5 Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs While Travelling

Bed bugs are small, brown insects that feed on the blood of people and animals. They are often found in clothing, bedding or furniture, and can easily travel long distances through multiple hosts. Once they’ve arrived, bed bugs can quickly contaminate multiple rooms and dwellings. Hotels have a lot of people going in and out and no matter how clean or nice, they all can be exposed to bed bugs.


There are a few tips that you can follow to keep yourself from becoming a victim of bed bugs:

1.) Keep natural repellent handy
There are natural repellents available that you can spray both on yourself and on your personal belongings to help keep the bed bugs away. Some repellents such as Cedar oil will even kill bed bugs on contact.

2.) When you first arrive, put your suitcase in the bathroom
As soon as you set your suitcase on the ground bed bugs are able to crawl into it. The bathroom is the least likely place for bedbugs because it’s the most often cl
eaned and doesn’t provide them much security. Before you’ve done a room check, this is the safest place to put your bag.


3.) Check the beds
The name itself implies that beds are likely a hiding spot for bed bugs. First, pull back the sheets and check the corners of the beds for any signs of bugs. This could be feces, dead bugs or musty smells, etc. If you can, use a flashlight or you can use your cellphone to check the darker or harder to see spaces. Headboards can also be a popular hiding place, especially if they are like most hotels and are secured to the wall. Be sure to check the covers, sheets and pillows for bugs, musty smells or any dark or rust colored stains. (Tip: checking for signs of bedbugs does not stop after day 1. Be sure to pay attention to the sheets when you wake up. If you see dark or blood colored spots that appear to be fresh then you’ve likely been bitten by bedbugs.) 


4.) Check the furniture
Furniture such as chairs, couches and even dressers can be a prime hiding spot for bed bugs. It’s good practice to avoid using luggage racks and putting clothes or personal items in hotel dressers. Bed bugs are often transmitted through clothing and suitcases, therefore these areas can be especially risky.

 

5.) Don’t leave clothes on the floor and put dirty clothes in a sealed bag
Bed bugs are attracted to clothing, especially after they have your scent on them. It’s always good practice to keep dirty clothes in a sealed bag so bed bugs can’t sneak inside.

 

What to do if your room has bed bugs
If you see bed bugs or signs of them you should immediately alert the hotel and ask for a different room. Make sure the new room is at least several rooms away. If bed bugs are in one room they are likely in the surrounding rooms as well. Be sure to spray your clothes, bedding and yourself with a safe bed bug killer. Bed bugs can lay thousands of eggs in their lifetime, so it’s critical to stop the issue as early as possible.

 

 

Think you brought bed bugs home?
Don’t panic. Although this can seem very scary, there are ways to treat your home that are both safe and more affordable than chemical treatments. Click here to see a home treatment kit. For on the go protection, check out these travel packs.

The post 5 Tips To Avoid Bed Bugs While Travelling appeared first on CedarCide.