How to Avoid and Check for Bed Bugs When Travelling
Bed bugs are one of the few things that seriously give us the creeps when travelling, and with news of them spreading out of control in several cities in Europe we thought it would be a good time to share some tips on how to avoid these awful blood-suckers.
If you’re reading this in your hotel room, you might want to move now…
So, we’ll dive into everything you should know about bed bugs and the key tips on how to avoid them, and how to check if they are hiding in your hotel or hostel stay.
Let’s get started!
Check hotel reviews beforehand
Travelling is all about enjoying the adventure and embracing the unknown, but we draw the line when it comes to bed bugs. While you might occasionally stay in hotels or hostels that you have not booked in advance, you should always research whether or not the location has a history with bedbug infestations.
One of the best ways to get this information is through Google Reviews. By using the “Search reviews” bar with terms such as “bug”, “bedbug”, "insect”, “infestation” and the like, you can easily sort comments to see if any offer information relating to bed bugs. If anything comes up, just skip the place and find another accommodation. You shouldn't even take your chances if the reviews date back a while.
If bed bugs are mentioned anywhere, move on to the next option.
Know how to look for bed bugs
Bed bugs are constantly on the move, as they tend to hitch a ride on the clothes and luggage of unaware or misinformed travellers. This means that just because you didn’t find any information suggesting a previous infestation, it doesn’t guarantee the stay is bedbug-free.
It could simply mean that they too have just arrived, and that you’re the first on the menu.
For this reason, you must know where and how to look:
First of all, you need to know what you’re looking for: Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown, flattened insects about the size of a ladybug. Their nymphs (young) are smaller and whitish, with black stains on their abdomen if they recently fed.
In addition to the insects themselves, you’ll likely find small blood stains and droppings that look like black dots. Even without spotting live bed bugs, these marks on your mattress and bedsheets are telltale signs of an infestation, and should be reason enough to hightail it out of there.
A cheap hotel doesn’t necessarily mean that it is more likely to house bed bugs. These insects thrive when cleaning practices are not adequate, especially when the stay has a high room-turnover. For this reason, chain hotels and hostels next to popular or high-traffic areas tend to be the ones more prone to having bed bugs. To put it simply, the more people have slept in one bed, the higher the chance of finding bed bugs.
When you first enter your bedroom, try to keep the lights off and place your belongings off the floor, ideally on a drying rack. This is to avoid having bed bugs crawling into your luggage and coming with you when you leave. As nightmarish as that sounds, yes, they will definitely do that.
Also, keep away from any couches, recliners and padded chairs, as they could also be contaminated. If you cannot place your items in an elevated position, place them as far away from the bed as possible. The bathroom is also usually a safe spot, as the tiles don’t make for an ideal environment for bed bugs.
Now you’ll need to thoroughly check your bed. If you’re travelling with another person, have them stand by the light switch, and then have them turn the light on as you lift the mattress. Bed bugs are nocturnal, and will tend to scurry away at the sight of light. Keeping the lights off will allow you to more easily spot them before they move deeper into the bed.
You’ll have to carefully inspect all parts of the bed, as bed bugs are fairly small and flat, allowing them to crawl into the seams and lining of the mattress. It is essential you take a good look at this part of the bed, as it is often easy to overlook and is a perfect spot for bed bugs to hide. Next, pull back the covers and take a close look at the bedsheets. Remember to keep an eye out for any stains and droppings, not just live insects.
If you’re satisfied with the bed, check the headrest, as well as any crevices around the bed. Bed bugs love to crawl into small holes and cracks in the wall, and really any place that will give them shelter. However, finding them in other places other than the bed is usually a sign of a serious infestation, meaning they have definitely been there for a while.
If you find bed bugs, find somewhere else to stay for the night and follow these next steps. Management will likely offer you another room, but don’t fall for it. If one room is infested, there is a solid chance the rest of the building is too. Even if it ends up costing you more than you bargained for, book another stay for the night. Carrying bed bugs with you, or worse, accidentally bringing them home, will cost you a lot more than booking a different place.
There is no other way to put it, bed bugs are an absolute nightmare.
Still, they are easily avoidable if you know what you’re doing. We’ve had scares in the past, including an earwig that somehow snuck into our bed during a stay in Slovakia, but so far we have yet to come across a bedbug, and this is mainly due to how careful we are.
Remember to do your research, know what to look for and how to react, and bed bugs will be one less thing to worry about during your travels.
