NEVER PUT YOUR Suitcase ON THE HOTEL BED 

‘When you initially arrive at your hotel, you might put your suitcase straight onto the bed without checking for bugs and begin unpacking,’ says MattressNextDay’s Martin Seeley.

However, he notes that by doing this, ‘you’re putting your luggage and Clothes right onto the place Bedbugs are commonly found and giving them a free ticket home’.

With this in mind, he recommends storing ‘your suitcase as close to the room door as possible’.

ALWAYS STORE YOUR CLOTHES IN A WARDROBE, NOT DRAWERS 

After a long day of travelling to your destination, you might be inclined to quickly throw whatever you’re wearing into the conveniently placed bedside drawers – but Martin declares this move a ‘big mistake’.

Why? He explains: ‘Although bedbugs can’t fly, they can crawl, and putting your clothes into bedside drawers gives them a perfect opportunity.’

TAKE A SPARE PLASTIC BAG FOR DIRTY CLOTHES 

Martin says: ‘Bedbugs are more attracted to dirty clothes, so make sure to take a spare bag for your dirty laundry in your case and tie the bag in a knot to make it completely sealed.’

UNPACK ON A HARD FLOOR AND NOT IN YOUR BEDROOM 

There are more preventative measures you can take when you get back from your holiday, Martin reveals.

The mattress expert says: ‘When you get home, unpack your luggage in another location apart from your bedroom. Even better if it’s on hard flooring, as you won’t be able to spot bedbugs on a carpet.’

He continues: ‘Inspect your suitcase closely and use a flashlight or torch to look into the seams, folds and pockets of your suitcase. Always vacuum-clean your suitcase before putting it in storage.’

WASH EVERYTHING YOU TOOK, EVEN CLEAN CLOTHES 

Finally, Martin recommends that – even though it ‘may seem like overkill’ – you ‘wash every single item of clothing you took on holiday with you, even those that are clean or you didn’t wear’.

He explains: ‘If bedbugs have crawled into your suitcase, they won’t discriminate between items of clothing.’