When you travel, you are able to see the world, eat interesting foods, and visit historical sites. Traveling can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of hassle. One of the biggest problems while traveling, especially in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, is insects in the bedding. Manny Wertz, a travel agent with AAA Travel in Aberdeen, SD, shares some strategies to helping to ensure insect free hotel bedding. Since insects can cause flea infestations, bites, and rashes, its important to follow these strategies.
Pay attention to where you are going and where you are staying, say Wertz. This is the best way to prevent insect infestations in your bedding. Hotels all over the world can choose to become members of travel groups like AAA, which hold them to certain standards. Choose a hotel that is AAA approved, or a member of a well known hotel chain, because these hotels, which are corporation run, are going to be more likely to have better standards when it comes to insects in bedding.
Consider the number of stars a hotel has. In the United States, most hotel ratings are not displayed, but in Europe and other countries, hotel star ratings must be displayed in all hotels. Hotels with only 1 or 2 stars are often cheaper, but employ less help, have lower standards, and don't follow the same safety practices as hotels with higher ratings. If you want to be insured of insect free bedding, stick with hotels that have higher ratings.
Take matters into your own hands when traveling. If you plan on staying at cheap hotels, or simply want to be on the safe side, carry a can of Lysol with you and spray the sheets before you sleep. For hostels, and other places youth stay, prices are cheap but bring your own bedding. You can sew together three sides of two twin-sized sheets, to create a pocket to sleep in. Bring this along in your backpack. When you go to sleep, you can sleep inside of the pocket, and use the existing blankets to cover up with if you are cold. As long as you don't let the blankets touch your body, you won't have problems. Remember, if dirty blankets touch your pocket, it could become infested, so if you use it along with other bedding, wash it in a high temperature washer or spray it with Lysol or another germ killer before using it again.
