Bed bugs are good travelers and will hitch a ride whenever be possible. They can easily climb onto luggage or move across a room without being noticed. Considering that hotels have many guests coming in and out, it gives the perfect opportunity to feed themselves for a lifetime. It is important to know how to avoid bed bugs especially when traveling. Even though they cannot be seen easily, there are things one needs to do to minimize the chances of having bed bugs brought back home.
If you suspect bed bug bites or bed bug presence, do not hesitate to contact Bed Bug Control Hamilton for a complete bed bug eradication.
When packing for a trip, one should consider using a hard shelled suitcase as it has fewer seams and folds where bedbugs can hold up. Shoes, clothes, toiletries and any other personal items should be packed in sealable plastic bags. Bedbugs find plastics repulsive and thus one should use light colored plastic bags, making it easier to spot them. A white plastic bag would also come in handy, just make sure it is sealed.
Once you reach your destination, don’t put your luggage on the bed or have it unzipped on the floor. Place your suitcase or any other luggage in the bathroom or on a luggage rack.
Inspect your room for bed bugs before you settle down and plunge in your bed. Since bed bugs like to fix themselves in crevices, ruffles, folds and cracks, make sure you inspect such areas in your room. Pull back the covers and look under the pillows and mattress. You might use a flashlight if the room has dull lighting. Check at the back of headboard, underneath the frame and box spring. Apart from the bed, you might want to check the areas in close proximity such as: under lamps and nightstands, and in pleats of drapes and upholstered furniture. Also check behind paintings, wall hangings and mirrors.
If you discover bedbugs hidden in any or all of those places then you have an outbreak. It might be tempting to start squashing the bloodsuckers, but that doesn’t get rid of the others lodged in crevices. Inform the hotel management of the situation and work with them to find a better solution. If you decide to switch rooms, make sure you do not get a room below or adjacent to the previous room. Bedbugs can easily move to neighboring rooms by fixing themselves on wall sockets, housekeeping carts and luggage.
Keep in mind each hotel has their own procedures and solutions to accommodate guests during an unpleasant finding or complaint. Some hotels as courtesy will offer all the laundry that might be affected as safeguard to further spreading.