Are you traveling and staying in a hotel? Make sure to check the room for bed bugs. A hotel room is an unfamiliar place, and you don’t want to be caught unaware of an infestation. No hotel is exempt from bed bug problems, so take the time to do a thorough search. You’ll thank yourself later.

How to Search the Room

Before you get started looking for evidence of bed bug activity, bring in your luggage, but keep it off the floor and bed. Put it on a luggage rack or in the bathroom, where you’re sure it won’t immediately attract the pests you’re trying to avoid. Also, make sure you have a flashlight on hand; a smartphone flashlight will work just fine, but so will a small, bright pocket flashlight. After you’ve done that, you’re ready to begin.

  • Check the bed first. The bed is the most obvious place in the room to start searching, and it’s where you’ll be spending the most time during your stay. Start by drawing back the layers of your bedsheets and coverings, inspecting each of them for telltale signs of bed bug activity—dark spots of fecal matter, small red bloodstains, carcasses and even live bed bugs and their eggs, which you’ll be able to see plainly if they’re there. Search down to the mattress itself and carefully inspect the folds. Do this for all four corners. You could even lift up the mattress and check underneath it.
  • Check behind and around the bedposts and headboards. Bed bugs like to hide in tight spaces. So use your flashlight to look for the tell-tale signs.
  • Check the other room furniture, particularly the creases, seams and ridges of the upholstery. Bed bugs don’t exclusively hide near beds. They’ll hide anywhere they will have easy access to a host. So make sure to check the hotel room chairs and tables. Look closely in the drawers of the nightstands and dressers that come with the room.
  • Check everything on the walls. Bed bugs like to hide in curtains and window shades and behind TVs and picture frames.
  • Check the luggage rack. You never know if some other traveler has put infested luggage on it.

If you find any bed bugs, leave the room immediately and take all of your belongings with you. Notify the hotel manager or whoever is in charge at the time so that they can take appropriate action.

Other Bed Bug Prevention Tips

When you’re traveling, there are some other practical ways to protect yourself against bed bugs, even if you didn’t find anything in your search.

  • Put all clothing in a plastic bag.
  • When you get home, immediately wash your clothing.
  • Vacuum out your luggage and put the contents in a sealed bag for the trash.
  • Store your luggage in another large bag (if you have one of the right size) so that your luggage isn’t at risk of attracting bed bugs.

What to Do About Bed Bugs

If you discover that you have a bed bug problem after arriving home from your travels, or at any other time, don’t wait! Contact Dodson Pest Control immediately for a free inspection. We have 75 years’ experience exterminating household pests, and we have the skills and tools to get rid of your pest problem for good.