Bed Bugs: How to Avoid These Nasty Hitchhikers
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Image by Flickr / Elsua
Check your hotel bed thoroughly for any signs of bed bugs
Don't let these nasty bugs ruin your much-deserved trip abroad
The dream: a trip abroad. The nightmare: bringing back a creepy, fast-breeding stowaway.
Bed bugs are tiny, flat, apple-seed-shaped insects that feed on your blood at night. They can be found anywhere – from dingy dives to luxury resorts – and spread by hitchhiking on the luggage of travellers.
Bed bugs don’t transmit disease, but their bites can be painful, and they can make you feel invaded in your own home. Use these travel tips to reduce your chances of returning with a nasty souvenir.
How to Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Home
- Research your hotels using an online database like bedbugregistry.com
- Don’t bring pillows. Do bring plastic bags for your belongings
- Keep your bags on a luggage stand. Avoid putting anything on the bed or other furniture
- Inspect your room. Examine the seams of the mattress, as well as the linens, bed frame, dressers and nightstand
- Look for the bugs, as well as for dark specks of blood or feces. Use a keychain flashlight to check corners, closets, drawers and mattress seams after nightfall, when bed bugs are most active
- If you find signs of bed bugs, ask to be moved to a different room. Check the new room in the same way
- On your return, examine your luggage and clothing, and clean them thoroughly before putting anything away
- If you see bugs or notice bites after your trip, call a pest control company for advice
Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.
Also use only soft luggage that you can put through the dryer. When you come home from a trip all luggage, clothing your wearing, shoes etc. through the dryer 20 minutes on the hottest setting will ensure anything (eggs or adult) will be dead. The problem is these days you can pick them up almost anywhere, hospital waiting rooms, public transportation, library, work etc. So make good use of your dryer and try not to bring anything used home unless it can fit in the dryer.
Tina Slauenwhite
Thermal Remediation Experts Inc.
B.C's Bed Bug Expert
Several years ago I lived through a hideous infestation caused by a neighbour. It was one of the most challenging times of my life; I had very rare anaphylactic reactions to the bites.
Google 'lifecycle of a bedbug' and learn how to identify them. Believe me, you don't want to bring bedbugs into your home. They are beyond nasty.
A great product for people who travel often is the Packtite heating closet. You can make sure you don't bring any bed bugs home by using this every time you return from a trip. You can heat treat items that can't go into a dryer such as laptops, briefcases, shoes, books etc. We rent this item for 1 day - 3 day or weekly rental or you can purchase one from us. If you have any questions on bedbugs we would be happy to help. www.bcbedbugexpert.com or admin@bcbedbugexpert.com I hope this info helps someone.
Tina Slauenwhite
Thermal Remediation Experts Inc.
250-730-1854
Great info thanks! I also use Tea Tree Oil, I think they are repelled by it, so far so good!
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