Bed bugs are usually more active during summer. Don’t be surprised when they sneak into your home with ways you never thought possible. The problem could start immediately you come home from vacation. Bed bugs are not picky when it comes to where they set up shop. You can find them in luxury shops and even hospitals. The fact that they’re good at hiding makes it hard to know when there is an infestation.
According to a 2016 Survey conducted in 100 hotels, it was found out that 82% of them had been treated for bed bugs in the previous year. You should be wary of bed bugs when using hotels but you shouldn’t let them destroy your vacation. Make sure that your suitcase is covered.
Know the Enemy
Not a lot of people know what bed bugs look like. It will be impossible to fight the enemy when you don’t know what they look like. All you have to do is go online and look for pictures of bed bugs so as to know what you’re dealing with exactly. They’re flat, round and wingless pests and are usually brown in color. They will leave behind fecal stains in the form of digested blood.
Inspect the Area
You don’t necessarily have to tear the room apart when looking for bed bugs. You might have checked in to a luxury resort or a five-star hotel. Although it is highly unlikely to get bed bugs in such establishments, you shouldn’t leave anything to chance as you might never know. You can pull back the sheets and look at edges and seams of the mattress. You should also inspect the corners of the bed for signs of bed bugs. Their fecal waste is visible to the naked eye and you can rest easy knowing there are no signs of bed bugs in the room that you’re staying.
Bites are the obvious signs that there is a bed bug infestation. The bites are distinct and you immediately know you’re dealing with bed bugs.
Protect Your Luggage
Experts recommend storing your suitcase on a hard surface. It will be impossible for the bed bugs to reach such surfaces. Don’t unpack clothes and spread them all over the room as you will only be increasing the chances of getting bed bugs in your suitcase. You can keep the organization by using packing cubes. That means you only get to unpack when you will need at that particular time. When the vacation is over, you can use a lint roller to inspect your suitcase.
Don’t Panic
You should not panic even if you find bed bugs. If it is a hotel room, the first thing to do is to call management so that you can be moved to another room that is not infested. You will still want to do the inspection because there is a chance it could be a full-blown infestation and most of the rooms in the hotel are susceptible.
You also want to take extra precaution if you think you’ve been exposed to bed bugs.
You can have garbage bags in your car. Once you get home, you should inspect your luggage and clothes. Everything should go to the garbage bags and straight to the washing machine. This will include clothes that you did not use while on vacation. The suitcase should also be thoroughly inspected to make sure that there no bed bugs hiding.
What to Do In Case of a Bed Bug Infestation
If you’ve carried the bed bugs into your home, you will have no option but to look for an exterminator. Due diligence is needed when looking for an exterminator. You want someone with experience who will get rid of the bed bugs permanently. DIY solutions are usually not recommended since you might have to apply the remedy on each and every pest which is an impossible proposition. The recommended solution would be to look for Alpha Bed Bug Exterminator NYC so that you can rest easy knowing that the problem will be taken care of. Once your home has been treated, you will need to take a proactive approach to prevent infestations in the future.
To sum it up, bed bugs are known to be good at hitchhiking. You can find them even at 5-star hotels as they’re good at hiding and will only come out at night to feed. Make sure you carry out a visible inspection when you enter any hotel room.
