10 tips on How to Avoid Bed Bugs When You Travel

10 tips on How to Avoid Bed Bugs When You Travel

Almost every environment below 48ºC provides a suitable place for bed bugs, which means that any bed is potentially under threat from the bed bug. The reddish-brown bugs are only a quarter of an inch long, but they can cause rashes and allergic symptoms that you would rather avoid when you are on holiday.

Even though bed bugs have their name, it is crucial to remember that they are not only located in beds. It is also important to determine if what you are dealing with is a bed bug or another termite or bug. Bed bugs can be hard to identify because their color differs from a light tan color to a burnt orange. A holiday that is riddled with bed bugs will not be a good one. This means every traveler should know how to avoid them when you travel, especially if you are going to a country where bed bugs are an issue. Here, we will explore 10 ways how to avoid and deal with bed bugs when you are on your holiday.

How to Avoid Bed Bugs When You Travel

1.Understanding How Bed Bugs Operate – Understanding how bed bugs get into the place where you are staying will allow you to recognize potentially dangerous times. Bed Bugs usually come in on clothing, luggage or any other belongings you are transporting from one place to your room.

2.Locating Potential Bed Bugs – When you enter your room for the first time, check to see if you can find bed bugs. If you are in a hotel, then you are in a risk category as the turnover of people is high. Therefore, the chances they have entered the room increase. Make sure you check the bed frame and mattress first as these are places where they will gather. Bed Bugs prefer warm places so if there is a specific area that is hot in your room, make sure you look there.

3.Take Care – Making sure that you stay vigilant when you can potentially be affected by bed bugs will stop this ever becoming a problem. If you do not carry out checks or drop your guard, then your whole holiday can be ruined, so it is well worth taking care.

4.Checking For Existing Bed Bug Issues – If you are staying in a hotel, when you are checking for bed bugs, you should also be looking for signs that bed bugs have been an issue before. If bed bugs have been a problem, the mattress will be stained with dark-brown spots. This problem also spreads to the wall nearest the bed most of the time. Furthermore, if the room smells of coriander, the room is probably heavily infested. If this is the case, you should leave right away.

5.Use the Right Suitcase – A suitcase that has a hard outer shell with no crevasses or cracks is ideal in the fight against bed bugs. Furthermore, all of your other items like toiletries should be stored in sealable bags for additional protection. A poor suitcase will allow bed bugs to ‘hide’ in your bags without you being able to see them.

6.Pack Clothes in Zip Lock Bags – As well as packing your toiletries in zip-lock bags, it is a good idea to pack your clothes in them as well for additional protection. Furthermore, once you have worn your clothes, make sure you store them in a separate ‘dirty’ zip-lock bag.

7.Leave Nothing on the Floor – Regardless of where you are, never leave anything on the floor as this is where bed bugs will crawl into your items. For example, a ‘clean’ room can be infested from the moment you walk in if you have put your bag on the floor of the reception where there is a bed bug problem. Once in the room, take a look over your bag and store your suitcase off of the floor. Furthermore, whatever you do never chuck any clothes on the floor if you think your room may have an issue.

8.Dealing with the Issue – If the worst happens and you are faced with an infestation, do not try and take this on by yourself. Your first step should be to talk to management to get moved. If you are in a hotel, do not accept a room directly above, below or either side of the infested room because these rooms can all be accessed quickly by the issue. Furthermore, when you get in to you new room check it right away.

9.Shoe Storage – One of the most common places that bed bugs reside is on the underside of the mattress. If you have shoes, never store them under the bed. You should always leave them in the open or against a wall away from the bed.

10.Stop the Spread When Home – When you get home make sure you wash all the clothing and check over the luggage before putting it away. As hard as it may be to believe, if you have had a bed bug problem, they can survive the whole journey back home and once in your house will cause you the same problems as they would in your hotel room.