Nothing ruins a vacation like finding bed bugs in your hotel room, which can quickly become infested in clothing and luggage. However, sometimes even thoroughly checking mattresses and bedding can fail to turn up evidence of the sneaky bloodsuckers, which is why one flight attendant recently revealed the hack that airline crew members use when on the go.
The advice was recently shared to TikTok by Chicago-based flight attendant and registered nurse Hannah, who explained that the first thing she does in every hotel she stays at is to check for bed bugs.
Along with her uncle, who is a fellow flight attendant with over 13 years under his belt, Hannah said that first, you need to pull up all the sheets and check the corners for any bugs. Another trick she relayed is leaving a bar of soap out on the bed as it "draws out the bed bugs."
However, if all else fails, most people are probably not aware of the next tip she revealed. "Bedbugs are also attracted to your carbon dioxide that you breathe out, so if you're sleeping at night they're going to come out," she continued. "So sometimes I like flip up the corner and start breathing on the bed."
"Bed bugs are no joke, and whenever they bite you [the bites] are painful, they are red, they are big, they will cause swelling," she added, reiterating: "So make sure you check for bed bugs."
@cabincrew_han Always check for bed bugs babies #fyp #foryou #travel #traveltok #flightattendant #flightattendantlife #hotel #aviation #traveltip #travellife
♬ original sound - Hannah | Flight Attendant | RN
However, when inspecting for bed bugs—even if you don't see the bugs themselves—you should also be on the lookout for other clues. Bed bugs also leave behind tiny black flecks, which is literally their fecal matter, as well as eggs, which resemble tiny white capsules. The bugs also sometimes cast off their exoskeletons, which are about the same size and shape of the insects, and generally translucent in color.
In either case, when it comes to these pests prevention is undoubtedly the best cure, because in the event you bring them home with you, bed bug infestations can be notoriously difficult to exterminate.
