There are all kinds of preparations that need to be made when traveling or before planning an upcoming trip. This doesn’t mean it won’t be an exciting process, but it will certainly be a lot of work. Most people know they have a lot of advanced planning. However, they tend to overlook the importance of safeguarding against
bed bugs. While packing and getting ready for travel is important, it’s just as imperative to make sure you and your family are safeguarded against the pesky little parasite known as the bed bug.
Put in Extra Research
With the reach of the Internet, you’ll likely be doing most of your vacation planning online. You’ll probably be shopping for tickets online, looking for exciting attractions, and scheduling tours. Well, why not take the time to check for recent
bed bug sighting reports? Check the hotel you are considering staying in. If someone had a run-in with
bed bugs, you best believe they will have likely reported it.
Proper And Thorough Inspection
Even when paying $300 a night for accommodations, you should never assume all is right. Some of the cleanest and more reputable establishments have been popped for
bed bugs.
Leave your luggage in the car, enter the room, flip the mattresses, check under the box springs, remove the pillowcases, and check under the rugs. This probably seems a bit excessive, but
bed bugs are not something you want to inadvertently introduce in your home. You’ll spend months and potentially hundreds of dollars trying to eliminate the threat.
During Your Stay
If your initial check of the room doesn’t reveal an infestation it doesn’t mean you need to stop there. While you are on vacation to have fun, you do need to be diligent about avoiding
bed bugs. It’s possible you missed them, or they migrated to another room. Whatever the situation, you should consider keeping your belongings and luggage in plastic bags during your stay. This doesn’t mean you can’t unpack them from the suitcase or luggage. You can place your items in the hotel’s closet and drawers. Just consider wrapping them in plastic before doing so.
In addition to this, you might want to consider utilizing the hotel’s luggage racks or tables to store your belongings. Bed bugs are opportunistic, but they always choose the path of least resistance. They will do whatever is necessary to avoid detection, so making them work to invade your stuff can sometimes make the endeavor seem too risky.
The Return Trip
So, you’ve spent a week, maybe a month in your accommodations, and didn’t experience any bed bug symptoms. Unfortunately, that still does not mean all is well. It could still be entirely possible you have an infestation on your hands and don’t know it. Therefore, it becomes imperative to practice even more diligence on the trip home. As soon as you arrive home, place your clothes in the washer and wash them with hot water. After that, dry them on the highest heat settings possible. It has become a well-documented fact that bed bugs cannot stand up to specific heat temperatures. It causes their insides to malfunction.
If all this seems too great, you can always turn to the pros. We’ll be more than glad to check the home and your belongings for you. Maybe you do have an infestation on your hands. Whatever the situation, we’ll clear the problem up for you.
When To Call In The Experts?
When you arrive home from your trip, it may take several days or weeks before the bed bug encounter becomes more obvious. Some victims have admitted to initially ignoring the signs because they were so minor.
