Do you travel a lot? If so, you could be exposing yourself to bed bugs. The tiny bugs love to nest in areas where people sleep. They're also common in areas where there is a high turnover of occupants, such as dorm rooms and hotels. Even if you look over the bed and sheets when you check in to a hotel, you still may not see them. Bed bugs are often difficult to see and may not even be visible when it's light out. You could very well pick up bed bugs and bring them home from the hotel without even realizing it. Here are three ways to avoid doing that:

Use the luggage rack in your room. It's very easy to walk into a hotel room and set your luggage on the bed. However, that's also a great way to pick up bed bugs. They can latch onto items like luggage and clothing, which makes your suitcase a great place for them to hide. Instead, set your suitcase on the foldout luggage rack in the room. Take your clothes out and either hang them or fold them and place them in drawers. Just keeping your clothes away from the bed will greatly reduce the odds that you bring home bed bugs.

Pack your clothing in a plastic bag. When you leave the hotel and head home, it's good practice to quarantine your clothing from the rest of your belongings. Bed bugs love soft fabric, so they can easily hide in folded clothes. Place your clothing in a sealed plastic bag inside your suitcase. Then, when you get home, you can take the entire bag out of your suitcase and throw all of its contents into the washing machine. That way, the bed bugs won't have any chance to infiltrate other areas of your home. They'll get eliminated in the washing machine immediately.

Take extra care if you suspect you've been exposed. If you believe that you may have been exposed to bed bugs, do everything possible to not allow them access to your home. Signs could be seeing bed bugs in your hotel room or simply staying in a hotel where the cleaning standards were lower than you would have liked. As soon as you get home, take your clothes off on a hard floor surface. If bed bugs are able to access your carpet, they'll disappear into the fabric and likely spread throughout your home. Wash all clothing in the washing machine right away and scrub luggage and other belongings with warm, soapy water.

If you follow these steps, you'll greatly reduce the odds that you'll bring bed bugs home. If you believe that they have gotten into your home, contact a pest control specialist like Paramount Exterminating Co or others. They can locate the bugs and take steps to eliminate them.