Tag: Bed Bugs

Traveling is the only thing we can really do in life that opens the door to new experiences and memories, yet it may also inadvertently open your suitcase to tiny, unwanted guests like mites, fleas, and the worst of all bedbugs.
Traveling Bags is here to help. These pests are seasoned hitchhikers, notorious for their global spread and tenacity. A bedbug infestation at home can start with a single critter wandering from a hotel bed to your luggage. Protecting yourself from these pests is crucial to ensure your travels are remembered for the right reasons. Here’s how you can stay vigilant and keep bedbugs at bay.

Understanding the Enemy

Bedbugs are small, nocturnal insects that feed on human blood. They’re not known to transmit diseases, but their bites can cause itching, allergic reactions, and emotional distress. They’re experts at concealment, hiding in cracks and crevices during the day, making them difficult to spot. Hotels, hostels, and other high-turnover accommodations are prime hotspots for these pests.

Before You Go: Preparation is Key

1. Research Your Accommodation: Check reviews for mentions of bedbugs. While a single report doesn’t confirm an infestation, multiple reports should raise a red flag.
   
2. Pack Smart: Use good suitcases, which offer fewer crevices for bedbugs to hide in compared to fabric ones. Consider using sealable plastic bags to compartmentalize your belongings.
   
3. Protective Covers: Consider investing in bedbug-proof encasements for your luggage, pillows, and mattresses if you’re planning an extended stay.

During Your Stay: Vigilance and Inspection

1. Inspect Your Room: Upon arrival, leave your luggage in the bathroom (an unlikely place for bedbugs) and inspect the room. Check the bed, headboard, bedside tables, and any sofas or chairs. Look for live bugs, rust-colored stains, or tiny black dots (bedbug droppings).
   
2. UV Light Sweep: You can be your very own CSI agent and use a UV-A flashlight to look for bugs.  If present they will glow bright, like how Scorpions glow under the save UV light.  We carry the Torchy UV Light from Neebo This light unlike most offers a Dual Band UV/black light to make it one, if not the best light for this purpose.

3. Use a Spray & Kill Them: Consider spraying the bed, bedding, and floor of your room. Our choice is the Travel Size Bed Bug & Mite Killer Spray from Premo Guard.  With this spray you can simply spray your bed and surrounding area with a non-toxic Premo Guard Travel Spray, anywhere bed bugs can be found, and once dry, jump in and sleep like a baby!  It’s that simple.  It is eco-friendly and safe for everyone even pets and kids when used properly. You can order directly and get Free Shipping from Premoguard here.
   
4. Elevate Your Luggage: Keep your suitcase on a luggage rack, away from the bed and walls. Regularly inspect the rack itself for any signs of bedbugs.
   
5. Minimize Contact: Keep your belongings in your suitcase rather than unpacking them into drawers or closets. Use the suitcase stand if provided, and keep your suitcase closed when not in use.
   
6. Avoid Clutter: Keep your room tidy and your belongings stowed away to reduce hiding spots for bedbugs.
   
7. Consider Using Protective Bags: If you’ve brought them, use protective bags for your shoes and electronics, which can also harbor bedbugs.

Personal Vigilance: Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite

1. Sleepwear: Consider wearing pajamas that cover as much skin as possible, reducing the area where bedbugs can bite.
   
2. Inspect Your Sleeping Area: Give the bed a quick check each night. Pull back the sheets and inspect the mattress seams and box spring.
   This is where the UV Flashlight is so very important.
   
3. Be Cautious with Shared Laundry Facilities: If you’re using shared laundry facilities, transport your clothes in plastic bags and fold them in your room.

After Your Trip: Prevention and Early Detection

1. Unpack Carefully: Do this immediately upon returning home. Outside or in a garage is best to prevent any potential bedbugs from entering your living space.
   
2. Spray and Treat items: Again, products from Premo Guard might be a great thought here if you have the little buggers or just want to be safe.  In addition to the travel-size bottle, they do make bigger bottles and lots of products to safely kill Bedbugs, Mites, Fleas, and more with Eco-Friendly products that are guaranteed to work.
   
3. Laundry: Wash all your clothes in hot water and dry on the highest setting for at least 30 minutes. Bedbugs cannot survive high temperatures.
   Premo Guard also has laundry soap – Buy Direct now
   
4. Vacuum Your Luggage: Carefully vacuum suitcases before storing them away, and immediately dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed container outside your home.
   
5. Inspect and Store: Give your luggage a thorough inspection before putting it away. Store luggage away from your bedroom if possible, such as in a garage or basement.
   
6. Be Proactive: If you suspect you have brought back bedbugs, contact a pest control professional immediately. The sooner an infestation is addressed, the easier it is to control.

In Case of Bedbugs: Mitigating the Situation

If, despite your best efforts, you suspect that bedbugs have traveled home with you, it’s important to act swiftly:

1. Isolate: Keep the suspected items isolated to prevent the spread.
   
2. Inspect Everything: Perform a thorough inspection of your belongings, bedding, and furniture.
   
3. Heat Treatment: Consider using a portable heating chamber designed to kill bedbugs in household items.
   
4. Professional Help: If there’s evidence of an infestation in your home, contact pest control professionals who specialize in bedbug extermination.

Travel is a wonderful way to enrich your life, but it pays to be cautious. The steps outlined here will help you prevent bedbugs from turning your home into their vacation destination. By staying informed and proactive, you can focus on creating pleasant travel memories, free from the unwelcome aftermath of bedbug infestations.

– Safe travels

Any Questions about Luggage stop into
Traveling Bags store located at 3830 S. Moorland Road in New Berlin, WI,
Find us online at TravelingBagsMKE.com or
Call us at (414) 817-0222