How do I avoid bringing bed bugs home from a trip?
Written by the Hydra Pest Control team, Arizona-licensed (license #9790)
Last reviewed:
Check the bed and furniture when you arrive, keep your suitcase closed and off the floor, and inspect items before you repack. When you get home, unpack outside the bedroom and put travel clothes through a hot dryer. CDC says if you see bed bugs or signs like blood spots on the linens, find other lodging.
When you arrive
CDC recommends inspecting mattresses, box springs, bedding and furniture. Eggs and nymphs are easy to miss.
EPA suggests checking the hotel luggage rack too. Keep suitcases off the floor and closed, and take items out only as needed.
Signs to look for
CDC lists shed skins, bugs in mattress and sheet folds, rusty spots and a sweet musty odor. Bite marks can take up to 14 days to show.
If you see bed bugs or signs of them, CDC says to seek other lodging. CDC also notes bed bugs are not known to spread disease.
Before you repack and when you get home
Inspect clothes before repacking. At home, unpack outside the bedroom, inspect and vacuum the suitcase, and dry travel clothes on high heat. EPA notes a dryer on high heat can kill bed bugs.
Frequently asked
Where do bed bugs hide in a hotel room?
Check mattresses, box springs, bedding, mattress and sheet folds, furniture and the luggage rack. Eggs and nymphs are easy to miss.
Should I leave my suitcase in the car?
Don't count on it. EPA notes heat in a closed car is unreliable for killing bed bugs: success depends on climate and other factors.
What if I think I brought them home?
Dry travel clothes on high heat, inspect and vacuum the suitcase, and watch for signs like shed skins, rusty spots and bugs in mattress folds. If you find signs, call a licensed pest control company.
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Sources
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