Bed bugs don’t just live in beds: In hotel rooms, these apple-sized pests hide in the furniture, waiting for an opportunity to emerge, usually at night, to suck blood while you (and your pets) sleep. Bed bug bites are usually painless, but often consist of a bite or line.
Brian Buckenson, chief of communicable diseases for the New York State Department of Health, said that while bed bugs generally pose minimal health risks, their bites can cause allergic reactions in some people and, of course, can cause discomfort and anxiety for most people.
Here are some ways to prevent blood-sucking stowaways from sneaking into your home.
When you arrive
Even if the room is clean, check it before you stay at a hotel. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Bed Bug Myths website, human warmth, blood, and carbon dioxide are far more important to bed bugs than unsanitary conditions. However, the website adds that messy environments can also provide a good hiding place for bed bugs.
As soon as you enter your room, put your belongings in the bathroom and then check for bedbugs, advises Jodi Gangloff Kaufman, a senior extension agent at Cornell University who has a doctorate in entomology with a focus on pest management.
Adult bed bugs are wingless, have six legs and a flat, oval body, and are about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The EPA website says that the eggs are pearly white and about the size of a pinhead.
Thoroughly check your bedding, box springs, bed skirts, side tables, alarm clocks and anywhere else bugs might hide.
“The first thing you notice are the feces stains they leave behind, which look like marker dots on fabric,” Dr Gangloff-Kaufman says.
Also check the headboard, some of which may be sticking out from the wall. If there’s powder behind the headboard, that could be a sign that the room has been treated for bedbugs in the past, says Dr. Gangloff Kaufman.
Have a small LED flashlight handy for your inspection; it will help illuminate any eggs or shells that may have fallen off during the molting process. Finally, check any remaining furniture around the room, as well as any nooks and crannies (baseboards, moldings, floors, etc.). A sweet, musty smell can also indicate the presence of bed bugs.
Commercially available bed bug tests, like the cotton-swab TruDetx, which claims to “guaranteed detection in just five minutes,” may be effective but aren’t backed by sufficient scientific studies, Dr. Gangloff-Kaufman said, and may provide a false sense of security, Dr. Backenson said.
If you find evidence of bedbugs, do not stay in the room. Instead, notify the hotel staff, grab your luggage, leave the room, and request a different room that is not adjacent to the infested room.
During your stay
Storing your clothes in sealable plastic bags will minimize places where bedbugs can hide. Some travelers bring large, sealable plastic bags as their luggage.
Buckman said hard case luggage may be a safer option than soft case luggage because it offers fewer crevices for bedbugs to hide in. Always store luggage on a rack, away from the wall, or in the bathtub.
Dr Gangloff-Kaufman says you shouldn’t sprinkle diatomaceous earth, a white, silica-rich powder that some travelers use to dry out bedbugs, in your hotel room, as it could not only contaminate the room, but could also scare hotel staff if they see it and don’t realize it.
Another common method, blasting luggage or clothing with a hair dryer or portable steamer, may not be effective because the heat isn’t strong enough or long enough to kill the pests, says James Muroso, vice president of Northeastern Exterminating Co. in Brooklyn. On its bed bug extermination webpage, the EPA says it can take up to 90 minutes at 120 degrees Fahrenheit to destroy bed bug eggs.
Wiping down your suitcase with rubbing alcohol is another common method for getting rid of bedbugs, and Muroso said it can help kill the pests if done safely in a well-ventilated area, but keep in mind that rubbing alcohol is flammable and can be dangerous.
After returning to Japan
The New York City Health Department advises unpacking your bag in the bathroom after your trip by spreading it out on a light-colored surface and checking for bugs, then shaking out your clothes in the bathtub or shower before vacuuming your belongings (don’t forget to empty and dispose of the vacuum).
Experts agree that you should put your clothes in the dryer as soon as possible and run it on the hottest setting for at least 20 minutes to kill bugs and eggs.
If you think your clothes may have been exposed to bed bugs, you can’t put them in the dryer, so you should put them in a sealable plastic bag and leave them in a warm place for six months, which is how long it takes for the bed bugs to die from lack of moisture, says Dr. Gangloff-Kaufman.
