Are you worried that your next trip will lead to a
bedbug infestation? Unfortunately, it could. You must take steps to prevent this from happening. To avoid potential problems, you should remember the SLEEP acronym. By following this advice, you can travel while maintaining your peace of mind. Below, you’ll learn more about the SLEEP acronym so you can keep yourself safe while traveling.
S – Survey
When you arrive at your motel room, you need to check it thoroughly. The first step of the process is to survey the room. Survey the room and check it carefully. Make sure it doesn’t have
bedbugs. If the room has
bedbugs, speak to someone with the motel. Moving to a new room might help, but remember that bedbugs can travel from one room to another. As a result, you may need to switch motels. If you stay in the room with
bedbugs, those bugs will climb into your luggage and go home with you.
L – Lift & Look
Next, you need to go one step further and begin looking at common
bedbug hiding spots. Doing so will help you determine whether the room has
bedbugs. For instance, you should lift the mattress and check under it. Look at the small cracks and crevices because bedbugs often hide in those spots. You’ll also need to check the baseboards, bed frame, and behind your pictures. Do you see any bugs that resemble
bedbugs? If so, switch rooms or motels.
E – Elevate
You cannot be careless when putting your luggage down. If you place it in the wrong spot, there is a greater chance that
bedbugs are going to climb inside. Avoid such problems by elevating your luggage and other items off of the ground before checking under these items to make sure the room is free of bedbugs. Next, remove the luggage rack and place it away from the wall so the
bedbugs will have a harder time climbing up the wall and entering your luggage.
E – Examine
When it is time to leave, check your luggage and make sure it is clean. If bedbugs have climbed inside, they’ll travel home with you. Once you get home, unpack your belongings in an outside room such as your utility room or garage.
P – Place
Finally, you’ll want to take one extra step to ensure that you don’t bring bedbugs into your home. You should throw your items in the laundry and turn the appliance on the highest temperature setting. Let the items stay in the
dryer for 15 minutes. Once you’ve done this, the bedbugs will succumb and die due to the
hot temperatures.
Eliminating bedbugs is a complicated task so you likely won’t be able to do it on your own. You can purchase DIY chemicals, but they could be unsafe and there is no guarantee that they’ll be effective. As a result, it is best to
hire a professional exterminator in Portland.
Be cautious and check your motel room travel when traveling abroad.