Doctor warns travellers to not unpack their suitcases immediately after getting home – here’s why

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I don’t know about you, but when I get back from holiday, the first thing I do is unpack my suitcase. While I’ve always felt a little smug that my belongings are clean, tidied and put away before my fiancé has even unzipped his bag, it turns out that I might be wrong.

According to a viral TikTok from Dr. Jason Singh, you shouldn’t unpack your suitcase as soon as you get home because of this very disgusting reason.

Why you shouldn’t unpack your suitcase immediately

To me, the idea of leaving my unpacked suitcase out for up to two weeks sets me on edge. But Dr Singh claims that leaving it unopened for this period of time can make a huge difference to the state of your home, especially if you’ve been staying in a hotel or Airbnb.

Disgustingly, it’s all to do with bed bugs. As Dr Singh says in his video, “Bed bug eggs typically hatch within six to 10 days and the nymphs require a blood meal shortly after hatching to continue their development.” So, if the room you were staying in on holiday had any presence of bed bugs, you could be taking them home with you and infesting your entire household.

While that might sound overdramatic, it was reported that many countries in Europe, particularly France and the UK, were experiencing a bed bug infestation earlier in the year. Although it’s quite easy to treat bed bugs, they can give you itchy bites and spots, and if left to multiply, you might have to throw out pieces of furniture and your bedding just to get rid of them.

To avoid this, Dr Singh states that “if your suitcase remains closed and undisturbed for at least two weeks, any bed bug egg or nymph will likely die due to starvation or desiccation.” If you’re someone who tends to leave their suitcase or best carry-on luggage sitting in the corner fully packed, you could be saving your home from a bed bug infestation.

For more home and travel tips, check out how to get rid of bed bugs, according to a Dyson microbiologist and don’t forget to try these 8 packing hacks for your next trip.