If you are reading this post, chances are you are dealing with bed bugs right now. Forget everything you read online, and let me start by saying, “There’s no reason to panic.” How do I know?
Because I’ve been there. Twice!
I first met these horrendous creatures back in 2019 while staying at a hostel in Naples, and most recently in France. In both cases, I had to live with them for about a week before I could move out. With just a few precautions, I was able to avoid bites and ensure they didn’t follow me home.
Recognizing bed bugs
According to an annualreview published in 2023, over the last two decades, the world has experienced a “resurgence of bed bugs,” attributed to “insecticide resistance, along with global travel and poor pest management.” Paris, in particular, has been the news with accounts of plague-level bedbug infestations.
So, how can you recognize them? Bed bugs usually leave about three to four bites near each other. These are nocturnal creatures, so if you first notice the bites in the early morning, the chances increase.
From my personal experience, despite their tiny size, these creatures are easy to spot if you know where and what to look for. Start by checking your mattress’s stitching, zip, and tag. Here, you should be able to see small rusty stains, dark spots or live bed bugs crawling around.
How easy it is to spot these creatures largely depends on the extent of the infestation. During my time in Naples, the situation was so drastic that bed bugs could be seen crawling on walls 24/7. In France, it was less extreme. Yet, I found these creatures in the zip of the fabric covering my bedframe after a few minutes of searching.
If you can easily charge your room/apartment, go ahead. Sleeping with bed bugs can be detrimental to your mental health, and there is no reason for you to endure this. However, if this is not possible, here is what you should do.
Sharing your bed with bed bugs
Contrary to what many believe, bed bugs don’t like filth. They feed on human blood afterall. So, no need to shout at the hotel manager.
A good way to avoid getting bitten again is to leave no inch of your skin uncovered at night, as bed bugs cannot bite through clothes. In the summer, it may be challenging, yet this is the only way I found effective against their bites. Pump up your AC if necessary.
You can get rid of most of these creatures by vacuuming. When I was in France, my host vacuumed every inch of my mattress, bed frame, and room, after which I never got bitten again.
You also need to take away your backpack and belongings from where most of the bed bugs are. Ideally, you want to place them in the bathroom, since these creatures tend to stay in bedrooms to bite humans while they sleep. In my case, since this wasn’t possible, I hung my backpack on a hook, which worked well too.
Avoid bringing bed bugs home
All products that claim to kill bed bugs instantly are scams. These insects have only two kryptonites: high temperatures and diatomaceous earth. The latter is a fancy term for ‘crushed rocks’ and can be purchased online for cheap.
It sounds absurd, yet Doctor Changlu Wang of the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University proved it works. In this regard, I suggest you watch the YouTube video above, “Bed Bugs- What You’ve Been Told is Totally False” by Mark Rober, which is incredibly enlightening.
A small layer of Diatomaceous earth can be highly effective against bed bugs, but don’t exaggerate, as it becomes useless in clumps. I personally relied solely on high temperatures.
The moment I stepped into my house, I placed my backpack on the balcony and left it there until I had time to vacuum every inch of it, including the seams, pockets, and lining.
If you can, wash it at least 45℃, possibly higher. That’s also how I ensured all my clothes were bed bug-free. For all other items, I conducted a detailed visual inspection and used a steamer. Bed bugs die with hot temperatures, remember? This means a steamer can kill them instantly.
By following these steps, you will most likely be able to avoid getting bitten and ensure these awful creatures won’t go home with you. Remember, most blogs out there feed on people’s anxiety for views just as bed bugs feed on blood. So, relax, follow these guidelines, and enjoy your time in Europe.
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Read more from Cristina here in Dispatches’ archives.
Cristina Miceli
contributors, and her work has been featured on several publications, including The Cabo Sun,
Bookmundi, SleepingInAirports, and more. Cristina is a huge promoter of slow travelling and
prefers long train rides to quick flights, analogue photography to selfies, and unknown towns to
massive metropolises. When she’s not writing breaking news or reporting her latest adventures, you may find her
drinking way too much tea, reading whatever book she found on the road, or playing her
classical guitar. Cristina has travelled to more than 30 countries on three continents, always slowly. One of her proudest achievements is a trip from Italy all the way to Gambia, avoiding planes.
