When traveling, you don’t want to share your hotel room with bed bugs. Unfortunately, these pests are fond of hotels because they provide easy access to a bloodmeal. With many people coming and going, there are plenty of opportunities for new infestations to emerge. Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect yourself from these pests. We’ve made a list of five tips to help you avoid bed bugs when traveling.
1. Inspect the Bed
Bed bugs are most often found on beds and bedding. Before settling into your hotel room, you’ll want to inspect the bed for these pests. Bed bugs are small, about ¼" in length, flat, and brown. In addition to looking for these pests, you’ll also need to be on the lookout for dark or red stains. Carefully examine the mattress, pillows, and bedding. These pests can also be found on headboards and bed frames.
2. Check Other Areas in the Room
Though bed bugs prefer to hide on beds, they can also be seen in other areas. Check upholstered furniture like chairs and couches. Inspect the nightstand and dresser, and look inside the drawers. Bed bugs can hide behind picture frames and other décor in the room too. They will also hang out in carpet and rugs, especially areas close to the bed. Bed bugs are sneaky and will hide in any crack or crevice they can find, so you’ll want to do a thorough search of the room.
3. Carefully Pack Your Suitcase
Taking the time to pack well can help to avoid a run-in with bed bugs. When choosing your luggage, you may want to opt for a hard-shelled suitcase. It will be more difficult for bed bugs to slip inside hard-shelled suitcases than other suitcases. To protect your items from these pests, it’s a good idea to place them in sealed plastic bags. You can also choose to use a suitcase cover designed to prevent bed bugs when traveling.
4. Properly Store Your Suitcase
Once you make it to your hotel room, you’ll want to protect your suitcase from bed bugs. While examining your room, leave your suitcase on the tile floor in the bathroom. This will make it harder for bed bugs to reach it. After examining the luggage rack, you can move your suitcase to it. Storing your suitcase off the floor can help to keep bed bugs out of it. It’s best to avoid placing suitcases on the bed or other pieces of furniture.
5. Protect Your Clothes
When you’re ready to unpack your suitcase, you’ll want to take steps to keep bed bugs off your clothes. Hang your items in the closet, and don’t place them on furniture, especially the bed. After wearing your clothes, avoid leaving them on floor. Instead, place them in a sealed plastic bag. When you get home, take your clothes straight to your laundry room. Wash clothing with hot water and use high heat settings when drying them. This will help to kill any hitchhiking bed bugs.
Bed bugs aren’t good souvenirs, so it’s important to protect your items from these pests. If you notice bed bugs or their signs when examining the room, notify management immediately. You’ll want to change rooms and avoid being placed in a room adjacent to the infested one. If bed bugs get carried home with you, our Bed Bug Killer dust can help to get rid of these pesky bugs.