Bed Bug Awareness Week (June 4 -10) is here once again. It happens every year during the first full week of June to remind all those getting ready for vacation travel to be careful out there.

When it comes to bed bugs, you should arm yourself with knowledge before your trip but don’t let a fear of bed bugs keep you up at night, so to speak. Travelers don’t run into, or return with, bed bugs nearly as often as the media would have you think.

As long as you’re not staying in bottom-of-the-barrel lodging, you should trust that your lodging manager has worked to guarantee you a bed bug-free stay. Hotel and motel managers are well aware of the bed bug situation and know what they and their staff need to do to protect their guests.

KNOWING WHAT TO DO ELIMINATES BED BUG WORRIES

There are really only three steps you need to take regarding bed bugs and your vacation, and the last two should be unnecessary:

1. When you arrive at your lodging, first thing, do a quick check of your bed and surrounding area. You can do this in less than 5 minutes. To learn how, see Do I Really Have to Check My Hotel Room for Bed Bugs?
2. When you return back home or reach your final destination, if you suspect that you may have interacted with bed bugs somewhere along the way, or you’re very nervous, take some precautionary steps right away to make sure bed bugs don’t infest your home or your host’s home. To learn what to do, see How to Avoid Bed Bugs After the Trip! 
3. If, despite your best efforts, you do end up with bed bugs in your home, make sure you contact a pest control professional. Once bed bugs are established, they are virtually impossible to eliminate on your own (ask anyone who’s tried). Successful control requires trained experts who know where to find the bugs and which control methods to use for the situation. To learn who to call, see How to Pick a Bed Bug Control Company.

Have a great summer vacation! We’re here if you need us!

Photo Credit : vandenberg