Don't Put Luggage On Your Hotel Bed For One Gross Reason

After a long trip, you've reached your vacation destination. It's finally time to divest yourself of your heavy luggage and plop down on your comfy hotel bed to begin your relaxation. Wait! Before you do any of that, you need to conduct an inspection for bed bugs. No matter how many stars your hotel has or how perfect it seems, these little critters love hiding in soft surfaces, and that includes the bed. In fact, according to PCT, 14% of travelers have encountered bed bugs in hotels of all types. A few minutes of searching and a few changes in hotel habits — like not putting your suitcase (or yourself) on the bed — can save you a world of trouble later. 

Instead of putting your suitcase on the bed, put it in the bathroom to keep it bedbug-free with this game-changing tip. In fact, the same thing goes for when you get home. Bed bugs like soft surfaces but not materials such as tile, so the bathroom is your best bet. Avoid using the luggage rack because these gross little bugs can live in there, too, and keep it off carpets of any sort. Then, the inspection begins. It won't take you a lot of time, and it will be worth it because the red and itchy bites they give are very unpleasant. Even if you don't get bitten, bedbugs can travel home with you inside your things on a one-way ticket. 

Before you even leave your house, grab some plastic garbage bags or covers made specifically to keep bedbugs from coming home with you, like these Niubier 4 Pack Large Clear Plastic Bags for less than $10. You can even cover your items before you take them to the airport so nothing from anyone else's luggage gets in. Make sure also to pack a flashlight. Then, when you get to the hotel, put your luggage in the bathroom and grab that light and a credit card (or your hotel key card). Inspect the mattress, curtains, luggage rack, pillows, sheets, and anything else that is made of fabric. Use the card to get inside crevices, like the edge of the mattress.

What you're looking for is gross, but here we go: You may see little rust-colored spots on the fabric where bugs have died or tiny black flecks (bedbug feces). If there are eggs, they look like teensy rice grains, and you might also spot some light yellow shed skins (we did say "gross"). If you see an actual adult bedbug, it is the size of an apple seed and brown. There may also be a smell of mold from the dead bugs. If you find any of this, grab your things and request a new room or find another place to stay. 

Finally, if you think you may have gotten a few stragglers in your items or on your person, there are some things you can do. First, bring extra plastic bags to put all your clothing in so you don't invite the bugs into your closet. Give your clothes a hot wash and a hot dry cycle for 20 minutes, which will kill whatever remaining bedbugs.