Bed Bugs Love Hotels, Hostels and Air BnBs

I don’t know about you, but I love to go on holiday. It doesn’t matter if I am popping up my own tent or splashing out on a fancy hotel. No matter where you go in the world (perhaps with the exception of Antarctica) you might just end up sharing your bed with bed bugs. Global travel on the rise, the prevalence of bed bugs can be a fast-growing problem for premium hotels, guest houses and Ai BnB alike. Bed Bugs are bad for business and can stain the reputation of any hotel or host. These pests are highly challenging to eliminate and can result in revenue loss at the time of the discovery of the infestation and through social medial reports deterring people from staying at said establishment. No matter how clean or how well-run your hotel or room is, any establishment can suffer bed bug infestations as travelers from around the world bring with them unsuspecting hitchhikers in the form of bed bugs. Regular inspections may be the only way to proactively prevent bed bugs.

How Do You Get Bed Bugs?

 Bed Bugs have become a significant problem everywhere in recent years. Since the early 2000s there has been a drastic increase in the number of bed bug infestations around the globe. Hotels and other overnight accommodation facilities play an important part in the spread of bed bugs. The increase in global travel has led to these facilities receiving a high amount of human traffic. This allows bed bugs to spread easily, discreetly travelling from one occupant to another. With the increasing travel at this time of year, the problem becomes more prevalent.

How to check hotel rooms for bed bugs?

When staying in a hotel, hostel, BnB or any other overnight accommodation while on holiday, inspecting the room for bed bugs can help you avoid bed bug bites and the risk of bringing a bed bug infestation back to your own home.

1. Mattress and bed frame

Bed Bugs often like to live near their food source. That’s why beds are always an ideal hotspot for bed bugs.

How to check a mattress and bed frame for bed bugs:

• Fully inspect the headboard, checking in between any design patterns. Move the bed away from the wall to check behind and underneath.
• Check any and all crevices, corners, joints, carvings and any over small cracks and holes on the bed frame.
• Inspect the bedding. This includes checking the inside and outside of the pillowcases, duvet covers, and the fitted sheet, paying close attention to the seams.

2. Bedside cabinets

Any furniture near a bed such as nightstands are also key spot for bed bugs to hide, waitin for you to arrive.

How to check bedside cabinets for bed bugs:

• Look inside drawers, especially along the joints as well as the handles
• Inspect behind and underneath the bedside cabinet
• Check ornaments, lamps, and picture frames.

3. Closet and Baseboards

Although it is true that bed bugs to hang out in areas close to their food source, they will often wander to other areas of the room as the population increases.

How to check closets and baseboards for bed bugs:

• Thoroughly inspect wardrobes, closets, drawers and other pieces of furniture. This includes inspecting behind, on top of, and beneath.
• Check in between joints, handles and any crevices, cracks and dents.
• Inspect the gaps between the skirting boards and walls.

4. Sofa, Chair and Throws

Bed bugs are attracted to the CO2 we produce. If you love cuddling up on a chair and reading, bed bugs love to keep you company. Anywhere you like to sleep or lie down is a prime spot for a bed bug.

How to check sofas chairs and throws for bed bugs:

• Remove the cushions from the seats and check above and below. Look in between joints and crevices.
• Remove the covers off the cushions and check the seams, corners and zips for bed bugs.

5. Luggage

Luggage is the main instigator when it comes to the spread of bed bugs. The best practice is to place your luggage in the bathroom before you begin your checks to eliminate the risk of it acquiring some unexpected stowaways. Bed bugs don’t like the bathroom with all it’s hard and cold surfaces. There is just nowhere cozy for the them to curl up and wait for your arrival.

How to check luggage stands for bed bugs:

• Check where the webbing wraps around the frame
• Inspect along the joints on the stand

What signs of bed bug should you be looking for?

Signs of Bed Bug

• Live Bed Bugs – Bedbugs are small, flat and oval shaped. They have six legs and two antennae and are a reddish-brown colour. Adult bed bugs are usually around 5-6mm in size.
• Blood smears – This happens when a bed bug has been accidentally crushed after a meal and look like small red stains. This comes from the undigested blood meal in its body.
• Dark/black stains – This comes from the dark liquid bed bugs excrete after a meal.
• Shed skin – A bed bug sheds its skin in order to grow and move on to the next stage of their life cycle. Once they have fully matured they no longer go through this process. Sightings of shed skin usually point towards indications of a large infestation.
• Bed bug eggs – Bed bugs can lay anywhere between 200 and 500 eggs over a two-month period and are usually laid in batches of 10. Bed bug eggs are 1mm long and are a pearly white colour. They are very difficult to spot as bed bugs lay their eggs in tiny cracks and crevasses.

A good policy to put in place is to “Look before you Book”.  Check online about any reported cases of bed bugs. Social media is a wonderful tool when it comes to avoiding a bed bug problem in the future.

If you have found yourself with a bed bug problem, the best way to remove bed bugs from your home or business is to enlist the help of a Bed Bugs Dead Bugs who will help you find the best solution for heat treating your home.