What can I do to protect myself from these little hitch hikers while traveling?

With People frequently traveling, Leap Pest control thought we could provide you with a few traveling tips to help minimize your chances of bringing these little hitch hikers (bed bugs) home.

BEFORE YOU CHECK-IN:

  • Before booking inquire about the hotel that you are planning to book your vacation or business trip. Web sites like www.tripadvisor.com or www.bedbugregistry.com are good sources of information and reviews from past travelers.
  • Pack clothing and other personal belongings in zip lock bags or check out the Bed Bug Travel Kits that you can purchase from Leap Pest Control at a reasonable price from our Bug Shop.
  • Leave luggage outside room while you do your own mini inspection to determine whether you see bugs first hand before unpacking.

No Bed BugsONCE YOU HAVE ARRIVED:

Tools needed for a good mini inspection include:

Magnifying glass, LED flashlight and a credit card or card of similar thickness.

Check areas such as:

  • Closets and dresser drawers.
  • Mattress seams and mattress underside, box spring and box spring underside.
  • Behind wall hangings.
  • Upholstered hangings.
  • Where carpet and wall meet.
  • In the corner of the room where ceiling and wall meet.
  • Behind the head board. (Usually you cannot remove the head board which is a great hiding spot for bed bugs. That is where the card of your choice comes in. Swipe card from bottom to top as you might be able to scrap up eggs, bed bugs, feces, skin casings (molts).

Once you’ve determined that a room appears to be bed-bug free, you can also do these things to protect yourself:

  • Do not leave suit case, clothing or shoes on the floor or bed as this allows easy access.
  • Only take out clothes that you are going to wear then zip or seal up your protective bag immediately.
  • Once you arrive home, leave your suit case outside. Take your bagged clothing and footwear directly to your dryer and place on the hottest setting for 30-45 minutes. Suit case should be vacuumed with a high power vacuum. Vacuum inside and outside of the suit case.
  • For a minimal investment you can purchase Bed Bug Climb Ups to take with you. These are a bed bug monitoring device. For peace of mind see our Pest Shop for more details.