting, and infestations tended to spread.

Keep Belongings in the Room

Keeping belongings in the room where you found bed bugs stops you from spreading them. Pest control companies such as Orkin Canada and Rentokil Terminix warn that moving items or furniture to other rooms or units only helps bed bugs spread. Resist the urge to sleep on the couch or move your bedding to another room: bed bugs will follow you.

Do Not Leave Furniture in the Hallway

Leaving an infested mattress or couch in the hallway or on the curb can spread bed bugs to your neighbours and to whoever picks it up. If an item must go, Quebec's guidance is to make it unusable, close it tightly in a cover or bag, and then throw it away. Quebec also advises waiting until the infestation is completely under control before getting new furniture.

Avoid Spraying on Your Own

Spraying on your own is not the answer in an apartment. The City of Montreal asks tenants not to try to resolve the problem on their own, and the Quebec government warns that self-treatment can be unsafe and may increase bed bug resistance to insecticides. If you do use a product, Health Canada says to use only pesticides registered by Health Canada and only as directed on the label: look for the PCP registration number. Our review of bed bug sprays explains what these products can and cannot do.

How Do You Get Rid of Bed Bugs in an Apartment?

Getting rid of bed bugs in an apartment takes a licensed professional treatment, your preparation, and checks of the units around yours. Treating one unit alone often fails, because bed bugs move between apartments.

Licensed Professional Treatment

Licensed professional treatment is what Health Canada strongly recommends for bed bugs. Pest control companies in Canada typically use heat treatment, targeted insecticide treatment, steam and vacuuming, often combined, followed by inspections. Health Canada says heat treatments should be left to the professionals, and that treatment tends to work best when physical control and prevention are used together. In Quebec, the exterminator should hold a C5 or D5 permit with staff certified CD5. To compare methods, see heat vs chemical treatment. If you own your condo or your landlord asks you to find a company, you can get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

Inspection of Neighbouring Units

Inspection of neighbouring units is what separates apartment treatment from house treatment. The Virginia Tech action plan suggests inspecting the units on either side and the units above and below at about two-week intervals over the next 4 weeks, and checking the neighbours of any unit where bed bugs turn up. In Manitoba, if the exterminator believes other apartments may need treatment, the landlord is generally expected to inspect those units too, and the City of Montreal generally requires landlords to let the exterminator visit the entire building.

Preparing Your Unit

Preparing your unit is the tenant's part of the job. Quebec asks owners and tenants alike to follow the exterminator's preparation instructions carefully. These usually include emptying drawers and closets in infested rooms, removing curtains and rugs, treating fabrics and bed linens, and storing belongings in sealed plastic bags. If you are older or have a disability, ask your landlord for help: Manitoba notes that some tenants may need support to prepare. Our step-by-step guide on preparing for bed bug treatment walks you through it.

Laundry and Dryer

Laundry and the dryer are your best home tools. Health Canada says to wash bedding, clothes and curtains in hot water, and to place small non-washable and dry-clean-only items in a hot dryer, usually for 30 minutes or more. Quebec says washer water should reach about 60°C. Store clean items in clean, sealed plastic bags until the treatment is over, and carry laundry to a shared laundry room in sealed bags.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming can remove bugs and eggs but may not kill them. Health Canada recommends vacuuming the mattress with a stiff brush attachment and a back-and-forth scraping motion. Quebec advises sealing the vacuum contents in a plastic bag and putting it in an outdoor bin right away.

Mattress Encasements

Mattress encasements are zippered covers that trap any bed bugs left inside your mattress and box spring, where they eventually die (University of Kentucky). Health Canada says it is good practice to keep the mattress enclosed for a full year.

Bed Leg Interceptors

Bed leg interceptors are small cups placed under the legs of the bed and furniture that catch bed bugs as they climb. Health Canada describes them as one way to detect bed bugs, and the Virginia Tech plan uses them to help find small infestations in neighbouring units that a visual inspection may miss.

Follow-Up Visits

Follow-up visits are normal and necessary. The Canadian Environmental Law Association notes that pesticides may not kill eggs, and Texas A&M AgriLife says repeat treatments are usually needed, while the Virginia Tech plan calls for two follow-up inspections or treatments at two-week intervals. Do not panic if you see more bugs right after a treatment: Virginia Tech notes they may be more visible in the first 24 hours, possibly because they are sick and wandering into the open.

Keeping Bed Bugs Out Afterward

Keeping bed bugs out afterward comes down to checking what you bring home and sealing gaps shared with your neighbours. Our guide on how to prevent bed bugs in your apartment covers the details.

Who Is Responsible for Bed Bug Treatment in an Apartment?

Responsibility for bed bug treatment in an apartment is generally set by each province, but the pattern is similar: the landlord arranges treatment, and the tenant reports quickly, prepares the unit and cooperates. Here is what the sources we checked say for four provinces. For a deeper look, read who pays for bed bug extermination.

Quebec

In Quebec, the owner must promptly contact an extermination company once a tenant reports bed bugs, and the tenant must follow the exterminator's preparation instructions. Tenants in low-rent housing (HLM) contact their Office municipal d'habitation.

Manitoba

In Manitoba, the Residential Tenancies Branch says landlords are generally responsible for making sure units are pest-free and for the cost of pest control treatment, while tenants must cooperate. Landlords generally must give at least 24 hours and at most two weeks of written notice before entering. A landlord may be able to claim costs from a tenant who refuses access, does not prepare, or is proven to have caused the infestation.

British Columbia

In British Columbia, the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (a tenant advocacy group) says landlords are generally responsible for arranging and paying for bed bug treatment, based on section 32 of the Residential Tenancy Act and Policy Guideline 1. It also notes that finding bed bugs is generally not an acceptable reason to withhold rent or end your tenancy early.

Ontario

In Ontario, bed bug disputes between tenants and landlords are often decided by the Landlord and Tenant Board. The Canadian Environmental Law Association, an Ontario legal clinic, notes that it is illegal under Ontario's Pesticides Act for a landlord to apply pesticides in your home themselves: they can hire a pest control company or buy domestic products for you to use.

If Your Landlord Does Not Act

If your landlord does not act, you have options. In Montreal, you can contact 311. In Manitoba, contact the provincial bed bug line or the Residential Tenancies Branch. In Ontario, tenants can turn to a community legal clinic or the Landlord and Tenant Board. If you own a condo, see who pays for bed bug extermination in a condo.