Travellers Guide to Avoiding Bedbugs Infestations
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What Are Bedbugs
Bedbugs are the bane of travellers everywhere, cunningly stowing away in luggage and infiltrating hotel rooms. It’s nearly impossible to completely avoid these pests on the road. Thankfully, diligent precautions can significantly curb unwanted encounters. The National Pest Management Association 2018 study found that 68% of hotels battled bedbugs, highlighting travellers’ exposure risks in unfamiliar spaces. Staying vigilant makes bringing hitchhikers home far less likely.
With some diligent inspection, thoughtful packing and preventative measures, travellers can evade bringing home these irritating “souvenirs”. This guide will equip you with proactive tips and strategies for keeping bedbugs out of hotel beds and luggage. Implementing even a few of these suggestions will have you resting easy on your journeys.
Carefully Select Accommodations
Doing your research on places you’re thinking of booking is really important for avoiding bedbugs. Read reviews pretty carefully, keeping an eye out for anyone mentioning issues in the past. Opting for well-known chain hotels and motels that have staff specifically handling pest control is usually a safer bet than some no-name spots.
When you get to your room, take a few minutes to give it a good once-over before you start unpacking. Lift up the sheets and mattress and check things like seams, headboards, cracks in furniture – anywhere those tiny bugs could be hiding.
Also take a peek behind paintings and photos hanging on the walls. If you spot any bugs or little black dots, definitely ask to switch rooms as a precaution. Taking those few minutes could save you a lot of trouble down the road.
Pack Smart
The way you pack makes a big difference too. Keeping your luggage zipped up when you’re not taking stuff in and out helps contain anything unwanted from hitching a ride. If you can, go with hard-sided suitcases since they provide a bit more protection than soft bags. Throw things into packing cubes or bags so they’re all separated, which also helps limit spreading.
Don’t just toss your bags on the floor or bed whenever you get to a new spot either. Bugs can crawl right in if you do. Use the luggage racks, put it up on a table or stand instead so nothing crawls in unseen. Also be cautious of leaving things in hotel closets, dressers or cabinets since those spots aren’t always treated like the rest of the room. Taking simple precautions with how you transport and store your stuff can go a long way.
Inspect Vigilantly – Where Bedbugs Hide?
Getting in the routine of doing thorough checks daily is so important when you’re travelling. Pull back the sheets and lift up the mattress to have a good look since bugs like to hide there. Shake out anything like clothes, shoes and bags before putting them on too. And don’t forget to inspect your luggage inside and out before packing up to head home. Those bedbugs are tiny and sneaky – it doesn’t take many hitching a ride for you to end up with an infestation.
Limit Items Returning Home
While it’s definitely not guaranteed you’ll pick up bedbugs travelling, it’s not impossible either since infestations seem to be on the rise everywhere. These sneaky little bugs are so good at hiding that you might not even spot a few hitchhikers clinging to your stuff.
Even the cleanest homes can end up with bedbugs because they’re so tiny and flat – they’ll squeeze into any little crack or hole without issue. Since health experts say bringing them back is possible no matter how cleanly you travel, it can’t hurt to take some precautions just in case. Things like limiting what goes between hotel rooms and back home makes sense if you do cross paths with the pests by chance on a trip.
Enhanced Protection Upon Arrival
Experts say using high heat is a really effective way to kill any bedbugs or eggs leftover in your laundry after travelling. If you find bugs while unpacking, toss everything in the washer on the hottest water temperature it’ll go. That’ll penetrate all the folds and seams to get anything hiding deep in your clothes.
Of course, hopefully all your precautions on the road paid off and you don’t end up with any unwelcome friends. But just in case a few hitchhikers slipped by despite your best efforts, contact an exterminator right away if you spot bugs at home.
Professional exterminators have powerful chemicals, special tools, and proven techniques to thoroughly remove an infestation where DIY won’t cut it. A comprehensive treatment plan from a licensed pro can get rid of them for good.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, live bedbugs are sneaky pests that will try to outsmart even the savviest traveller. But keeping vigilant and taking basic precautions can go a long way in protecting yourself. Things like inspecting your room thoroughly, using luggage racks, and sealing up your suitcase in plastic aren’t too hard to do. It’s also smart to wash clothes right away on hot if anything creeps you out post-trip.
Of course, sometimes a few may slip past no matter what. If you do spot bedbugs back home after a trip, call in the pros at Maximum Pest Control.Our experienced exterminators know all the latest high-tech tools and most effective treatment methods like heat and strategic spraying. Having experts handle it is key, since these pests are hard to get rid of alone.
