Preventing Bed Bugs When Traveling

 

Upon Arrival In Your Room (before unpacking):

Don’t put your suitcase or backpack directly on your bed; elevate them on a luggage rack.

Consider bringing a large plastic bag to put your luggage in when you arrive.

Inspect the closet and luggage stands and baseboards nearby the luggage rack before placing items in the closet or on the rack for signs of bed bugs.

Bring a small flashlight with you, to use during your inspection of the rooms to look behind the headboard and other hiding places of the bed bugs.

Wall mounted headboards are a standard in many hotel rooms. Remove and check behind and around the headboard.

Lift bedding, mattress and box spring and check seems, folds, tags, stapled dust cover and other hiding areas carefully. In hotels, these areas are disturbed frequently and inspected by housekeeping often so bed bugs are not found here as frequently as they are found here in a home.

Inspect nightstands, dressers, and other furniture around the bed area including behind wall hangings.

 

During Your Stay:

Periodically inspect your suitcase and clothing.

Each morning, check for new red marks on your body, and for blood spots on the bedding.

 

Before Leaving:

Inspect your clothes and other items before packing.

Carefully check crevices in suitcases and backpacks.

 

After Returning Home:

Check again all traveling stuff, and separately wash and dry (with heat) clothing and bedding items for at least 30 minutes, or dry clean if necessary.

Check your suitcases again.

Don’t store your suitcase or backpack under your bed.

You may vacuum out the luggage as a precaution, but discard vacuum bag right away.

If you suspect you have brought back bed bugs, isolate your luggage, freeze it for weeks, throw it away, or have it heat treated in a heat chamber.

 

Frequent travelers will bring with a change of clothing for their return trip to prevent bed bugs and keep that clothing in a sealed bag. Before leaving the hotel, they will bath and change into the clean clothing. When home, they will store their suitcase in a deep freeze until the next trip. These are extra steps you may want to consider taking if you travel frequently to prevent being home the bed bugs.