How do you control bedbug threat when traveling?

Question

We will be going across country and staying nightly in different motels. Have been reading about potential bedbug problems even in the best of places. Is there a proven product available that you can spray to prevent infestation. Can't consider anything that takes hours to dry or is dangerous to humans.

Answer 1

Weekend America on NPR did a story about fighting bed bugs today. Check out NPR.org and you should be able to surf over to it. If you're really concerned, I'd get a plastic bedcover and bring my own sheets, or bring a sleeping bag and sleep on top of the already made bed. In addition, one of the best ways to get bed bugs is to take them along with you, so seal clothing in plastic bags and do laundry regularly.

When I lived on the road I also used lysol and chlorox wipes on every surface in the room before I touched anything. Seems paranoid, but I once got a staff infection from what seemed like a VERY clean hotel room.

Answer 2

The only way you can NOT bring them home is to;
use disposable suitcases ( otherwise you have to BAKE them)
Have plastic garbage bags ready when you come home, so you put all y our clothes that you are wearing directly into the bag and seal them until they can be washed and dried on high for 55 minutes.
Spray your shoes with a ton of lysol and leave them outside the door overnight. (Though sneakers can typically be baked in the dryer too)
The second that you seal your clothes and stuff in bags get right into the shower and shower very well.

The only thing you can really do in hotels and stuff, is to lay down baby powder barriers around your bed floor, and the perimeter of your bed sheets ( on top) They wont cross it because they get logged down with it like tons of pollen on a bee. They are smarter than people realize. There is a video of 30 minutes where a bed bug refuses to step onto an adhesive tape.
Baby powder and talcum powder WILL kill the engine in your vacuum, but if your in a hotel room THEY can deal with that.
As for hotels.. frankly you would be better camping in your own tent.
Canada is censoring bed bug reports and complaints from their news media on line and not reporting them at all on TV. I suspect it isnt doing much for ANY country's tourist trade.
I have read that they are ankle deep at India's train stations. Chicago is currently spray treating their entire subway system. Edmonton Alberta has sprayed numerous transit buses.
Vancouver is off the charts.
Calgary is successfully squashing every public complaint.
(no pun intended)
Calgary Alberta Canadaa bed bug bedbug Lawsuit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC2beZp1Pg4