Prevent Bed Bugs with our Bed Bug Traveler’s Checklist

Serving Las Vegas | Henderson | North Las Vegas

There has been a huge increase of bed bug incidents in recent years, and as the rate of infestations increase, prevention is more important than ever–especially when traveling.

Bed bugs don’t make good souvenirs to bring home to your family. Many people have asked if we have a checklist for preventing bed bugs while staying in a hotel–and we do! As always, if you have any questions about bed bugs or suspect you might have an infestation, give Pest Control Inc. a call. We’re always here to help!

What do bed bugs in hotel rooms look like?

Look for small 1/8 inch and smaller bugs. They are reddish-brown and look similar to a small, flat tick. Also look for multiple, tiny, dark pin-head sized dots. These may be excretion marks from bed bugs.

Take these steps to prevent bed bugs while traveling.

As soon as you enter your hotel room for the first time, take these steps:

1. Before you use your room, place all of your belonging in the bathtub or shower.
   • These areas are the least likely to have any bed bugs.
2. Take the bed apart!
   • Check mattresses and box springs thoroughly.
   • Inspect every seam, crack, crevice, and void.
   • Check behind, under, and around the headboards, footboards, and bed frame.
3. Inspect other areas with a flashlight.
   • Inspect every crack and crevice, just like you inspected the bed.
   • If your hotel has a sofa, loveseat, desk, or other chairs, check those areas thoroughly as well.

Keep your luggage safe from bed bugs.

1. Put your luggage into large trash bags, securely tied.
2. Keep your luggage on top of the luggage racks, if provided–not on the carpet.
3. Open it only when you need to take something out of your luggage.
4. Keep your clothes inside your luggage, if at all possible.
5. When returning home, inspect your luggage thoroughly–again, every crack and crevice.
   • Take your clothes (both worn and unworn) directly to your washer machine, and wash and dry your clothes.

Should you find bed bugs when inspecting your luggage, leave it outside. Call a professional pest control company to make sure the bugs are eradicated before you take your luggage inside. If your luggage is old and you don’t mind being without it, throw it away in your garbage can outside.

What should I do if I find a bed bug in my hotel room?

Our bed bug traveler’s checklist should be more than adequate in keeping the bed bugs from hitching a ride back to your home.

If you do find bed bugs in your hotel room, immediately (and quietly) inform the front desk and request a room that is not adjacent to the infested room. Request another room that is on a different floor and as far away from the infested room as possible. You should also inspect that room thoroughly for any signs of bed bugs; they can spread through entire buildings!

If you’re concerned about a possible bed bug infestation in your home, please contact Pest Control Inc. immediately. We’ll come and inspect your home, identify the bugs, and evaluate the extent of the infestation.

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