Don't let bedbugs hitch a ride: Hotel travel safety tips
Upon entering a hotel room, guests often instinctively place their luggage on the bed, not realizing this is a very bad idea. Specialists warn that it should be checked before doing this to avoid potential problems.
4:39 PM EDT, October 4, 2024
Interest in hotel beds has increased, particularly in connection with the bedbug problem in Europe. Experts provide tips on ensuring safety during travel.
Before placing your belongings on the bed, check for bedbugs
If you place a suitcase or bag on the bed before checking for bedbugs, they can easily get into your belongings.
“You’re putting your luggage and clothes right onto the place bedbugs are commonly found and giving them a free ticket home," says head of the company MattressNextDay, which specializes in mattresses. “[Keep] your suitcase as close to the room door as possible.”
So, how do you check if there are bedbugs in the bed? You should remove the bedding to reveal the mattress. Adult bedbugs have flat bodies and a dark color. They are about the size of apple seeds.
The best time to look for bedbugs is with the lights off
During the mattress inspection, look for red, rusty, or dark brown spots, eggs, and shells about 0.04 inches in diameter. Although they are hard to spot, they often appear in groups, making them easier to detect. Seeley advises checking underneath the mattress, drawers, and spaces between the headboard and the wall.
It is also worth checking areas near curtains, preferably with the lights off, using a flashlight on your phone. Bedbugs are active at night, so they leave their hiding places in search of hosts.
