Beware of bed bugs when you travel! These 10 tips can help reduce the risk of hungry hitch hikers.

1. When checking into a hotel, inspect your room thoroughly for bed bugs. Make sure to look closely for them (or their signs such as blood spots) in or behind the headboard of the bed, on or behind the picture hanging above the bed board, or in the seams of the mattress and box springs. (Bed bugs feed upon human blood at night and leave obvious stains behind.)

2. Inspect the valet stand or luggage rack thoroughly around the fabric seams to see that there are no bed bugs. After passing your inspection, place your suitcase on the stand and keep it there the entire visit; don’t let the suitcase sit on the floor, bed, sofa or any other furniture in the room.

3. Move your bed away from the wall of the room, and do not let linens touch the floor.

4. Check the hangers and rack in the closet before hanging your clothes there.

5. Check nightstands and dresser drawers before placing personal items on or in these pieces of furniture.

6. If you should  find bed bugs present immediately alert the hotel management that this is the case, and that you would like to be moved to another room. (Only by informing the management of the bed bugs can they begin to tackle their problem. Hotels are now very aware of this issue and will work with you to make and keep your stay pleasant.)

7. While waiting for transportation to the airport check the upholstery of the lobby seats for signs of bed bugs.

8. When on your plane or train heading home, check the seat, and any pillows or blankets handed to you for signs of bed bugs.

9. When you return home, unload your suitcase in the garage or out on the porch or patio. Make sure to inspect your luggage thoroughly (inside and out) for any signs of bed bug hitchhikers that may have come home with you.

10. If you should accidentally bring bed bugs home with you, contact us immediately to help rid your home of them. The sooner you make that call, the sooner your bed bugs will be gone. Early detection is key — infestations are much easier to tackle at the early end, before things get out of hand!