Instead, prop your belongings above the ground, ideally on a luggage rack (you can usually find one in the closet or entryway of a hotel room): “Bed bugs can technically climb, but they wouldn’t—not unless a person is sitting on [the rack]—since these pests are motivated by a host’s scent and warmth,” she says.
If your accommodation doesn’t have a luggage rack, you can also place your suitcase on a hard, tiled surface (like the bathroom floor) or, as recommended by the American Lodging and Hotel Association, in the car until you’ve done a thorough inspection (see below). Another option: Cover your luggage with a plastic trash bag.
2. Strip the sheets and examine every inch of your mattress.
To thoroughly scan your room for bed bugs, Dr. Gangloff-Kaufmann says to start by stripping the sheets, blankets, and pillows from the bed. (Yes, it’s kind of inconvenient, but it’s worth the hassle to ensure your safety.) Then, lift the mattress and use your phone’s flashlight to check for signs of these unwelcome guests (read on for the biggest red flags).
Don’t stop there: “Other places to inspect include the boxspring sides, the bed skirt if there is one, and all around and behind the headboard,” she adds. (You can do this by pulling the bed away from the wall, if possible.) And make sure to examine the furniture too—sofa, chairs, nightstands—as well as curtains and rugs.
Okay, so what exactly should you look for? It’s important to recognize bed bugs in all their life stages (eggs, newly hatched babies, and adults) along with their telltale markings (including blood stains and fecal droppings—fun!). Googling photos (or referencing the images below) is probably the easiest way to ID these things, but here’s a quick rundown: Adult bed bugs are mahogany-colored, wingless (unlike beetles or cockroaches), and about the size of a lentil or apple seed. They’re round (and plump) if they’ve eaten, Dr. Gangloff-Kaufmann says, and flatter, longer, and more ovular if they haven’t.
John Downer/Getty Images; vasakna/Adobe Stock
Newly hatched babies are much smaller (about 1 mm long) and change in color depending on if they’ve ingested blood: They’re pale white or clear if they haven’t but if they have, you can see the blood in their bodies, making them appear red, tan, or mahogany-brown, Dr. Gangloff-Kaufmann explains. Their eggs are pearl white but may be hard to see without a flashlight since, she says, they’re the size of “a comma in The New York Times.”
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Matteo Lanciano/Getty Images; Fleur/Adobe Stock
You may also encounter their poop stains (tiny clusters of brown or black spots). “They look like magic marker dots [about this size: •], and if you were to wipe the marks with a damp cloth or paper towel, the residue would be rust-colored, reddish-brown,” she explains. Bed bugs can also shed their “skin” (technically, their exoskeleton), so you might stumble upon a translucent, possibly light brown, empty shell.
Fleur/Adobe Stock, John-Reynolds/Getty Images
3. To play it safe, fire up your hair dryer to exterminate potential intruders.
Most standard pesticide sprays won’t kill bed bugs, but you know what will? Heat. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these bloodsuckers die when their body temperature reaches 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
