If you are unlucky, you can come across bed bugs while on vacation. If that happens, make sure you don't take them home with you. Do you know how to spot bed bugs?
1. Do a quick check Bed bugs often hide in the seams of the mattress, in the cracks of the bed or the nightstand. Check those spots before you go to bed.
What else to watch out for
Notice if you see small blood stains on the sheet or pillowcases. Furthermore, bed bugs molt as they grow and can leave an orange skin behind. The stool looks like a small black pen dot on the mattress or sheets.
2. Do not immediately put your luggage on the bed
If your room is infested with bed bugs, you don't want the bugs in your suitcase. The best place for your suitcase is in the bathroom, which usually has a smooth tile floor. Bed bugs can't run well on that and therefore the chance of spreading bed bugs in the bathroom is the smallest.
3. Google your accommodation in advance
Prevention is better than cure. Google the name of your hotel or hostel beforehand in combination with the words 'bed bugs'.
What do bed bug bites look like? Bed bug bites are hard to spot. They are red bumps, similar to many other insect bites. They often occur in a row of several bumps, which is a characteristic that you can look out for. The bumps can continue to itch for a few days.
What should you do if the room is contaminated?
The most important thing is that you don't take the bed bugs home or to the next accommodation. Check the seams of your suitcase or backpack. Put your things in a garbage bag. Clothes can be washed at 60 degrees or put in the freezer for 24 hours to get rid of the bed bugs.
