Italian Architecture
Once we landed in Italy and started walking around, I realized that my 20-year old self failed to notice the amazing architecture on my first trip many years ago. I have been back several...
5 tips for preventing bedbugs while traveling
5 Bedbug Defense Strategies for Travelers
Bedbugs have become quite common these days and are easily found in a lot of places such as hotels, movie theaters, restaurants, etc. People are commonly mistaken when they believe that you have to live in a cluttered home, or live in a dirty environment in order to have bed bugs, this is completely wrong. Anyone can live in the cleanest home in the world and still catch bed bugs. Our 5 tips for preventing bedbugs while traveling gives you what you need to know when traveling.
Bedbugs can easily be brought in from any public place that you have visited and especially while you are traveling because there are so many people that come in and out of these areas. That is why we are sharing how you can prevent bringing home bed bugs when you travel.
Bedbug Strategies During Travel Vigilance
Check Your Rooms & Beds
The very first thing that you should do when you arrive at your hotel is to check your room thoroughly. I would recommend leaving your bags/suitcases in the car until you have cleared the room. You will want to pull back the sheets/blankets and check all around the mattress/headboard of the bed and also check around the edges of the carpet in the room. Make certain to look into the seams of everything because that is where they tend to hid. If you do find any signs of bed bugs, be sure to alert the hotel staff immediately.
Keep Belongings Off the Floor
Try to keep your belongings up high and off the ground. My bags and belongings haven't touched the floor of a hotel room in years. Any hotel room. Keeping everything off of the floor reduces the risk of any of those critters getting into your luggage and coming home with you. If there is a desk, stand, or chair in the room, try to keep your bags up on these items.
Read the Reviews
Nothing is worse than going into hotel/motel blindly, not knowing anything about this place. I would really recommend reading as many reviews as you possibly can to see what others say about the hotel and if they may have possibly found anything in their rooms or throughout the hotel.
Watch for Signs
You will definitely want to check your room for signs of bed bugs. These will include blood spots on furniture/bedding, black dots that are actually bed bug feces, and check your body for bites which are red bites typically in a line of three.
Take Precaution When You Get Home
Just to be extra safe, you should take some really good precautions when you get home. I recommend throwing all of your clothes into the wash immediately and thoroughly investigating your suitcases/bags to ensure you haven't brought anything home with you.
Bed bugs are no joke, once you have them it is really hard to get rid of them and almost always you have to call in professional help. Bedbug treatments for a home can cost thousands of dollars (my sister paid $2300). Make sure that you are extra safe and are thoroughly checking things when you travel. 5 tips for preventing bedbugs while traveling
When my husband traveled a lot for business, we got bedbugs. Now we are very careful to follow all of these tips.
My next hotel stay is under two weeks away, so these tips come at the perfect time. Just the thought makes me cringe, but being aware is vital. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for these tips! Very helpful!
Ah! These are really good ideas. I never really considered the possibility of bed bugs in hotels.
This is such an important topic to discuss, I have heard horror stories about bed bugs from those who travel. Thanks for sharing these tips!
Great tips to remember… especially with it being summer and a busy travel season.
It’s important to take note of these signs when you’re traveling because bed bugs can be such a headache. I love the tips that you have here and it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Yuck, I can’t stand any type of bug.
My husband feels the same way and thought about going into the extermination business.
First time I saw a close up picture of these little devils – no thanks, right?!
These are great tips. I never would think that putting items on the floor could also bring about bed bugs. Thanks for the info.
These are great tips. I am always so paranoid about bed bugs , so I will be keeping these tips handy!
I hate bedbugs, this is very helpful tips! We like to travel and make hotel accommodations but sometimes bed bugs are turning us off!
Yikes – not sure I can do all of this. Good tips, though!
It’s also a misconception that it can’t happen at a five star hotel, oh yes it can!
These are great tips! Bedbugs are the absolute worst!
THanks for sharing this it is helpful to us because we alway encountered this after travelling.
Bed bugs freak me out. Seriously. Our county started getting hit with them about 2 years ago. I am afraid to stay anywhere now. I dont even like going to some peoples homes knowing thy have been somehwere because you can pick them up on your clothes. Good tips- I would come home and bag everything and probably still worry.