How to get rid of bed bugs while traveling

It’s time for many Quebecers to go on vacation. To make this long-awaited moment go as well as possible, it is important to take certain precautions to avoid bedbugs while travelling, especially when staying in a hotel or third-party accommodation. All establishments are concerned and they must all be put in the same boat, regardless of the price of the night. This is because bed bugs have no preferences at this level and are likely to be introduced absolutely everywhere.

A little information on bed bugs

Once there, they adapt to their environment, more or less well depending on the context. A bed bug is a small insect that measures between four and seven millimetres. It is therefore perfectly visible to the naked eye. Oval in shape, it is usually brown in colour, which can turn red when soaked in blood. Contrary to popular belief, she does not have the ability to jump or fly. Its movement can be compared to that of an ant. Its lifespan is only a few months but in a state of dormancy, it has the ability to survive for more than a year without feeding. It hides under mattresses, behind labels, in nooks and in cracks. As it is nocturnal, it is difficult to see it or see it during the day. Bedbugs reappeared during the 1980s without knowing exactly why but it is assumed that it is probably the consequence of resistance to insecticides.

Before the journey

It is important to take certain precautions before your departure to avoid as much as possible the inconvenience associated with bedbugs while travelling. The first bad instinct to avoid is to take your pillow with you. The consequences can be disastrous because it is one of the best ways to bring bed bugs home. Favouring plastic suitcases can be interesting because bedbugs are less attracted to this material. Pale-coloured luggage has the advantage of being able to detect bed bugs more easily if they have had a bad idea to take an interest in them.

During the trip: the top 10 best practices

• • • • • • When you move into a new bedroom, during your trip, the first good instinct is to take an interest in mattresses.
          • Inspect them very rigorously and meticulously to detect the potential presence of bed bugs.
          • Remember that the hotel poses a significant risk for bedbugs. Then it is important never to put your luggage on the bed or on the floor.
          • An interesting, although surprising, the trick is to place your suitcases directly in the tub.
          • Bed bugs prefer soft surfaces rather than rigid ones.
          • Once installed, do not store your shoes, or other belongings, under the bed.
          • Inspect the cupboards, if necessary with a flashlight.
          • Beware of any cracks in the walls.
          • Prefer plastic suitcases; bedbugs are indeed less attracted to this material.

Other advice is also issued by Health Canada.

After the trip: procedure to follow

Once back from your trip, do not rush to store your luggage. Inspect your clothes, wash them at a sufficient temperature and don’t hesitate to put them in the dryer, especially those that are not washable. When you go to the laundry room, take the trouble to do so using plastic baskets rather than fabric bags. Be particularly careful with your personal belongings, such as your toiletry bag, hairbrush or any other similar item. Vacuum your luggage, then immediately dispose of the luggage bag in a perfectly airtight container.

The ultimate solution to bed bugs

If despite all these precautions, you notice the presence of bedbugs in your luggage, the first thing to remember is that there are specialists who are able to take care of your problem. Whether it is for a bed bug extermination in Montreal, Laval or the South Shore, our team can come to your home and manage this delicate situation. A bedbug problem is not trivial and it is best to avoid improvising if you are faced with it. Only real extermination professionals are likely to make the right decisions regarding your problem and, above all, to use the appropriate products in complete safety. Therefore, save yourself the recipes of grandmothers, you will only make the situation worse.