Why Tourists Should Avoid Using Hotel Luggage Racks

After you've been on a plane for hours and finally get to your hotel room, your next steps likely include grabbing the luggage rack and plopping your suitcase on it, then throwing yourself on the bed in relief. It seems like the logical thing to do. If you have the energy, you may even start to unpack. However, there are some mistakes in this common scenario that could result in you taking a few new "friends" home with you. Travelers should never use the luggage rack in a hotel room for one very good reason, which is that it can be infested with bed bugs. These little creatures, around the size of an apple seed, are seeking some blood – and to them, you're like a walking McDonald's. 

It doesn't really matter what type of hotel you're in. Any traveler can bring bed bugs in from anywhere, and their bites can be pretty painful. A luggage rack has places for these bugs to hide, like where the fabric strips meet the metal bars. The rack may be folded in a closet on a carpeted floor, which is another spot you may find the pests. Instead of putting your bags on a luggage rack, the first thing to do when you get to your hotel room is put your luggage in the bathtub. There is no place for bed bugs to hide on its surface, and it's a great spot to keep your things while you do a bed bug scan.

Once your luggage is in the tub, grab your phone and turn on the flashlight app. Strip the sheets off the bed and look at the mattress with the light. Check for brown or dark reddish spots, or the bugs themselves. However, don't just look at the top. Look under mattress buttons and in between the seams using your room key card. Check the box spring, carpets, behind and inside bedside tables, on curtains or drapes, or any other place that is made of cloth, including fabric-covered headboards. Even if you find nothing, keep your suitcase off the floor and in the bathroom on tile instead of on the luggage rack or the floor. 

There are also a few things you can do before you even arrive at your destination, just in case you check in to a place and do find something. As you're packing, put your clothing and other items in plastic bags to keep bed bugs from coming home with you – large Ziploc bags are a good choice. You can also put your suitcase in a plastic garbage bag, or use a luggage-wrapping service before your flight. Also, if you rent a car to drive yourself to the hotel, you should skip using the trunk, which is the dirtiest place in a rental car. It's one extra step that can keep you from a very itchy trip home. Finally, if you do get home and find bed bugs, wash your laundry in the hottest water you can to kill them, and scrub your suitcase, paying special attention to the seams.