It is common knowledge that avid travellers can risk travelling back home with bed bugs without them knowing. This can be such an unnerving situation since these pests can pose a threat to one’s health. What is worse is that bringing these pesky crawlers unknowingly from an individual’s trip can also put their home and belongings in danger, seeing as bed bugs spread rather quickly. This is why travellers should always make it a point to do everything they can to prevent a bed bug infestation whenever they go on holidays.
To assist in preventing bed bugs while travelling, we share 5 helpful tips to take into consideration;
1. Do your research
Prior to booking a room, it would be best to make sure you read up about the location you are sleeping in. For a start, you can find a list of bedbug-infested accommodations worldwide to help give you a heads-up on places to avoid. You can also check reviews from other guests to know which hotels or resorts have issues with a bed bug infestation. While it can be challenging to determine whether a hotel that had a bed bug issue in the past currently has one, it still helps to do some research to get a good idea of places you need to avoid.
2. Inspect the bed thoroughly
The adage ‘Good night, sleep tight and do not let the bed bugs bite’ we might ever hear so often during our childhood times has never been more relevant than right now. So before you lay on the bed to rest, you should ideally check it thoroughly for signs of bed bugs.
To do so, you may uncover the sheets, search underneath the mattress and the box spring, and even check the headboard. As you do so, do not forget to inspect the pillows for dark spots that look like insect secretion, reddish stains, and offensive odour, as these are some of the tell-tale signs of bed bugs. Since bed bugs can also live on other furniture, be sure to check the wardrobe and upholstered items in the room as well.
3. Protect your belongings
It would be safer to hang your clothes on a metal rack since bed bugs do not climb on metal surfaces. Otherwise, it is vital that you keep your luggage sealed at all times to prevent those critters from getting into your clothes. It would help if you also used a laundry bag for your soiled clothes instead of placing them on hotel furniture or the floor.
4. Be careful when you are in public places
Since bed bugs can be found anywhere, it would be wise to be careful when you are out and about in public places – public transportation, movie theatres, shopping centres, restaurants, and the like. You might not be aware at the time, but you could very well be bringing them into your hotel room or, in a worst-case scenario, back to your home.
5. Double-check everything
Ideally, you would not want any bed bugs to hitch a ride and travel with you back to your home. Thus, always double-check your clothes, shoes, suitcase, and other belongings before checking out of the hotel.
When you get home, do not unpack your luggage just yet. Instead, spray your suitcase with a bed bug solution as a precautionary measure to prevent them from infiltrating your home.
Conclusion
Bed bugs are so tiny that you can hardly see them, especially when they hide inside the crevices on the floor, mattress, or furniture. This can mean that you might unknowingly give those creepy crawlers a free ride into your home, which should be avoided if you want an uninterrupted rest post-travelling and a pest-free abode.
Suppose you have uncovered the presence of bed bugs in your house. In that case, it is reasonable to presume that an infestation has already taken place, necessitating the need for pest control in Singapore. When this happens, do not hesitate to contact our PestClinic professionals – we handle all of your pest problems effectively and securely, from a thorough inspection to ultimate elimination. Aside from bed bugs, we also provide termite inspections in Singapore and other pest control treatments for a variety of common household pests. Contact us today for more information on our pest control solutions.
