Our bed bug expert tells us that bed bugs are capable of living for days without feeding, which significantly raises the likelihood of them latching onto you during your travels.
The best way to avoid bringing bedbugs home with you is by taking precautions when staying away from home – such as making sure your suitcase is clean before packing it with clothes that can’t be washed in water.
In this blog post, we will discuss the possibility of bed bugs traveling in your luggage and the best way to avoid them.
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Can Bed Bugs Travel in Luggage?
We all want to go on vacation, I mean, who doesn’t love to relax right under the heat of the sun while listening to the calming sound of waves hitting the sand, right?
But although going on a trip is indeed a great experience, there are instances where we accidentally bring some things back home other than souvenirs.
Bed bugs are what many call “travel bugs” since these critters are known to hitch a ride on your clothes, luggage, and even you.
That’s right! Bed bugs can indeed stay in your luggage and travel with you from place to place.
Bed bugs can survive days without food so the chances of them hitching on to you while you travel is a huge possibility.
If this happens, you can expect to have bed bugs in your home and it’s not a pleasant sight.
You will be forced to call in a professional for help which can cost you a whole load of money.
Bed bugs can also be the cause of insufficient sleep because of the irritating bites they leave behind.
The best way to avoid bringing bedbugs home with you is by taking precautions when staying away from home and we’ll talk all about it in the section below!
How to Protect Yourself From Bed Bugs During Vacation
Just because bed bugs are present doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to protect yourself.
In this section, we’ll talk about the best ways for you to avoid these critters during your vacation and not bring them home with you!
Avoid Bed Bugs By Sealing Your Things
One trick many people do when traveling out of the country is sealing their items in a plastic container that can’t be penetrated by bed bugs.
It’s best to use a container that has been previously sealed and you can also add some baking soda inside as an extra layer of protection against these critters.
One thing travelers always do is seal their clothes in plastic bags before packing them in the suitcase – this way, anything poking out won’t get caught on something else nearby or even worse – bedbugs!
Another great trick is putting all your belongings into clean garbage bags with strong ties so they don’t pop open mid-trip and let loose whatever it was holding closed.
If that doesn’t seem like enough help for you, there are plenty of other precautions we’ll talk about below!
Wash All Clothing to Stop Bed Bugs
If you wash your clothes in full heat with some strong bleach then this is the best way to clean them of bedbugs.
If you’re not able to wash your clothes in water, then try spraying a mixture of alcohol and water on all clothing before packing it up – this should do the job for now!
When you get back home, be sure to wash everything in full heat with some strong bleach and this should do the trick.
An alternative is using a dryer on high for at least 45 minutes so that any bugs are killed by the intense heat.
Stop Bed Bugs by Double-Checking Stuff Before Packing
Before you pack your things and go back home you need to check everything!
Be sure to check all the pockets and openings of your clothes, suitcase, or bag for any signs of bedbugs. It’s best to even shake out each article if you can before packing it up so that these critters don’t get a chance to hitch on during transit.
If anything feels like it has some weight, then be sure to inspect what is there – this could mean something as harmless as rocks but also bugs that would not make things better in any way shape, or form.
It’s easy enough just being cautious with your belongings when traveling back home from vacation because no one wants their bedroom invaded by pesky little critters who won’t go away easily without a fight! You may think twice about going on another
Conclusion
The research we have uncovered shows that bed bugs can survive without a blood meal. That means they are capable of surviving in your luggage, on airplanes and trains, or any other mode of transportation you may use to travel from place to place.
As such, it is important to take precautions before packing up your bags so you don’t end up with an infestation at the next destination! We hope this article has been helpful and informative.
If you would like more information about how these pests behave when inside luggage or want help putting together a plan to minimize the risk of transporting them unknowingly during travels, just let us know!