Holiday travel tips to prevent bedbugs

Related
* Bedbugs: Biology and control

RALEIGH — One present that is not on anyone’s wish list this holiday season is bedbugs. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division encourages travelers to take extra steps to ensure they don’t pick up any hitchhiking pests this holiday season.

“Peak travel time is often when we see an increase in bedbug cases reported,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Bedbugs are excellent hitchhikers. This holiday season I encourage you to be alert and be aware as you travel.”

A North Carolina Cooperative Extension photo

A North Carolina Cooperative Extension photo

Eradicating bedbugs from a home can be difficult and expensive. Keeping them out of your home is a better option. Travelers can take these steps to help prevent bedbugs from traveling home in their personal items.

When traveling:

Inspect mattress and headboard with a flashlight. Bedbugs come out only at night to feed, so unless a room has a heavy infestation, you won’t see them without effort. Use an LED flashlight and look for tiny black spots that look like ink spots.

Keep bags, luggage and backpacks off the bed. Many travelers set their luggage on the bed to unpack, but it is better to use the luggage rack to keep bedbugs from crawling into your suitcase. For added precaution, keep clothes in the suitcase, not in the provided dresser. Never place clothes or jackets on the bed or couch.

If you are really nervous about bedbugs, store your suitcase in the bathtub.

If you suspect you have come into contact with bedbugs, or have bedbug bites, these steps should be taken when you return home:

After travel, seal all items in plastic bags until time for washing or dry cleaning.

Do not unpack in the bedroom. If you have picked up bedbugs, you do not want to transfer them to your bed at home. Unpack and leave luggage in a laundry area or garage.

Unpack clothes that can withstand high dryer temperatures directly into the dryer. Dry on high for 30 minutes to kill eggs and other bedbug life stages. Seal all other clothing items in plastic bags and have dry cleaned.

Inspect luggage closely with flashlight and magnifying glass for bedbugs upon returning home. Then place luggage in a black plastic trash bags, wrap tape around the closed end and store in an area away from sleeping quarters

Day-to-day prevention:

Reduce clutter, change and wash bedding regularly, and vacuum regularly.

Do not bring secondhand furniture into your home unless it is thoroughly inspected and cleaned.

Use bedbug interceptors under all bed posts and check for pests regularly. These interceptors are available at most home improvement stores and online.

Bedbugs do not transmit diseases, but bites do need to be reported to the county health department. If you suspect bedbugs at your home, call a pest control company that is licensed by the NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division.

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