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Remain Bed Bug Free while Traveling
As children begin their summer vacation, families begin traveling visiting new sights and sounds. Bedbugs are excellent hitchhikers, so we are offering a few travel tips to reduce your risk of bringing bed bugs home.
1. Do your Research. Before booking a hotel, check out sites like www.bedbugregistry.com or www.tripadvisor.com to see if anyone has posted previous bed bug issues at your hotel. If they do, choose another hotel. Even though your hotel many not be listed, that does not mean they do not have an issue.
2. Pack a Flashlight. A flashlight is the number one tool in pest management. When you arrive at a hotel, leave your luggage by the door and inspect the mattress and bed for small rust spots, these will be blood stains. Look for black pepper marks as well, which are bed bug droppings. Look behind the headboard, the number one location for bed bugs in hotels. Headboards easily come off the wall and you should be looking for rust spots, insects, insect skins and black fecal droppings. If you see anything, inform management immediately!
3. Don't put luggage on bed or luggage rack. The best place for you luggage during your stay is in the bathroom. Although not very convenient, this helps reduce your risk of bed bugs. It is important to leave your clothes in the suitcases, zipped up, don't put your clothes in the dresser!
4. Purchase Giant Zip Lock Bags. Place all your clothes in giant zip lock bag when packing to go home even if you did not wear them. Make sure they are seal tight!
5. Don't bring your luggage inside. When you arrive home keep your luggage in the garage. Remove everything from your luggage while inspecting looking for insects. Vacuum your suitcase, inside and out removing the vacuum bag or canister into a garbage bag, sealing it tight and placing outside in your reciprocal.
6. Wash and Dry. Take your clothes from the zip lock bags and empty into your dryer. Set on the hottest setting and give at least 30 minutes. Heat + Bed Bugs = Death.
These are just a few tips and more on our website. Although these tips may seem annoying and over the top; it is worth the hassle. A few steps is better than the stress and itchy red bites. After your vacation, or child returns from summer camp, have Promise, our bed bug scent detection K9 inspect your home for peace of mind. |