When you travel frequently, you have to worry about getting your papers in order and the possibility of a mugging. Your worst problem is one you may have never thought about. Creepy, crawly bed bugs are unfortunately a common experience in hotel rooms. They emerge at night to begin biting you. By morning, your clothes and suitcase are infected. If you bring the bugs home, you will end up undergoing a nightmare of pesticides and treatments to get them out. To avoid this problem in the first place, try using the following tips.

1. Inspect the Room

Ideally, your first goal should be to avoid a bed bug infested room. To do this, you need to have a clear idea of what to look for. Bed bugs will generally be brown in color and look like a miniature cockroach. They leave behind little black dots from their feces, and they look reddish after being squished. Although they are primarily active at night, they can sometimes emerge during daytime as well. Despite their name, they can hide in more than just the bed. You may find them in cracks in the wall, under night tables, in the carpets or within the curtains. If you find any bed bugs during your search, you should go to a different hotel or ask for a new room.

2. Wrap Up Your Bags

Plastic is one of the best ways to protect your bags. Bed bugs naturally prefer porous surfaces and cracks, so plastic is the last thing that they want. If you can cover your luggage in a plastic bag, you can protect it during transport. Other suitcases may have bed bugs, so you need to wrap the bag before it goes in the airplane’s cargo hold. The main goal is to get a plastic bag that can be sealed and will be safe during the handling process.

3. Wash Your Clothes

Normally, you wash your clothes at home. Even if you are only traveling for a few days, you may want to wash your clothes before you return home. Bed bugs love clothes and suitcases, so they can hitch a ride home with you. Having your clothes washed in hot water and a high heat dryer will kill the bed bugs before you pack your bags. As soon as your clothes are clean, put them in a plastic bag before you pack the suitcase. Once you do get home, you may want to wash your clothes again just to be safe.

4. Go to the Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the safest places in the hotel room. The tiling, tub and lack of materials is not a good environment for bed bugs. Your goal is to avoid any carpeting or curtains in the room. By using the bathroom for your suitcase, you can avoid bringing bed bugs home with you.

5. Keep Your Luggage Off the Ground

You have performed your inspection and ensured that your room is safe. Although your room may be clean, other rooms can have bed bugs. Travelers can also bring along bed bugs, so a hotel can quickly become infested. If you do not have space in the bathroom to store your bags, find a space to levitate them. Placing your bags on the floor or the bed makes it easier for bed bugs to access them. The bugs travel from other rooms, so they can end up getting into your bags. To prevent this from happening, keep your bags on a luggage rack or on top of a dresser. If there is space, keep them in the bathroom for extra protection.

After a wonderful vacation, the last thing you want is a case of the bed bugs. Levitating your bags, using plastic wrap and inspecting the room can help you to prevent this from happening. With proper care, you can keep the bed bugs away.

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