Living There
Let’s face it, bed bugs can be a huge concern for all of us, and knowing how to keep them out of your luggage is one of the most important things you can do to prevent them from infesting your home. They’re scary: they suck our blood at night, can live up to a year without a meal, breed incredibly fast, and worst of all, are extremely hard to kill.
You can hire an exterminator after the fact, but knowing how to prevent them from getting in to your home in the first place is more important, and much cheaper. Let’s dig in.
Getting informed about your hotel
When you book your room, you should always be paying attention to the reviews from other travellers, as they’ll be your best test of how well a hotel deals with their problems. Nobody likes to hear reviews of bad hygiene, poor/neglectful staff, or bad management.
Almost every travel agent or hotel review website has some form of quality control. Be sure to check the star reviews on websites like TripAdvisor, and the reviews from other people on home-sharing websites like AirBNB before you buy. Any mention of bugs is a sign that you should find a new place to stay.
Checking out bug-specific websites like the bed bug registry can also provide you with a lot of historical information on bugs in a hotel or apartment. If there are any reviews from the last 2 years, you may be putting yourself at risk by staying at those buildings. Bed bugs are incredibly resilient, and knowing that there was a previous infestation is never a good sign.
Don’t think that 5-star hotels are exempt from infestations. Canada and the US have had a rising bed bug problem over the last few years, and nobody is 100% safe from them.
Protecting your luggage
Bed bugs are amazing hitchhikers, which makes them one of the most feared bugs to have in your home. They can jump in purses, luggage bags, and clothes and travel for up to a year without food. That means that you need to take caution when you bring your luggage in to a new hotel you’re unfamiliar with.
Sealing and zipping up your bags is the best way to prevent the bugs from slipping in, but that’s not always the most effective way. It’s recommended that you wrap and seal your bag in a plastic garbage bag if you’re concerned about bugs. Though this step is usually unnecessary, if you have no other choice, this is the best thing you can do.
Inspecting your room
The worst part of a bed bug infestation? You might not even know it exists, and by that time it’s already too late. Bed bugs are generally nocturnal, and you’re likely not to feel them bite you in the middle of the night, since their bites release an anesthetic that numbs the area of the bite. You might not even get an allergic reaction to them.
So what can you do? The absolute first thing you need to do when you’re in a new hotel room is to inspect the furniture. Bed bugs are very small, and can hide well in crevices, so checking out a guide to finding bed bugs in mattresses is a necessary step to prevention.
Pull back the sheets of your bed, and check every corner and crevice for a sign of the bug. If you do find a visual clue that there are, or have been bed bugs in the area, you should take your belongings out of the room and contact the management of the building immediately. They will either be able to refund you, or move you to a room far enough away for them to treat the problem. Do not hesitate to say something – the sooner you leave the better.
Conclusion
Now that you’re armed with knowledge, you can make the best decisions to protect yourself from being a vehicle for bed bugs. Get informed about your hotel – ask questions and read reviews. Inspect your room and protect your luggage. Do everything you can, because once you get bed bugs, exterminating them can be costly and stressful.
