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We all agree that we hate bugs, right? Even if you respect their role in the circle of life or whatever, you probably don’t like seeing them in your house. Nor would any sane person welcome seeing them in a hotel or vacation rental—especially an invasive, hard-to-remove pest like bed bugs.
As disruptive as your relaxation plans may be, the worst case scenario is that you unknowingly bring the bugs with you from vacation. It’s a horror that really defies understanding. Here’s how to avoid this.
Search the bug registry
Did you know there is a bug registry? I didn’t, but now that I do, I can’t stop looking for it. Before you embark on your next trip, enter your hotel options into the registration here. Previous reports of bugs at your hotel location will surface, but even if nothing happens, don’t let up. A lack of reports doesn’t always mean a lack of bedbugs, and there are other creepy-crawlies to consider that aren’t of the bedbug variety. (It’s also fun to just look up your address and your friends’ addresses. I’m proud to report that my apartment building has never had a bed bug report.)
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Check the room carefully
In addition to cleaning, you should check your hotel room for signs of bugs as soon as you arrive. Two months ago I was in Miami (in a fancy hotel no less) and didn’t realize until my second night that there was an infestation of ants on – or maybe under or around or all three – the counter. The concierge helpfully moved me to a new room, but the sickness of seeing ants everywhere stayed with me long after I’d inspected all my belongings.
Abarb Pest Services recommends checking the seams of your mattress for bed bug activity (their droppings look like small black smudges that smudge when you try to wipe them away). Check the floor and near closets for small feces that could indicate roaches. Check the mini-fridge and counters for ants. If you spot anything, call the front desk and get out. Take photos to document what you found, request a refund, and change hotels entirely if possible. If bed bug activity is confirmed, report it to the registry.
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Pack everything
You want to make sure whatever you’ve packed stays tramp pest-free. This could include using plastic bags or cling film to separate clean and dirty clothes in your luggage, as well as your toiletries. Travel Noire also recommends using vinyl hard-shell suitcases or duffel bags, which, unlike cloth bags, are easy to clean with disinfectants.
If you pack everything separately and airtight you can see any intruders and hopefully separate them in a pile of stuff in case someone stows away with you.
Finally, don’t leave your luggage on the floor and also keep it off plush surfaces like the bed, a couch, or a chair. Use the luggage rack or, if there isn’t one, a table to keep your clothes and belongings off the floor and in places where insects are most likely to nest.
burn them
If you’ve just returned home from a stay in an infested hotel, the first thing on your to-do list should be grabbing the plastic-wrapped or bagged clothes from your luggage and tossing them in the dryer, advises Abarb Pest Services. Use the highest setting and leave it in for 30 to 60 minutes to kill bugs, roaches and other critters. Thoroughly vacuum your luggage and wipe down with your usual cleaning products. If you’re really worried (especially about bed bugs), you can pesticide your luggage or steam clean it (or both).
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