Normally, bed bugs are attributed to unhygienic surroundings. However, these insects feed only on human and animal blood, so they can appear even in the most luxurious hotels. If you are travelling soon, here are some tips on how to protect yourself from bed bugs.
Detect the Bed Bugs
The best way to protect yourself from bed bugs is to stay away from them. The first thing you should do when you arrive at your hotel room is to inspect the most obvious places. While you do this, make sure your luggage and any other belongings are in the bathroom, since bed bugs avoid tiles and surfaces where they can’t hide.
Bed bugs tend to hide near the bed, because they attack at night while you are sleeping. You should start by checking the sheets and both sides of the mattress. Then proceed to inspect the corners of the bedframe and make sure there are no traces. Christine Johnson, PhD says that you should look for blood stains or black dots that look like mold or ground pepper. If you find something like this, make sure to contact the hotel staff and inform them about this issue.
Don’t Bring the Bed Bugs Home
Hotel rooms are different from our homes when it comes to bed bugs. These parasites are very good at hiding, thanks to their small and flat bodies. They can easily climb and attach onto your clothes and luggage. If you don’t take care, you could unknowingly bring them into your own home.
The first line of defense is to store all of your dirty laundry in a plastic bag while you are still at the hotel. Then, when you’re back home, wash and dry the laundry at the highest temperature the fabric can handle. Make sure to throw away the old plastic bag and store your clean clothes in new bags or directly in your wardrobe.
Once you arrive home, all of your luggage should stay in front of the door or in the garage, until you’ve made sure it’s clean. As a further precaution, you should vacuum clean the inner and outer sides of your suitcase, as well as any other bags you brought home. It also wouldn’t hurt to clean the soles of your shoes, preferably with a wet cloth.
Hopefully, these tips will come in handy on your next trip and help you to recognize a bed bug infestation, as well as protect your belongings from it.
