Global travel and holidays are finally back on the agenda for many people. These are often the highlight of people’s year and are a cause for celebration. However, the joys of travelling abroad or within the UK and staying in hotels can sometimes be overshadowed by the threat of pests.
Occasionally some people may get more than they bargained for and will be unfortunate enough to bring home more than just a souvenir from their holiday!
Let’s talk about bed bugs.
Bed bugs are a pest which can be easily transferred from one place to another, often without anyone knowing. Bedrooms and hotel rooms are ideal breeding grounds for these insects, plus they are much more common than people assume.
It is important to understand that they cannot be passed from person to person, however if bed bugs are present in a room you are staying in, they can become passengers in your bags or luggage by crawling inside. Then they will come home with you without you being aware! This is how they can spread from property to property so easily.
Bed bugs can only be spread if there is already an infestation present at the time you are staying at that property. The next issue is that, if they are brought home by mistake, these small insects can remain undetected for a while within a domestic property, often until it is too late and an infestation has taken hold.
So, what can you do to avoid them?
Sometimes these issues are unavoidable, however, here are some essential handy tips on what you can do to prevent picking up bed bugs on your travels.
Step 1: Check your room on arrival – having a quick check of the condition of the mattress and bed frames underneath the sheets for any signs of bed bugs is simple to do.
You should be looking for evidence of the following.
- black spotting on the mattress or frame.
- long white husks of bed bug shells / shedding.
- in severe cases you may discover live bugs.
Step 2: Keep luggage elevated – bed bugs are more likely to crawl inside items of luggage or clothes that are left on the floor. Alternatively, you can place these in the bathroom during your stay to avoid them being exposed in the bedroom.
Step 3: Wash clothes when you get home – when you return from your trip, wash your clothes on a hot wash or high heat (60 degrees or above). Bed bugs cannot withstand high temperatures and so washing clothes will reduce the risk of them surviving.
Step 4: Remain vigilant – hopefully you will not find any immediate evidence of bed bugs when you get home – however it is worth continuing to make regular checks of your property to ensure that initial signs were not missed by accident.
If you are unlucky enough to still find yourself in a situation where you feel you have a bed bug issue or a possible infestation getting out of hand, then DALPEST Pest Solutions are here to help you.
We are RSPH Level 2 qualified pest controllers and members of the BPCA (British Pest Control Association), and we have all the knowledge and tools at our disposal to help rid you of those nasty pests!
Remember you can also talk to us about any other pest control requirements you may have on 0333 2026 223. We would love to hear from you.
