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December 2, 2022
Holiday travel bed bug checklist
Short answer: To avoid bringing bed bugs home from holiday travel, check the mattress seams and headboard with a flashlight before you unpack, keep your luggage off the bed and floor, and when you get home, unpack outside the bedroom and run your clothes through the dryer on high heat. If you find signs of bed bugs at home, call a professional rather than trying store-bought sprays.
If there’s one insect that acts like a horror movie villain, it’s the bed bug. Bed bugs hide in tiny cracks, travel in luggage and clothing, and can survive a long time between meals. They’re also hard to treat once they’re established. Whether you’re flying out of Palm Beach International for the holidays or hosting family in Boca Raton or Jupiter, a few simple habits go a long way.
Before you go
- Pack a small flashlight (your phone light works too)
- Bring a few large zip-top or plastic bags for clothes
- Consider a hard-sided suitcase, which has fewer seams for bed bugs to hide in
When you arrive at the hotel or rental
- Leave your luggage in the bathroom or on a hard surface while you check the room.
- Pull back the sheets and check the mattress seams, corners and tags.
- Look for the two main signs: small rust-colored blood spots on the linens and tiny black spots (droppings) in mattress creases.
- Check the headboard, nightstands and upholstered chairs. Bed bugs often hide behind headboards.
- Use the luggage rack, pulled away from the wall, instead of the bed or floor.
If you see signs, ask for a different room, preferably not next to or directly above or below the first one.
During your stay
- Keep clothes in your suitcase or in sealed bags rather than in dresser drawers
- Keep your suitcase closed when you’re not using it
When you get home
- Unpack outside the bedroom, ideally in a garage, laundry room or on a hard floor.
- Put all clothing in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes, even clean clothes.
- Vacuum your suitcase, then empty the vacuum into a sealed bag and throw it away outside.
- Store luggage away from bedrooms, like in a garage or closet.
Hosting holiday guests
Bed bugs can arrive with visitors too. Without making anyone uncomfortable, you can:
- Put mattress encasements on guest beds
- Offer a spot for luggage away from the bed
- Wash and dry guest bedding on high heat after they leave
Other common ways bed bugs get in
- Secondhand furniture, especially mattresses, box springs and upholstered pieces. Inspect anything before you bring it inside, and avoid curbside furniture.
- Shared laundry in apartments and condos
- Visiting a home that has bed bugs
Mattress protectors on every bed make inspections easier and take away some hiding places.
What to do if you find bed bugs at home
Don’t panic, and don’t reach for a fogger. Store-bought products often scatter bed bugs into new hiding spots and make the problem harder to control. Bed bugs go through several life stages, and treatment usually takes more than one visit.
Call a professional for an inspection. A trained technician will confirm whether it’s bed bugs, find where they’re hiding, and explain your treatment options. Learn more on our bed bugs page and our residential pest control page.
Heading back to a seasonal home after the holidays? Use our snowbird home return checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What do bed bugs look like?
Adults are flat, oval and reddish-brown, about the size of an apple seed. Young bed bugs are smaller and lighter in color.
Can bed bugs live in my car or suitcase?
They can hitch a ride in luggage, bags and clothing. Vacuuming luggage and drying clothes on high heat after a trip helps.
Do bed bugs mean my home is dirty?
No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt or crumbs. Clean homes and upscale hotels can have them.
Will a fogger get rid of bed bugs?
Foggers are generally not effective on bed bugs and can spread them. A professional inspection and treatment plan is the better route.
Do you offer complimentary inspections for bed bugs?
Yes. Call (561) 725-5274 or book on our contact page.
Request a complimentary inspection
Book a complimentary inspection and we’ll share what we find, explain your options and recommend a plan for your home.
Request a complimentary inspection: qandlpest.com/estimate · (561) 725-5274
Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Inspect first. Treat smart.
About the author
Michael Ringler, Q and L Pest Management. Q and L Pest Management is a family-owned pest control company based in Lantana and serving Palm Beach County.Q and L Pest Management LLC holds FDACS Pest Control Business License #JB333443. Services are performed under FDACS Certified Pest Control Operator John Park, certificate #JF320165.
Sources
- U.S. EPA. Bed Bugs: Get Them Out and Keep Them Out. https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs