A traveler has offered her three rules after her dream vacation turned into an “absolute nightmare” when she discovered she had accidentally brought bed bugs home.
Aly Henry from the US shared a now-viral TikTok video explaining how the unwanted bloodsucking creatures ended up in her suitcase – despite staying in a fancy five-star hotel.
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She tried everything to get rid of the infestation in her apartment – including hiring a pest controller and washing her entire wardrobe thoroughly multiple times.
But she woke up every morning with a new bite on her body.
“I thought they’d gone twice but they kept coming back,” she said.
Aly Henry has offered her three rules after her dream vacation turned into an ‘absolute nightmare’. Credit: Aly Henry
In a last-ditch effort, the technician ended up paying $1,430 to hire a professional bug specialist.
After an “exhausting and expensive” ordeal, Aly shared three things she learned from the specialist that will help travelers avoid the same – and costly – mistakes.
“If you’re going to travel in 2023, you have to watch this video,” she said.
“Imagine coming home from your dream vacation is an absolute nightmare because that’s exactly what happened to me.
“I stayed in a five star hotel and came home with bugs.
“I know what you’re thinking: ‘This isn’t going to happen to me, I live in a nice place, I’m such a clean person.’
“None of these things matter.
“Follow these three travel rules so this never happens to you.”
Avoid soft surfaces
Their number one rule is to always avoid leaving suitcases and handbags on “soft” surfaces – including beds and sofas – as these are areas where bed bugs are likely to hide.
She was horrified to discover a bug on her curtain every morning after waking up with a new bite. Credit: Aly Henry
“Your suitcase should never touch the bed or couch,” she warned.
“Mine was on a couch.”
Instead, she suggested placing the suitcase on “any hard surface” like a coffee table or desk.
“Even in a bathroom it’s better. Just no soft surfaces,” she said.
“Rough” fact
Aly said you should always keep worn clothes in the hotel’s wardrobe or drawer – and not in your suitcase.
“It’s kind of gross and annoying, but bed bugs are attracted to your smell and your carbon dioxide,” she said.
According to the Australian Department of Health, bugs are attracted to body heat and the carbon dioxide in exhaled air, which helps them find their host.
Aly shared three tips from the bug specialist to help travelers avoid the same mistake. Credit: Aly Henry
“So if you have any clothes that you re-wear on a trip, don’t put them back in your luggage,” Aly said.
“Keep them in the closet or in a drawer, and when you’re ready to go, take everything with you so they don’t get lured into your pockets.”
wash everything
Upon returning home, Aly urged travelers to wash “everything” in their suitcase.
“I don’t care if you haven’t worn it, just wash everything when you get home,” she said.
“I pack things that I don’t wear all the time – but when you bring them home you have to wash them, dry them, if possible on high heat.”
By sharing her experience, she hopes everyone will follow her three steps to “protect yourself from bringing bed bugs home.”
“This advice came straight from the professional pest controller,” she said.
“Take care. If this saves even one person, God bless.”
She spotted a bug on her curtain – which made her realize she had brought the creatures home. Credit: Aly Henry
Her video has been viewed more than 970,000 times – with many thanking Aly for sharing her “essential travel tips”.
“As someone who travels every other week and never thinks about it, I needed that,” said one.
Another admitted: “It never crossed my mind, now I’m scared. But I know it myself, I won’t do anything about it.”
“Bugs ruined my life”
Meanwhile, others shared their own horror bug experiences.
“Good advice. This happened to us and we had to call a bed bug exterminator to finally get rid of them,” revealed one traveler.
Another said: “I grew up with bed bugs taking over my apartment, they literally ruined my family’s mental health and we all get PTSD from them.”
One wrote: “Bed bugs scared me so terribly about bugs. Even something like ants is enough to stop me breathing for a moment.”
While another added: “This is literally happening to me in 2017. I came home from Paris with bugs and it was my worst nightmare.”
Last year, a hotel employee offered her easy way to check your rooms for bed bugs. Credit: halewithaflair/TikTok
Last year, a hotel employee offered her easy way to check your room for bed bugs.
Halee, who has worked in the hospitality industry for 15 years, shared a TikTok video explaining the best way to search the mattress for unwanted blood-sucking guests.
The US hotel worker urged travelers to turn off the lights and close the blinds before checking every corner and crease of your mattress with your phone’s flashlight.
“This is how you should check your hotel room before you even unpack,” she said, adding that she does this every time she checks into a room.
Before opening her suitcase, Halee pulls up the sheets to check the bugs’ “favorite hiding spots.”
Halee said the best way to find the blood-sucking bugs is to comb through the mattress in hotel rooms. Credit: halewithaflair/TikTok
“The first thing you want to do in your room is turn off the lights, close all the blinds and use a flashlight on your phone,” she said.
“While everything is off, get under the covers here… and look under all the folds and around the corners of the mattress.
“They usually like to hang out in the corners and folds. You’ll also want to check under the mattress. Also make sure if there is a mattress topper as well.”
Telltale sign
If you don’t see any bugs, Halee suggests keeping an eye out for blood stains – as it’s a telltale sign that bed bugs are around.
“Even if you don’t see any bugs, be sure to check for spots,” she said.
She says the reason she looks for bugs in the dark is because they’re “nocturnal.”
“They’re more likely to be out looking for their prey,” she said.
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Hotel staff share method for checking bed bugs.
Hotel staff share method for checking bed bugs.
