Bedbug Prevention Protocol

Once bedbugs have entered your home, they’re tricky to eliminate. The best solution is prevention.

Your homestay, The Social Hub, or residence hall bedroom is bedbug-free prior to your arrival so make sure you don’t bring any back with you from your travels. You will be responsible for extermination costs if you do. In any case, if you see any bedbugs in your room in Madrid, come to the Student Life Office (Rm. 202) to notify us right away.

Bedbug Prevention Tips

While Traveling

  • Examine the common hiding places for bedbugs in the room where you’ll be staying (cracks and crevices, carpet edges, mattress seams, pillowcase linings, headboards, and wall trims).
  • Inspect the mattress seams for signs of hidden bedbugs (droppings, eggs, small blood stains, and bedbugs themselves).
  • Don’t leave clothing, cloth suitcases, or backpacks lying on the bed or on any location where you suspect that there may be an infestation.
  • Keep all cloth away from these areas by using hangers or hooks and putting suitcases on luggage stands or on another hard surface.
  • Keep your bags closed and off the floor when not in use.  This is especially important at night.
  • While bedbugs can appear anywhere, they’re especially prevalent in AirBnbs because there are no extermination policies in place. Avoid this type of lodging whenever possible.
  • If you see a bedbug, be sure to take a picture to show the hotel manager/landlord.
  • Do not apply any pesticides on your own.
  • Once you return to your housing assignment from traveling, if you suspect bedbugs, do not unpack your suitcase immediately. Keep your closed suitcase off the bed and away from the closet.

Upon Returning

Every time you travel, even if you don’t suspect the presence of bedbugs, you should:

    1. Inspect your suitcase, handbags, backpacks, and contents for signs of bedbugs (droppings, eggs, small blood stains, bed bugs themselves).  Pay special attention to areas around the zippers.
    2. Wipe down electronics and hard or plastic surfaces. 
    3. Wash all the items in 60ºC water and/or dry on high heat in the dryer before taking your items back to your room. This will stop the spread of any bugs.

If you suspect the presence of bedbugs, follow steps (i) and (ii) listed above, AND:

Seal all clothing and linens in plastic bags to be cleaned, and take the plastic bags along with your suitcase, handbags, or backpacks to the laundromat. Wash everything using the same instructions as Step 3.

This infographic has been modified from its original version, which can be found here.