Planning To Travel? Make Sure Bed Bugs Don’t Come Back With You

Do you love to travel? Well, so do bed bugs. In case you didn’t know this, bed bugs are almost always brought into your house from places that you’ve visited. If you stay in a hotel, then chances are that is why you may have had your infestation with bed bugs.

And it doesn’t matter what type of hotel it is either. Bed bugs have been found in some of the nicest hotels in New York City. You might think you are in the clear by staying in nice hotels, but you may also be bringing them home with you from one. Then, you’ll need to know how to get rid of bed bugs or hire an exterminator. 

Don’t cancel your travel plans just yet. There are ways to spot bed bugs while traveling and also how to prevent them from coming home with you. Read on for the tips to keep you pest free when you come back from your trip. 

1 – Inspect the hotel room

Before you unpack your bags. You need to do a once over of your room to see if there are bed bugs. There are signs to look for so you can know right away if there is an infestation.

For instance, if there is a musty smell with a slight sweetness like soda, then this is a sign that there may be an infestation. The bugs themselves emit the musty odor that is often mistaken for actually musty conditions like there is a water leak that is making the smell.

Next, take a look at the bed sheets and linens before you put your clothes away. If you notice black streaks or spots then this means there are bed bugs. The problem is that the sheets are changed often so when you arrive there will be clean sheets so you may not see any signs. Look under the linens to the mattress itself as this won’t be cleaned.

2 – If you don’t see any signs

If after your inspection you don’t see any signs, then it may mean you are in the clear. To be certain, keep your luggage on a metal rack off of the floor and definitely not on the bed or in a closet. These are areas bed bugs love. On a metal rack, the bugs can’t climb up so make sure it is set away from the wall that they can climb.

Keep your clothes in a sealed plastic bag even in the luggage to prevent any from getting into your clothes. And when you return home, put your luggage into sealed plastic bags for a few days to kill any bugs that may have stowed away in the luggage itself. 

If you do all of this and wake up with what seem like mosquito bites, then it means that the room was infested and you need to alert the staff. At this point, you’ll have to move hotels and use the precautions listed here to prevent bringing them to a new room.