How to keep bed bugs away while travelling
Protect your luggage and your home from an invasion the next time you go travelling!
Paris is going through a bed bug infestation, with the tiny and generally harmless bloodsuckers infiltrating everywhere from people's homes to public transport. Even its mayor has declared that "no one is safe", plunging the French city into a bed-bug elimination frenzy it'll need to conquer before the Olympics in 10 months.
Even if you're not travelling to Paris, the scale of the infestation has highlighted the fact that travellers need to start thinking about how to protect themselves against bed bugs and avoid inviting those pesky little critters into their homes.
Here's a quick 101 about bed bugs and how to protect yourself and your family against them when travelling.
What are bed bugs, and are they dangerous?
Bed bugs are tiny critters that live on blood from warm-blooded animals. Unlike mosquitoes and fleas, bed bugs do not transmit any diseases, though bites from them still tend to itch, especially since they don't only stop at one bite. Bites often come clustered, and may get itchier the more you get bitten. Luckily, it's nothing a healthy dose of calamine lotion or mopiko won't solve!
Even though the bug has the term "bed" in it, it can survive anywhere else in a room as long as there is a dark corner for them to retreat to. Because bed bugs have gotten very good at hitchhiking on hosts throughout their evolution and can survive without a blood meal for 135 to 300 days – making them hard to eliminate.
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs do not result from a dirty or cluttered environment, even though it could provide them with more hiding places.
How to check for bed bugs when travelling
Because bed bugs are cave-dwellers, they prefer dark locations and live in hidden areas around your bed where light doesn't reach them, such as the seams of your mattress and crevices.
Even if the room looks immaculate, bed bugs might still be around, as they only emerge at night. Before opening your luggage, use a flashlight to check for adult bugs, nymphs and eggs under the bed, behind the headboard, along the baseboard, behind photos, inside electronic clocks, at the seams of wallpaper and any other possible hiding spot in the hotel room.
Related: Bed bugs: Expert reveals tell-tale sign to know if you’ve been bitten
How to keep bed bugs at bay
Now that we know what they are, how can we keep bed bugs off our luggage and ourselves when travelling?
1) Use a hard-cased luggage
It's much harder for the bug to latch on a hard surface than a soft one, but note that it is still possible for bed bugs to latch onto the seams and zipper parts of the luggage. But hey, if it decreases the chances of bed bugs hitching a ride...
Samsonite Omni 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Omni 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage With Spinner Wheels
2) Pack your clothes in ziplock bags
Pack your clothing in ziplock bags inside your suitcase for added protection. This will prevent any bed bugs that managed to get in your suitcase from nesting within your clothing and, as a bonus, keeps you organised.
3) Pack clothing that can be washed in high-heat
Ideally, pack clothes that can be washed in hot water and dried on a high setting, such as cotton and linen. After your trip, put your clothes through the wash immediately to remove any possible bed bugs. Most washing machines nowadays has a high-heat or allergy function, which helps you to wash and dry your clothes on high heat.
Bed bugs, nymphs and their eggs will die on contact when exposed to surface temperatures above 82°C. A study also found 100% mortality rates for bed bugs exposed to temperatures greater than 50°C for more than 2 minutes.
4) Using diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth comprises tiny particles that look like sand. When examined under a microscope, you can see the sharp edges that look like broken glass. These microscopic shards can cut through an insect's exoskeleton, sticking to its feet and skin. Once the powder is absorbed by the insect's body moisture, the insect dehydrates and dies.
DiatomPest® Pest Grade Diatomaceous Earth 350g
Harris Bed Bug Killer with Diatomaceous Earth 8 Oz.
5) Try essential oils
According to this study, Carvacrol, derived from oregano and thyme; thymol (thyme); citronellic acid (lemongrass); and eugenol (clove) were most effective in repelling or even eliminating bed bugs. It's not sound science that translate to real-time use yet, but I guess it'll have the added effect of making your luggage smell nice at the same time.
Check out iHerb for your essential oils need
Remember, a single pregnant female can easily create an entire thriving colony. Follow the steps above and you should be able to keep them at bay while you travel in peace!
