Nobody wants bed bugs.
You do not want bed bugs.
The hotel youre staying in does not want bed bugs, but its entirely possible that it has them.
Because you donotwant to risk bringing these guys home.
The same goes for the couch, or anything else upholstered.
Roll your suitcase into the bathroom, and leave it there for now.
The details on where to look, and what to look for,are here.
And despite the name, they can also live in non-bed furnishings, like couches.
So check those places.
Now, just because you found ants or roaches, that does not mean that youre in the clear.
You could have roachesandbedbugs.
Next, your luggage!
Is it in the bathtub?
If so, its safe for now.
If not, put it in the bathtub.
Its possible for bed bugs to crawl into your bags and thereby hitch a ride home.
But that cleaning step comes later.
communicate with the front desk and explain the issue.
Some states havelawsrequiring that any room with bed bugs have them exterminated before anybody can use the room again.
A room right next door, or directly above or below, may be infested as well.
Insist on inspecting the new room before you agree to stay there.
One more thing to do while youve got a hotel employee apologizing at you: Ask for garbage bags.
If youdidget some bed bugs in your suitcase, you dont want to bring them to your next accommodations.
And if you didnt, you might be, understandably, extra paranoid about the possibility.
Wrap your bags in plastic for the rest of your trip.
How bad is it to stay in a bed with possible bed bugs?
How bad is it to wake up with bed bug bites?
Just to be safe, dont scratch your bed bug bites until after youve washed the skin around them.
Okay, now time for the bad news.
Bed bug bites are no fun.
Most commonly, there will be several bites in clusters or in a row.
If youve been bitten by a lot of bed bugs, you may be desensitized to them.
Or maybe youre just luckypeoples reactions vary, and some people do not react at all.
Itsrelativelysafe to sleep on a plastic-encased bed like this.
While youre still in the infested area, sort your laundry.
Anything labeled dry clean only should skip the washer but is usually safe to go in the dryer.
If something can be washed in hot water, by golly, youwillwash it in hot water.
The University of Minnesota hasa guide to laundering clothes to kill bed bugs.
Pro tip: 30 minutes in the dryer, on high heat, will kill the bugs.
Be careful about those bags, by the way.
This requires the car or the garbage bag to beveryhot, though.
I suspect this approach works better in Texas than in Minnesota.
Freezing is also an option.
Objects with hard surfaces, like wooden or plastic toys, can be wiped clean.
Watch out for cracks and crevices, though; the little buggers like to hide.
