Bed bugs are elusive and sneaky, they will be quick to catch a ride home with you whether you realize it or not. The last thing on your mind is that there will be pests waiting for you once you get to your hotel room.
Vacation Season
It’s about that time of year when people are taking trips, spring break, summer break, who wouldn’t want a vacation. The weather’s nice so it’s the perfect time to book that hotel and take that beach trip you’ve been looking forward to all winter long.
Everytime you stay at a hotel you rely on the hotel staff to keep your room clean and tidy. While most hotels have excellent cleaning services there are those few who miss the signs of bedbug infestations and aren’t as careful in handling them, or just don’t notice them right away. Understandably so, with so many people coming in and out, missing the signs of bedbugs can happen to anyone, which is why it’s important to check for yourself to ensure you have a fun, relaxing vacation.
Inspect The Room You’re Staying In For Pests
Once you get to your hotel room, you’ll want check for signs and here is what to look for:
- First, either keep your suitcase in the hall or by the door to thoroughly check the room before unpacking. Check sofas/chairs, behind the headboard, and or other furniture in the room (you can use your phone flashlight for a visual assist).
- Pull back the sheets and check the mattress for signs of stains or spots particularly on the corners of the mattress.
- If you spot any signs of bedbugs let the hotel know immediately and ask for a different room, preferably not the room adjacent because it could also be infested.
Bedbugs are small and their eggs are sticky. It could be possible to bring them home with you without you realizing, even if you didn’t see any signs of them during your vacation. As soon as you get home from vacation, unpack outside and do laundry, throwing your clothes in your dryer can kill bedbugs in a matter of minutes. Bedbugs not only travel through clothes but through your suitcase as well. This is why experts recommend that you keep your suitcase as far away from the bed as possible or from any other furniture that could possibly have bedbugs during your stay.
Pro-tip: Bedbugs don’t survive in high temperatures over 120˚F
What To Do If You Bring Bedbugs Home From Vacation
It’s important to know that just a few stowaway bedbugs can quickly turn into a full-blown infestation. An obvious sign of bedbugs is through their routine feeding habits on exposed skin they leave red lesions ranging from 2-5 millimeters on humans and pets. If you were unfortunate enough to bring some stowaways it’s best to act quickly. These pests are not a DIY (Do-it-yourself) pest to get rid of, which means it’s critical to call a licensed pest control service quickly if you suspect there’s an infestation.
