Traveling is a wonderful way to experience new places, cultures, and create unforgettable memories. Amidst the excitement of traveling, many people often forget about one major concern—encountering a bed bug infestation in your hotel or vacation home. These tiny hitchhikers will often go unnoticed, hitching a ride back in your luggage and causing a potential infestation in your home that must be eliminated by a professional bed bug extermination company like Ja-Roy. This guide will explore how to identify signs of bed bugs in your hotel and the precautions you should take to prevent them from becoming an unpleasant souvenir.
Bed Bugs and Travel
Bed bugs are known for their ability to hide in tiny spaces and survive for extended periods of time without food. This resilience allows them to travel undetected, hiding in luggage, clothes, or personal items. Whether in hotels, rentals, or visiting loved ones, the risk of encountering these pests is a genuine concern.
Once they infiltrate your belongings, bed bugs will travel back home with you, where they will begin to reproduce rapidly. The few bed bugs you bring home can quickly become a major infestation, leading to itchy bites, sleep disruptions, and considerable stress for you and your family.
Signs of Bed Bugs
When traveling, it is important to check for bed bugs in your accommodations and take precautions to prevent bed bugs from returning home with you. Here are some simple steps you can follow to check for signs of bed bugs in your hotel or Airbnb:
- Check Bedding: Before you lay down to relax after a day of travel, make sure to examine the bedding, mattress seams, and box springs for bed bug activity. These small reddish-brown bugs will leave tiny white eggs, skin casings, and small black stains (fecal matter) behind.
- Inspect upholstery: Bed bugs are known to hide in furniture, headboards, and nightstands. Check all small cracks and crevices for signs of bed bug activity.
- Protect your luggage: Store your luggage on luggage racks, keeping it off the ground and bed. Once home, unpack your belongings outside and examine for signs of bedbugs.
- Securely store clothes: Sealing your clothes and personal items in plastic bags can stop bed bugs from infesting your belongings.
- Bring a flashlight: Use a flashlight to thoroughly examine all areas where bed bugs can hide when you arrive.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs From Coming Home
Preventing Bed Bugs from traveling with you is crucial. Here are a few steps you can take to avoid bringing these pests home:
- Create a barrier between bed bugs and your belongings by sealing your clothes and belongings in packing cubes or plastic bangs.
- Bed Bugs are notorious for hiding in fabric. Consider switching out your soft luggage for hard-shell suitcases that have fewer areas for bed bugs to hide.
- Once you return home, wash all clothing in hot water. The heat will kill bed bugs and their eggs.
- Vacuum and wipe down your luggage. Make sure to inspect it for any signs of bed bugs before you bring it inside.
Ja-Roy– Louisiana’s Bed Bug Experts
If you believe you have brought home these nasty hitchhikers, it is vital to seek professional help. The pest control experts at Ja-Roy have the knowledge and experience to effectively eliminate bed bug infestations, keeping your home pest-free.
Don’t let a bed bug infestation tarnish the fantastic memories from your trip. Contact Ja-Roy today and stop bed bugs from disrupting your home.
How do you Check for Bed Bugs at Your Vacation Rental or Hotel in Southern Louisiana?
Ja-Roy Pest Control Services is a local Pest Control and Extermination company helping homeowners and businesses with pest issues across Southern Louisiana.
