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LOS GATOS — One of the most common ways bed bugs enter a home is hitching a ride with unsuspecting travelers, particularly while they’re staying at a hotel. You can reduce the likelihood of bringing bed bugs home from your vacation by following these four steps:
1. Inspect the bed and headboard. In a hotel, bed bugs are likely to be found behind the headboard. Before you settle into your room, lift the headboard off the wall (with another person’s assistance) and look for evidence of bed bugs. Besides the bugs themselves, common signs include dark brown/black spots and shed exoskeletons. You should also pull back the bed linens and check the visible edges of the mattress and box spring. If you suspect bed bugs, request another room!
2. Keep your luggage closed and away from bed bug-prone areas. Keep all luggage zippers closed, and don’t store luggage on or next to beds, upholstered furniture, or in closets. The further you store your luggage from these areas, the better.
3. Keep items that can’t be laundered in Ziploc® bags. Items such as books, electronics, toiletries and jewelry should be kept sealed in Ziploc bags whenever they’re not in use. Even a laptop can harbor stowaway bed bugs, so don’t make any exceptions.
4. Complain if you suspect bed bugs. Notify property management if you see apparent evidence of bed bugs or begin to develop itchy welts on your body. Seeing an insect or developing bite-like symptoms doesn’t always mean bed bugs are present, but management should be aware of your concern so the possibility can be investigated.
Finally, if you notice unusual bites or welts up to 14 days after your trip, call a licensed pest control company for assistance. A company that specializes in bed bugs will either put your fears to rest or start a treatment plan to get rid of the problem before it gets out of control.