It can cost you time, money, and emotional stress when bed bugs infest and spread in your home. There are many ways the bugs can get into your home, including traveling. Learning how to prevent bed bugs when traveling can protect your home from the biting pests and the emotional stress they cause.
How to Avoid Bed Bugs in Your Luggage When Traveling
Bed bug prevention begins when preparing your luggage. The New York City government recommends packing your items in hard-cased suitcases. It’s more difficult for the pests to attach themselves to a hard surface than a soft one.
Packing your clothes in re-sealable plastic bags also secures your attire. If you get on a train or plane or stay in a hotel with bugs, they can’t attach onto what you’ve packed because they cannot poke holes and enter the plastic bags.
How to Deal With Bed Bugs While Traveling in a Hotel
When you reach your room, it’s important to inspect the area for bed bugs. Use your phone’s flashlight to inspect pillows, beds, drawers, headboards, and nightstands. Switch off the lights while searching so the pests escape their hiding spots. If you find them, alert management and find a different room or move to another hotel.
Store your luggage on a hard, elevated surface in your hotel room. Such surfaces are safe because the bugs hide underneath beds, pillows, nightstands, and other dark corners. Your belongings will be safer from the pests in case you missed them when inspecting the dark corners.
Bed Bug Protection for Travel Back Home
You may fail to notice bed bugs while traveling because they’re sneaky and know how to hide in plain sight. You can prevent these pests by taking the following precautionary measures when you arrive back home:
- Inspect your luggage and clothes
- Keep your luggage in the laundry room before washing
- Shower and change the clothes you’re wearing
- Wash all the clothes thoroughly on a hot setting before putting them back in the closet
- If you suspect bed bugs, dry your clothes at high temperatures to kill them
Cicada Mapping and Tracking
If you brought more than souvenirs back from your trip, Quest Termite & Pest can help. We’re a local and family-owned and -operated pest control company serving the Lehigh Valley area and nearby. We offer Integrated Pest Management services to address bed bugs and other pests.
Learn more about bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, and other pests that Quest Termite & Pest manages, and reach out to schedule service.
