What could ruin a vacation faster than bringing home a living souvenir that you didn’t remember packing? The bed bug is known for being a transcontinental hitch hiker, traveling with you from your favorite vacation spot right into your home. Yikes! Once in your home, one bed bug can quickly multiply into many bed bugs. These nightcrawlers are looking for an easy meal. A bed bug generally feeds at night, while their host is asleep. You can be completely unaware until you wake up with an unexplained rash or bite mark.

You can help defend yourself from bringing home these unwelcome guests. When you check in to your hotel room, make sure that you are checking for signs. No matter how clean the room looks, the hotel may have an issue that they are completely unaware of. Check the mattress, especially near the headboard for tell tale streaks and spots that may be bug feces or blood drops from another unsuspecting host. Also check any soft areas in the room. Couch cushions and chairs are other popular spots for bed bugs to hide. You probably will need a small flashlight to inspect some of these darkened areas. If you find any sign of an infestation, it would probably be better to seek a different hotel. If that isn’t possible at least ask for a different room, one that is not near the one you are already in, as bed bugs can easily travel through wall sockets and on housekeeping carts to nearby rooms.

Even your luggage is at risk. If you didn’t find anything in your room inspection, for your own peace of mind you might consider keeping your luggage in a plastic bag to prevent any bugs you may have missed from making themselves at home. This is a very common way for bed bugs to travel from one end of the country to the other. When you return from your trip, always wash all of the clothing in the bag, even if you haven’t worn it to kill any eggs or bugs that you didn’t see. Finally, always vacuum out your luggage thoroughly before storing it and immediately dispose of the vacuum bag.

These means of inspection and prevention can save your home from these unwanted visitors. If you do find yourself with bed bugs in your own home, it is essential to call a pest professional to take care of the problem. It is unlikely that you would be able to completely eradicate all of the bugs with home remedies, and it would cost you much more in the long run to have to repeatedly deal with it yourself. Bed bugs are not a DIY project, it takes specialized equipment and properly trained professionals to effectively eliminate a bed bug issue.