DH just found bedbugs in his hotel room

[Bedbugspleasehelp]

He is due back home tomorrow.
He just posted me some photos and there is no doubt.
I am googling, but if anyone has any advice please post it! I would be very grateful.
I don't want to have to burn all his clothes and the contents of our house...

TIA

It would be the decent thing to tell the hire car company too before someone else sits into it and has the same problem......

^^This - if he can leave the case and as many things as possible at the hotel, and just travel back in one set of clothes and everything else in his rucksack, then it will be easier to bin bag it and freeze/wash things when he gets back. Better bin a few clothes and shoes than pay for pest control at home!

I’d dump the case and as many clothes/dirty laundry as I could, and chuck all toiletries/washbags and extra shoes, then turn the rucksack out in the bathroom at the hotel, checking along all the seams, put any electricals and remaining essentials in the rucksack and use that to fly home.

Get one of those big plastic see through tubs with a lid that locks tight from Dunelm or Lakeland, and put that in the garden when he arrives, so that he can put all electrical items/chargers and any other essential non-clothes items in there. Keep them in the garage for a few days with the lid tightly closed, and clean with antiseptic wipes before bringing back in the house. Double bin bag the rucksack and any clothing items in the garage, and leave for a few days sealed, before washing or chucking! I’d probably bin any shoes too.

Good luck OP. I think if you follow these precautions it should be fine. Sending all best wishes 💐

You will have to get rid of his clothes and suitcases. No other option.

Do not let them inside your house. You are not overreacting and don’t let your husband back in if he is wearing anything.

DO NOT LET THEM IN TO YOUR HOUSE

I'm sorry OP but it's so much better that he found them and knows about it than bringing them home unwittingly. He can strip under a big towel, hop inside and leave towel outside.

Wash Clothes Immediately: Launder all clothing, even if it wasn't worn, on a hot water wash and high heat dry cycle for at least 20 minutes.

Genuine question, wouldn't that ruin most clothes? I can't imagine any of mine surviving a hot wash and tumble dry. DH washed my bras and accidentally put the washing machine on a 90 wash and I had to throw them away as they shrunk.

Obviously I know something has to be done but I've seen this mentioned a few times and thought I'd probably end up having to bin my clothes.

He could leave his luggage at the hotel or throw it away in a bin somewhere. Just travel with wallet, passport and phone

Cut a head size hole into a bin bag for him to put on outside the house, then he can take all clothes off. When he gets through the door, take the bin bag off and head straight to the shower. Modesty remains intact even if the neighbours are amused by the new homecoming ritual.

Yes. I have told him this too.

The street whatsapp group will have something new to talk about...

We have had 2 deal with bed bugs on 2 separate occasions, unlucky I know!
First time my soon to be husband was working away in Scotland, and I noticed bites. He brought them home from the guest house he was staying in. Funnily enough, they never bit him. It was just before we were getting married too. We lived in a council flat, so I got in touch with them, and they came round and sprayed the flat. That's all, no special washing or anything and that got rid. That was around 38 years ago.
Next time, my son travelled to France with a youth orchestra he played with, he was around 14. Bites started when he returned and we recognised what it was immediately. I got a pest controller out and they sprayed the house. Again, no other action and this got rid of them. I guess we were lucky each time.

If it was me, I would ask him if he was happy to abandon all his luggage apart from passport and phone and come home without it. Then you can get him to strip on the doorstep (inside a massive black bag if you are overlooked), and leave all his clothes outside until you can destroy them. If it’s only his own body that comes into the house and has a good hot shower, you can probably feel safe!

Do people really tell a hire car company and airline that their luggage might have picked up bedbugs? I can't imagine that is a thing people do.

Yes do take all the precautions to avoid them coming into your home but I think worrying about the plane/car is a bit overkill.

He should tell the hotel, as they should send someone in to exterminate them.

BTW Is there a way to get compensation for loss of his personal belongings in this situation? I don't know if there is but maybe someone here will know in case you can claim from the hotel or travel company? He might need to take photos, make a complaint in the hotel to back it up ie if it is possible?

I know posters will come along and say the hotel isn't at fault. However they must have insurance for damages?

Have containers with lids or large plastic bags ready to put his stiff in to isolate it outdoors. . Boilwash as much as you can , freezer in bags for delicates, bags in the bath overnight.

Why bring things home? Just leave everything at the hotel - they are the source of the infection. Just come home with passport, phone, money and computer. Husband strips in the garden or at front door and all clothes straight in The bin. It just isn’t worth trying to save stuff. Your house will be in peril if you allow anything in.

I have told him to tell the hotel and booking.com, photograph everything, share the photos.

Won’t a hire car be valeted between users?

Do you have a steamcleaner to use on bags or suits?

I am relaying all the advice.
Thank you all so much.

Do not let them into your home!

Agree with those who say just leave everything apart from essentials behind. I know it sounds extreme, but bedbugs can be a nightmare to get rid of, you do not want them in your house

What a nightmare, sorry you’ve had a tough week. I agree abandon everything non-crucial. Good luck!

“I have told him to tell the hotel and <a class="break-all" href="//booking.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">booking.com, photograph everything, share the photos.”

I hope you’ve also told him to put up a review - if it’s apartment-type buildings, I doubt he’ll be the inky person afflicted. Commiserations, OP - it’s my own personal nightmare.

This in spades. However much of a pain it is to take these precautions, it's infinitely easier than trying to get rid of them in the house. Be absolutely meticulous in checking every last thing that comes back in to the house. Husband straight in to the shower too.

I’ve had bed bug bites on holiday a couple of times and managed to avoid bringing them home.

1. (might be too late for this!) never put your bags on soft furnishings in a hotel, always use the metals stands as it makes it harder for things to transfer.
2. as soon as you get home double bag all luggage and put in garage or in bath
3. Hot wash and tumble anything that won’t be ruined. I have used a laundrette service was for this before. Wash and tumble dry rucksack as well (ours survived this ok)
4. Dry Clean suits etc
5. Freeze for a minimum of 4 days any clothes that will be ruined by tumble drying also wallets, books, electric cables plugs toiletries etc.
6. Steam clean soft bits of suitcase if hard one then spray with bed bug spray. If it’s a soft one I’d probably just chuck.
7. Spray anything else with bed bug spray eg electricals.

There is also a service where someone will collect your bag and cook the whole thing to a high temperature for you. If you do this be careful not to leave anything plastic in it or it will melt.

Good luck. As long as you know there is a risk it’s possible to get rid of them before they get into the house. It’s much worse if you pick them up without knowing.