No one wants to bring home bed bugs, so taking a few simple steps when you travel can help to prevent bed bug problems later on. Take the time to inspect, clean, and review before, during, and after traveling to ensure the pest do not make it home with you. Here are a few steps to keep the bed bugs out.

12 Steps to Keep Bed Bugs Out

Even if you stay in a nice hotel and check the room thoroughly, you can still come in contact with bed bugs that can hitch a ride home with you. To minimize your chances of bringing the parasitic insect home do the following when you travel:

1. Pack all clothing in Zip Lock, Pack Mate Roll bags, or Space Bag Storage packs

2. Call in advance to see if any bugs have been reported
3. Check your room once you arrive
4. Do not unpack your clothing or use the dressers
5. Only hang clothes in a closet away from the bed
6. Keep your suitcase off the floor and away from the bed
7. Keep your suitcase zipped closed at night and when you do not need to have it open

8. Inspect your suitcase prior to opening it (look for eggs around the zipper (tiny white eggs) or bed bugs sleeping in the crevices)

9. Leave your suitcase in your car once you arrive home (in the heat for 2 hours or more)
10. Immediately hot wash everything once you bring in your items, then dry the items in a dryer on the highest heat setting you can for at least 20 minutes
11. Take items to the drycleaners as necessary after traveling
12. Inspect your empty luggage, vacuum it out, and zip it closed for storage

If you are traveling to a part of the country where large amounts of bed bug infestations have already been reported, you may want to take extreme caution and go a step further and wrap your entire luggage in industrial grade trash bags.

These steps can help to reduce your chances of bringing home bed bugs. If you do encounter bed bugs in your hotel room, quickly gather your items, report the insects to the front desk immediately, refuse another room, and cancel your stay with the hotel. Report the problem to the Better Business Bureau and bed bug registry as soon as you can to help others avoid the problem.

Do  you have any questions or concerns? We would love to hear how you keep bedbugs out.