The Worrisome Connection Between Bed Bugs and Winter Holiday Travel….

During winter, lots of folks leave their homes temporarily—perhaps to escape the cold we are experiencing here in Northern California, to a warmer climate or simply to take advantage of some time off from work to start 2016 off with a relaxed and focused state of mind. Regardless of your motive, this is a fantastic opportunity to take a break from the usual routine and check out a different scene with family and friends. When people take a vacay, they can come back completely energized and even inspired to take on the challenges waiting for them.

Don’t bring back bed bugs from your Vacay!

Here’s the thing, though—while most come back home from holidaying elsewhere feeling reinvigorated, some returning travelers end up bringing home some unwanted elements, such as bed bugs. According to the survey conducted by the University of Kentucky and the National Pest Management Association, cases of bed bug infestations continue to rise, and that’s not all—about 74% of the cases of bed bugs originate from hotels and motels that people stay at when they’re vacationing! There you go—that’s a very clear and concerning connection between bed bugs and winter holiday travel. So you need to be extra careful on where you choose to stay.

Bed Bugs are not just in the bed!

When people stay at a place with a bed bug infestation, the likelihood that they will bring home these tiny pests is very high. Bed bugs don’t simply stay in mattresses; they have a ball moving from beds to other pieces of furniture in hotel rooms, and then into the personal belongings of hotel guests. They’re hard to spot when you’re packing things up because those creepy crawlies immediately hide away into dark, undetectable crannies of your suitcase and the folds of your clothing. So, when you mindlessly unpack your stuff when you get home, your abode becomes the new residence of these pests.

Avoid bed bugs all together

To prevent this situation from happening, pest control experts advise travelers to thoroughly inspect their hotel rooms, look under the sheets, and turn the mattresses over. If you see brown spots or stains, these are reliable indicators that there are bed bugs in the room; you can then request for a different room or just find a different place to stay.

Don’t just rely on the fact that nothing bites you at night; while bed bugs bite, they do not do so all the time. Some people don’t have an allergic reaction to them—they don’t itch when bitten. And even if you didn’t see any bed bugs at all throughout your stay, still, make sure that your suitcases and personal belongings are completely clean before packing up.

When you get home, inspect your luggage before bringing it inside your house, and then vacuum it thoroughly and go through the contents as well. When you wash the clothes you used during your getaway, dry all of them in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes; this will take care of any bed bugs that you may have brought home. But to really be on the safe side and for your complete peace of mind, hire the pros to check your home. We know where to look and they have ready solutions if you really did bring home bed bugs from your winter travels.