We used to believe that dirty or clean clothing didn't matter to bed bugs since they needed a host to feed on. A new study at the University of Sheffield, conducted by Dr. William Hentley, has proven this questionable.

Dr. Hentley, a behavioral ecologist, was researching why bed bugs have been spreading so quickly in the last few years. His findings, published in Scientific Reports, alluded to dirty laundry being partially to blame.

"In this experiment, we used a large room, put bed bugs in an established refuge, and then introduced clothes that were either clean or dirty," Henley said. What we found was that after a period of time, there were twice as many bed bugs found on bags containing dirty clothes compared to those clean clothes."

They fully expected that the volume of CO2 in the study room would taint the results due to bed bugs loving human breath, but that was not the case. In a shocking turn, Huntley's study shows that bed bugs don't need humans to get around. Hentley realized that bed bugs could jump onto dirty clothing and travel that way.

The research shows that we need to change our thinking since suitcases and backpacks have so many small seams and pockets, perfect for bed bugs to hide in.

Instead of waiting to wash clothing until you get home, either wash while traveling or place dirty laundry in a sealed plastic bag and do laundry when you arrive home. Don't wait a few days if you don't have plastic bags. Do them immediately and leave your belongings in a garage so they aren't taken into your house to infest.

Since bed bugs can live without feeding for up to a year, they could still be alive and ready for a feast, even if you leave your clothing in the luggage. You must treat your home if you come across even one bug. One leads to multiple.