Bed bugs aren’t new to the hospitality industry. Many hotels and motels have encountered bed bug issues, especially during the peak vacation time of summer. Can you bring bed bugs home from a vacation? The simple answer is yes.
Here’s how it happens:
If you’re the kind of person who unpacks immediately after entering a hotel room, you might be in for a big surprise. A hotel room may look clean on the surface, but that doesn’t mean it’s free from bed bugs.
In a hotel, visitors come and go frequently. Without knowing it, some bring bed bugs from their homes or previous hotels. So even if the hotel had a recent bed bug treatment, a resurgence can happen in no time.
In one year, at least 80% of hotels in the U.S. had to treat their rooms for bed bugs. This shows how common these pests are in the hospitality industry. So how do they get from the hotel room to your home? By hitching a ride on your clothes, luggage, and other personal items.
Once a few bed bugs make it to your home, it’s just a matter of time before you have a serious bed bug infestation. Now, what’s the solution? Here’s how you can avoid bringing bed bugs home from a vacation.
The more you travel, the more likely it is that you will bring bed bugs home with you. Bed bugs can even be picked up on airplanes. These bugs can move from one piece of luggage to another on a plane. But despite the significant risk, you can still enjoy your hotel stay if you implement the following tips.
Protecting yourself from bed bugs should begin long before booking your hotel and leaving your home. First, read the reviews of the hotel you’re considering booking. Check for recent bed bug infestations or any complaints from previous guests. If there are none, go ahead and book.
Covering your travel bags or clothes in plastic bags is a sure way to keep bed bugs out of your way. First, it will protect you from picking up bed bugs during transport to the hotel. It will also keep the bugs from moving in with you after your hotel stay.
Once you arrive at the hotel, don’t be quick to unpack. First, inspect the room for bed bugs. Play the detective role and be paranoid. Avoid placing your suitcase and other personal items on the bed.
Keep them in the bathroom or on a clear floor where bed bugs can’t hide.
Only place your belongings on the luggage racks after you’re satisfied there are no signs of bed bugs.
Check the seams of the mattress, bedding, and box spring before unpacking. If you see blood stains, shells, or live bed bugs, ask the hotel management to give you another room.
If you have bite marks on your skin after sleeping in a hotel, you’ve probably encountered bed bugs. But it’s not too late to act. You can still avoid bringing them into your home. First, inform the hotel management so they can call pest control services and protect the next guest.
Secondly, consider washing all your clothes before leaving the hotel. Alternatively, place them in an airtight plastic bag to wash them at home.
Wash all your clothes in hot water (about 140 degrees Fahrenheit) for 90 minutes. Then transfer the garments to a dryer for at least 30 minutes. That should be enough to kill bed bugs.
Once you get home from vacation, inspect your belongings for evidence of bed bugs. If you see any signs, don’t waste time. Call a pest control company to inspect your house and provide immediate treatment before these bugs take over your home.
McDonald Pest Control has experienced exterminators who use safe and effective methods to eliminate bed bugs and prevent future infestations. Make an appointment with one of our professional exterminators today to treat a bed bug infestation as soon as possible.
