How to check for bed bugs while traveling

If you’ll be traveling anytime soon, there’s one pest issue you’ll want to keep on your radar: bed bugs. These biting pests have become well-established throughout North America, and they can infect both businesses and your home. How to tell if a hotel has bed bugs is crucial, as some hotels are incredibly prone to bed bug activity.

You may get a good sense of whether or not a hotel has had problems with bed bugs by checking out online reviews before you book. However, that’s no guarantee.

No matter what, you should always check for bed bugs in hotels yourself upon arrival. You could transport these tiny pests back to your home if you're unaware they're in your hotel room. Bed bugs can hide in your suitcase and may even lay eggs in it. Learning how to check for bed bugs in your hotel room can provide peace of mind and teach you how to avoid bed bugs for future travel.

How to check for bed bugs in a hotel room

Bed bugs can hide in the most inconspicuous places, and since they’re small, it’s important to know what you’re looking for when inspecting a hotel for bed bugs. (We also recommend searching with a flashlight – the one on your cell phone should do the trick!) Here are a few tips on how to check for bed bugs in your hotel room. 

1. Start with the mattress, as this is likely the most common place you’ll find bed bugs. Begin inspecting the sheets, mattress pad, mattress seams, mattress tags, and the box spring. 
2. After inspecting the mattress, examine the furniture and any frames hanging on the walls (yes, bed bugs can be found there, too!). This includes the headboard and behind nightstands. 
3. Another hot spot for bed bugs in hotels is the suitcase rack – who knows if someone else’s suitcase had bed bugs while sitting on the rack. You should keep your suitcase off the bed when conducting a bed bug inspection and leave it in the bathroom. You don’t want to risk bed bugs getting in your clothes or luggage!

Our infographic provides five additional steps on how to check for bed bugs and how to avoid bed bugs, offering you peace of mind for your future travels.

If you spotted signs of bed bugs in your hotel room, notify the front desk immediately! If you have found bed bugs in your home from prior travels, contact your local Ehrlich Pest Control technician to set up a property inspection and to discuss treatment options.

What to do if a hotel has bed bugs

If you encounter bed bugs in hotels, use your best judgment when deciding what to do. You could ask for a new room at the hotel or leave the property altogether. The presence of bed bugs in one room may not mean that the entire hotel has a problem. Ask to speak to the manager to see if the property has had any previous bed bug issues. This may help you make your decision.

If you choose to stay, most hotels will re-book you into a new room immediately. Be sure to ask for a new room that is not on either side, above, or below the room with the bed bug problem, as these are the rooms where an infestation could most easily spread. 

Bed bug precautions after travels

Understanding how to avoid bed bugs while traveling is essential for maintaining a comfortable and pest-free experience during and after your trips. Before you wash your clothes, place them in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes. It is possible for bed bugs to survive the washing machine, even with hot water, so drying them will eliminate any bed bugs that may have hitched a ride. Once dried, you can launder your clothes as usual. If you can’t fit all your clothes into one load, keep them inside a plastic bag until they can be washed. Additionally, dry cleaning will kill bugs on items that can’t go into the washer or dryer.  

Next, move onto your suitcase and vacuum the inside and out of it. When emptying the contents in your vacuum, dispose of the debris immediately in an airtight bag. After cleaning your suitcase, place it inside a large plastic bag, just in case you missed a bug and it lays eggs. Additionally, using a steamer or a hot iron on all folds and seams of luggage will kill bed bugs in all life stages.

Prevent bed bugs with Ehrlich

For any bed bug problems you might be experiencing, Ehrlich has methods to treat your home and property to eliminate the problem and also advice on how to prevent them from returning. When you get in touch with us, we’ll come out and conduct an inspection to look for signs of bed bugs and determine the best treatment tactic. We are the experts in bed bug control, so you can be confident that we will find the optimal solution for the issue. Contact Ehrlich today!