Bed Bug Tips for Travelers

Most everyone knows the saying, “Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite.” When traveling, here are tips from Orkin to help you sleep tighter.

Survey

Check every hotel room for signs of a bed bugs infestation. Bed bugs are not a sanitation issue, which means they can be found in any hotel or motel – from a one-star to five-star location. Signs they are present? Large infestations of bed bugs can create a musty, sweet odor, like soda pop syrup. They leave behind brown or red spots on sheets. While not known to spread disease like many other pests, bed bugs can leave itchy, bloody welts on the skin. (Welts more commonly appear when the victim is sensitive to insect bites.)

Lift and look

^{Bed bug Inspection}

Bed bugs tend to settle in close proximity to their food source – you! During the day these nocturnal insects disappear in crevices associated with mattresses, box springs, sheets, furniture, upholstery and hollow bedposts, as well as crevices behind baseboards, pictures and even torn wallpaper. Make sure to lift and look around all possible hiding spots for bed bugs in the hotel room, not just the mattress.

Elevate

Elevate your luggage and other items. Carefully inspect the hotel’s luggage rack. If there are no signs of bed bugs on it, use it to keep your suitcase off the floor and away from the bed. Also pull the luggage rack away from the wall. This will reduce the likelihood of the insect crawling up the wall and getting into your things.

Examine

Inspect your luggage while repacking and once you return home, to ensure you haven't picked up unwelcome visitors. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers, so be sure to check your luggage and clothing for bed bugs before bringing luggage back into the bedroom. (Orkin recommends unpacking in your garage or utility room.)

Professional help

Because bed bugs can survive extreme temperatures (up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit) and are extremely difficult to kill, treating for an infestation requires the use of a licensed, professional pest control operator with specific experience treating for these pests.