Itchy and Stinky: Traveling With Bed Bugs
Emanuel Elley
It's finally here! After months of planning, it's time for your perfect vacation at a five-star hotel in a tropical paradise. Your vacation will have everything dreams are made of. But, there could be a little surprise in store that you hadn't planned on.
If travelers knew that there is a ninety percent chance that popular hotel chains, even presidential suites in five-star hotels are prone to bed bugs, there would be far fewer bodies lining the beaches. Your favorite hotel may have hosted a bed bug infestation, while patrons slept completely unaware.
So, what would you do if you found out that your hotel had bed bugs? How would you know? If you enjoy traveling, you need to know the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation. That way, you'll know how to prevent these pests from following you home.
Getting Itchy
You will likely feel this sign before you see it. The itch of a bed bug bite is prevalent before the rash is even visible. Bed bug bites tend to be itchier than mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites, you are able to feel the sting of the bite and the sucking of blood. With bed bugs, it's quite different. First of all, the bugs only feed while their victims are fast asleep. Further, there are anesthetics in bed bug's saliva to dull the pain, and anticoagulants to prevent the blood from clotting. They are able to bite you without detection, and then leisurely feed until they can take no more.
In most cases, a bed bug bite will show as a rash about an hour after the skin is pierced. For others, the rash won't develop until several days after being bitten. This depends on an individual's reaction to the chemicals secreted by bed bugs.
Could you determine whether your rash is caused by bed bugs? This type of rash begins with one small, red bump that appears more swollen than a mosquito bite. The rash initially consists of a single inflamed spot, but days later, a full-blown bed bug rash can develop. This means, of course, that the first bug has been back for another feast, and he's brought along all of his friends. People who move around a lot in their sleep may notice a rash of "in-line" bite marks. This formation takes place when the bed bugs quickly feed and return to their hiding places when the host begins moving.
If you have a rash that you suspect may be the result of bed bugs, observe it for several days. Bed bug rashes remain itchy, even days after the rash first appears. The rash itself will not heal as fast as a mosquito bite mark, and may stay swollen for weeks.
Oooh, that Smell
Many rooms actually stink like bed bugs, although you may not recognize the odor.
Hotel rooms with heavy bed bug infestations have an offensive, sweetish, musty odor. This scent is released by the bed bugs through their urine and feces. Conduct a "sniff test" in your room, paying close attention to the headboard, upholstered furniture, wood chairs and under the mattress. If you detect a strange odor that you think may indicate a presence of bed bugs, keep traveling.
In hotels with light or minimal infestation, the bed bug odor is not so easily detectable.
Preventing a Home Invasion
* On the night before you leave for home, take every item out of your suitcase. Bed bugs are very adept at hitchhiking. They can survive for months without food, and can very easily start an infestation in your home if they travel home in your luggage.
* Bed bugs are partial to things made of paper, cloth and wood. These are porous materials in which they can easily hide and create a habitat. Carefully inspect any and all items made of these materials.
* Using a water-based insect killer, spray all areas inside and outside your suitcase.
* Clothes should be shaken vigorously to remove any bed bugs.
* Wipe your bathtub dry, and put your clothing and travel items in the tub. Bed bugs won't stay on marble or ceramic tub surfaces, as these offer no comfort to the pests and usually gets wet.
* Wash all of your laundry before returning home.
This seems like an awful lot of work, especially on your last day of vacation. It's nothing compared to the trouble you'll go through if you have to exterminate your entire home. Once bed bugs find their way into your bedroom, they'll quickly spread to other rooms in your home. It's incredibly tough to get rid of bed bugs, and you may even have to resort to throwing away your mattresses and upholstered furniture.
Taking a dream vacation can be even more fun when you travel with a guest. But if you see signs of Itchy and Stinky in your hotel room, send them packing. You'll be much better off traveling alone.
Author Emanuel Elley is a columnist for several popular web magazines, on http://litoc.com/ home interior and http://duzat.com/ home repair themes. Get your own completely http://www.uberarticles.com/?id=15284&b=79 unique content version of this article.
|
