Tips On Avoiding Bed Bugs While Traveling
Nothing makes people squirm like the idea of sharing one's bed with a horde of tiny insect intruders.
Unfortunately, every time you travel, you put yourself at risk of bringing a few unwanted companions along for the return trip. When you sleep in a hotel room, it's possible that bedbugs will hitch a ride on your luggage, clothing, or even your body. Once you're back at home, they can take up residence in your own bed and become a pesky nuisance.
However, you can avoid picking up bedbugs during your travels with the following tips:
Perform an initial inspection
When many people first enter their hotel room, the first thing they do is throw their luggage down on the bed and lie down for a rest themselves. This is a bad habit. The first thing you should do before putting anything on your hotel room bed is perform a bed bug inspection.
Check for bedbugs in the bed by pulling the linens back. You should check both the mattress and the headboard. Signs of bedbugs include black or reddish stains on blankets, linens, or mattresses. An adult bedbug itself is about as large as an apple seed, so bedbugs should be visible to the naked eye if they are present.
Bring a plastic cover for your suitcase
Keep bedbugs out of your suitcases and luggage with plastic cases. You can find plastic protection encasements for luggage at luggage retailers. If you don't have a specially made plastic encasement, you can use a garbage bag.
A plastic layer around your luggage will serve as a barrier to bedbugs and can even be used when you're in transit to keep your luggage clean and contaminant-free.
Pay attention to hotel reviews
If a hotel has a problem with bedbugs, word gets out quickly. Hotel reviews are a great source of information on any bedbug breakouts, and they also give you some other helpful tips on visiting the area where you're vacationing or traveling for business.
Clean up when you return home
It's a good idea to give all your clothing and luggage a thorough cleaning once you get home from your vacation. Washing clothing in hot water will kill bedbugs. If you have delicate clothing, consider having it dry-cleaned.
You can also vacuum out your suitcases before you pack them away for storage to minimize the chances that any bedbug eggs linger. If you do end up bringing these unwanted pests home with you, you can go to website or speak with a professional pest control service for help.