- At hotels, thoroughly inspect the entire room before unpacking, including behind the headboard and in furniture. Pull back the bed sheets and check the mattress seams for pepper-like stains that may be evidence of bed bug activity.
- Set your luggage away from walls and never place it on the bed. Use a large plastic trash bag or a protective cover to store suitcases during your hotel stay.
- Immediately notify management of any signs of bed bugs and ask for a new room. Ensure the new room is not adjacent to and/or directly above/below the original room. Bed bugs can easily hitchhike via housekeeping carts, luggage and even through wall sockets.
- If staying at a residence, inform the homeowner immediately of a suspected bed bug problem.
- Upon returning home, inspect and vacuum your suitcases thoroughly before bringing them into the house. Consider using a garment hand steamer to steam your luggage, which will kill any bed bugs.
- Dry all fabric items (even those that have not been worn) in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes to ensure that any bed bugs that may have made it that far are not placed into your drawers/closet.
- If you suspect an infestation, contact a licensed pest control professional immediately.
