Unpacking after a holiday is always a chore, but it could become even more of a nightmare if tourists unpack their luggage in their bedroom, warns mattress experts at MattressNextDay.
Martin Seeley, CEO and mattress expert, has issued a stark warning to British holidaymakers returning from their summer breaks.
He cautioned: “Unpack on a hard floor and not in your bedroom. When you get home, unpack your luggage in another location apart from your bedroom. Even better if it’s on hard flooring, as you won’t be able to spot bed bugs on a carpet.
“Inspect your suitcase closely and use a flashlight or torch to look into the seams, folds and pockets of your suitcase.”
He further advised that tourists should always vacuum clean their suitcase before stowing it away.
Bed bugs could potentially hide within luggage and then migrate to a tourist’s bed, curtains or other soft furnishings.
Holidaymakers could also be making a crucial error when they arrive at their holiday accommodation.
Martin warned: “Never put your suitcase on the hotel bed. It is common that when you initially arrive at your hotel, you might put your suitcase straight onto the bed without checking for bugs and begin unpacking.
“However, by doing this, you’re putting your luggage and clothes right onto the place where bed bugs are commonly found and giving them a free ticket home.”
Tourists are advised to store their suitcase as close to the hotel room door as possible or keep it on the luggage rack.
Bed bugs are generally more attracted to dirty clothing rather than clean so tourists should bring a spare bag to store dirty washing.
Some hotels also offer a laundry service where tourists can get their dirty clothes cleaned during their stay.
Bed bugs often hide in the folds of mattresses and tourists should check their bed before settling in on holiday.