Arriving at your hotel room, especially after a long day of travel, can feel victorious. Cracking open that door for the very first time feels like a big feat. Naturally, as soon as you reach your new home for the foreseeable future, you want to get comfy. Although unpacking all your belongings and getting organized might feel incredible, it can also send you home with a few unwanted "souvenirs" if you're not careful.
In theory, hotel dressers might seem like a nice place to stash your belongings.
That said, it's probably best that you don't. Many hotel dressers, especially those made out of wood, are prone to bed bug infestations. And, let's be honest, nobody wants to deal with that.
Bed bugs are not only found in hotel dressers, though. They're also found in beds, couches, pillows, nightstands, and even picture frames. And while the risk of finding bed bugs in your hotel room is pretty uncommon, it's better to be safe than sorry. That said, to prevent bed bugs from coming home with you and taking over your entire wardrobe, your best bet is to always hang clothes in closets, or in other hanging spaces around the room, rather than storing them in a dresser. After all, the tight corners and crevices of furniture are typically where bed bugs like to hide. And a pretty horrifying detail about hotel rooms is that these spaces actually don't get cleaned as often or as thoroughly as we'd like.
Read more: Avoid The Hassle Of Checking Luggage With Samantha Brown's Space-Saving Hacks
The Best Way To Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Home
The best way to keep your luggage bed bug-free is to inspect the room thoroughly. As soon as you enter your room, store your suitcase in the bathtub while you go insect hunting. The reason behind this is that bed bugs can't stand the heat from all those hot showers, and the sleek materials also make it harder for them to grip onto and live on bathroom surfaces. Plus, bathrooms are most likely the furthest place away from the furniture that you're scoping out.
Additionally, make sure you pack a flashlight, as it's going to be your most useful tool to help you scope out the scene. Armed with that, you're going to want to carefully inspect all of the seams and folds on any couches, seats, pillows, and the mattress. The same goes for any wooden objects in the room -- think desks, nightstands, and dressers. After you've done your duty, you're safe to unpack and enjoy your vacation.
At the end of your trip, we highly recommend completing one last bed bug sweep before checking out. Simply bust that flashlight back out and check for any bugs in the zippers and seams of your suitcase. If you want to be extra careful, you can also bring extra plastic bags to store your clothes and stop bed bugs from hitching a ride home with you (Ziploc's gallon-size bags are great for this). Back home, throw your clothing directly into your washing machine on hot. It might seem a little paranoid, but trust us — it's well worth avoiding the trauma that comes with transporting these unwanted guests home with you.
Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets.
Read the original article on Islands.
