Along with dust mites and the lesser talked about scabies, bedbugs are infesting hotel after hotel in every major city in America, as well as Europe and Canada. While this modern outbreak has been going on for the past 5 years, the media has only began reporting on this scourge over the last couple of years.

Tourists who, a few years ago, would just shrug off any report on bedbugs, have begun to sit up and take notice. Bedbug blogs and web sites litter the in internet as do products to protect against the little vampires.

One of the primary reasons for the interest in bedbugs from the public is the frequency by which these vermin are transported back to the homes of vacationers and business travelers. Once bedbugs enter a home or hotel, even office complex, they are excruciatingly hard to eradicate. Bedbugs have evolved over tens of thousands of years to adapt to their main meal ticket, humans. Newly resistant to a broad range of chemicals, bedbugs have flourished since the banning of DDT in the seventies.

Although bedbugs have never been proven to be a transmission vector for any disease, few studies have been done on this subject. The only danger to human health so far , is the allergic reaction people can experience after being bitten.

Bedbugs are spread 2 ways. By people transporting them in luggage or belongings and by migration between rooms, condos or apartments.

With the above said, here are the top 5 travel accessories to protect yourself, and prevent infesting your home with bedbugs.

1) A Travel Sheet – Make sure, whichever travelsheet you choose, that it is zippered and enclosed on 3 sides and that it is washable in hot water and dry-able in hot air. Heat is the only way to effectively kill bedbugs and their eggs. A travel sheet can't be 100% effective, only a heavy duty garbage bag sealed all the way around can guarantee no bedbug bites. But a travel sheet will mitigate your exposure and protect you from a host of other ills.

2) Bedbug-Proof Bags for your belongings – Many companies make bags especially for the purpose of protecting your clothes from being infested by bedbugs while they are folded in the drawers of your hotel room. This might seem like overkill but it happens all the time. Even commonly used plastic zipper bags, like the ones used for food are effective. Heavy duty garbage bags also work well but you must seal them very well. Bedbugs can fit through the smallest of spaces.

3) Painters Tape – An excellent deterrent, painters tape will not damage your room but will prevent bedbugs from crossing over wherever it is applied. Around the headboard, mattress, bed, bed legs, inside drawers etc. It takes very little time to apply, is inexpensive and can even be used in luggage.

4) Non Toxic Sprays – There are so many products on the market that claim the ability to kill on contact and continue providing protection. Be aware, some work, some don't. The best way of determining which brand to use is either by word of mouth or testimonials. Included in this group is food grade diatomaceous earth, powder made of the exoskeletons of microscopic sea creatures. DT kills by wearing away the protective coatings or scratching the exoskeletons of the bedbugs causing them to eventually die of exposure or dehydration. I say ” eventually ” because it takes time for DT to work. Remember if you buy DT it MUST be food grade otherwise it is a danger to humans and pets.

5) Luggage Sanitizers – Most of these are sprays meant to kill bedbugs. Sprayed in luggage, they kill bedbugs and their eggs so they won't infest your home. There is one product on the market that kills by heat. Luggage is placed into the product which is turned on and heats up to a pre determined temperature and holds this temperature for a period of time, long enough to kill the bedbugs and eggs. A great idea if chemicals are not your choice. This product is especially efficient for a frequent business traveler as it is a one time investment.

Bedbugs have made a spectacular comeback, affecting all walks of life and the problem is not going to go away anytime soon because bedbugs are spread by people who have no idea they are spreading them. Bedbug infestations can only be prevented through vigilance and education. All it takes is one pregnant bedbug to start an infestation. Check your room, use a travel sheet, inspect your luggage, good luck.

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