Vacation season is here and if you want to avoid bringing bed bugs back from your travels, there's one essential you should pack alongside your passport and sunscreen: a lint roller. And make it extra sticky.I nearly learned this the hard way. Hotels and public transport are bed bug hotspots, and if you bring these pests back to your accommodation, they'll quickly infest your luggage, bedding and mattress. But luckily I'm a dust magnet, so I came prepared with a lint roller.A quick going-over with a lint roller helped me remove bed bugs from my shoes after a long day on public transport, before they lept from my shoelaces to my suitcase. You can pick lint rollers up for under $2 from Walmart and they're small enough to slip into even the most over-stuffed carry-on. Here's how to use this bed bug prevention hack...Key takeaways: At a glanceHotels and public transport are common bed bug hotspots.Summer is also bed bug season, which means summer vacations are prime time to bring home bed bugs.A sticky lint roller can be used to remove bed bugs from your shoes and clothes when you're on the go.You can also use a lint roller to remove bed bugs from your mattress and headboard.When you first enter a hotel, place your luggage in the bath and check the mattress for signs of pests.How to use a lint roller to get rid of bed bugsTrust us when we say you'd much rather transport a lint roller back-and-forth over allowing teeny tiny bed bugs to a hitch a ride in your luggage.There are two ways to use a lint roller to prevent bringing bed bugs back from vacation.They're both super simple and mean you can spend your time off focusing on Mai Tais and sandcastles — not worrying about bed bug removal methods like rubbing alcohol and diatomaceous earth.Method 1 — bed bug removal 'on the go'During busy vacations you're hopping from place to place, meeting new people, trying new things... and unknowingly exposing yourself to bed bug hotspots.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.The aim is to capture any bed bugs you might have picked up along the way before they make it back to your hotel, jump in your luggage, and start to multiply.When you get back to your room, stand in the doorway or head straight to your bathroom. Do not sit on your hotel mattress.Next, run the lint roller over a few key areas: your shoes, the hems of your trousers, and the seams of your top.Inspect the lint roller for any signs of bed bugs. If you see black or red dots on the lint roller, these are likely to be crushed exoskeletons and blood marks from the bed bugs. Give yourself another once over.Remove the used bed sheets, squish any bed bugs that look like they're alive, seal the bed sheets in plastic bags, and hand them to the hotel's concierge to dispose of.