Bed bugs are classified as parasitic flat insects. They are typically reddish-brown in appearance and cannot fly. They can also only grow to be 7 millimeters long. Bed bugs prefer to hide in items such as bedding, clothing, and baggage. Bed bug infestations typically occur around where people sleep.
Because bed bugs may spread from one location to the next, this can lead to infestations. The bugs have been discovered all around the world, including in high-end hotels.
15 Ways To Avoid Hotel Bed Bugs
1. Inquire About Bed Bug Prevention Plans
Before checking in, inquire about the hotel’s bed bug prevention and treatment policies. “The vast majority of hospitality organizations are doing an excellent job of putting an action plan in place to safeguard themselves and their customers,” Henriksen added. Many hotels do proactive inspections and collaborate with pest control experts to promptly resolve any issues.
2. Place Your Belongings In The Bathroom
While you’re checking for these pests, put your bags in the bathroom. The bathroom is not a favorite haunt of bed bugs. “Bed bugs are unlikely to be detected in the bathroom,” Henriksen stated. “They dislike the tile floors, and there are fewer hiding spots. They want to be around where people are sleeping.” They may, for example, hide from view on dressing tables or other furniture near a bed.
3. Examine The Mattress
Here’s how to check for a bed insect infestation. Remove the sheets and look all the way around, beneath the mattress, and behind the headboard. Look for eggs, eggshells, or skins, but also for real animals. Bed bugs are roughly the size and shape of an apple seed and can be found lurking in bedding corners or seams. If you see any strange symptoms, notify the hotel personnel right away.
4. Examine The Environment
Expand your bed bug search to the area immediately surrounding the bed, including under picture frames, beneath the phone and alarm clock, and even in books, according to Johnson. Before putting your things away, check the cushions and seams of any sofas or soft chairs, as well as the closet. Bed bugs have the ability to travel up to 100 feet in one night, but they prefer to stay within eight feet of where people sleep.
5. Teach Your Children Hotel Protocol
If you are traveling with children, explain why you are examining the hotel room and what you are searching for. “We teach children about our worries about other insects, such as bees and mosquitoes. Bed bugs should be included as well,” Henriksen said. Also, keep an eye out for traces of white powder, which might be a pesticide used to cure a prior issue. “Insecticides aren’t good for anyone, especially small children, and you should request another room or transfer hotels if you suspect you’re being exposed,” Johnson added.
6. Keep Luggage Off The Ground
According to Henriksen, leaving luggage and bags on the floor—or a spare bed—can be a way to bring home an unpleasant keepsake. “Bed bugs may migrate from room to room, so even if you don’t have them at first, they could be in the room next to yours and come seeking meal sources,” Henriksen explained. Place your bags on the desk, the dresser, or a baggage rack. Also, don’t leave clothing strewn about the room.
7. Wrap Suitcases In Plastic
Henriksen recommends wrapping your luggage in plastic before traveling. Zip-up bags are sold expressly for this purpose by storage and baggage merchants. “I’ve even seen folks with waste bags wrapped over their baggage,” Henriksen remarked. This precaution can safeguard your things both in your hotel room and when traveling, as bed bugs can lurk in aircraft, trains, and taxis.
8. Speak Up
If you don’t enjoy making waves, staying in your current room may be appealing, despite a few warning signals of problems. But Henriksen cautions against it. “Now is the moment to be a little more assertive and ask the necessary questions; you don’t want to be a victim, especially because most hotels will transfer you without asking and perform a thorough examination straight away. They don’t want their guests to depart with bed bugs, but they also don’t want the problem to continue unchecked.” They also do not want negative or scathing internet reviews.
9. Move Two Floors Away
Any suspicious markings or signs of bugs should be enough to demand a new room, and hotel employees should be more than glad to assist in the case of a bed bug panic. Henriksen recommends that your new room be at least two levels away from the original room, as pests can spread via wallboards or electrical plugs.
10. Pitch A Tent
One technique to avoid pests in your bed while on vacation is to bring your accommodation with you. “Bed bugs are hitchhikers,” Henriksen explained. “They appear in your life because you are someplace they are.” As a result, there’s a slim possibility you’ll come into touch with them if you’re pitching a tent in the woods or traveling in your camper or RV. But don’t feel obligated to shun hotels forever. According to Henriksen, anywhere you go, there’s a risk you’ll pick up and bring home bed bugs.
11. Make A Post-Vacation Strategy
When you go home from your trip, wash all of your clothes in hot water, including the ones you didn’t wear. Drying them for at least 30 minutes on high heat can help destroy any leftover bugs if any exist. Bed bugs cannot survive in temperatures over 122 degrees Fahrenheit, so this will keep them out of your drawers and closets—and, eventually, your bed. Before putting your baggage away, inspect and clean them. If you have a plastic travel case, keep it sealed until you need it again.
12. Watch For Bed Bug Bite Marks
According to Henriksen, bite marks are one clue that you may have carried bed bugs home with you. “They frequently bite in threes in a line-like fashion. That’s what we call breakfast, lunch, and supper in the industry.” Itching or bites alone may not indicate an infestation. If you have these symptoms, you should get a professional home examination before seeking therapy.
13. Call A Pro
“Bed bugs are not a do-it-yourself pest,” Henriksen says. If you believe that you brought bed bugs home from a recent vacation, contact a pest control company for an assessment. A specialist will inspect your bed for symptoms of insects and may use bug-sniffing dogs if the cause cannot be identified. They may utilize heat, freezing, vacuuming, or steaming to clean your property once an infestation has been established.
14. Maintaining Hygiene
Wash and dry your bed linens, blankets, bedspreads, and any apparel that comes into contact with the floor on a regular basis. This lowers their population. Bed bugs and their eggs can hide in laundry hampers and containers. Remember to clean them when you wash the laundry.
15. Heat Can Be Used To Kill Them, But Be Cautious
Increasing the home temperature using the thermostat or space heaters will not suffice. Heat treatment requires specialized equipment and extremely high temperatures. If the contents of black plastic bags under the sun grow heated enough, they may help to kill bed bugs in baggage or small goods. When their body temperature hits 45°C (113°F), bed bugs die. To kill bed bugs using heat, the room or container must be significantly hotter to guarantee that consistent heat reaches the bugs regardless of where they are hiding.
Conclusion
Bed bugs are insects that live in areas such as residences, railroads, and hotels. If you’re staying in a hotel, you may avoid bugs by searching your room for evidence of bugs and checking your clothing and baggage for any concealed insects. Finally, knowing what to do before, during, and after your hotel stay will help prevent the spread of bed bugs.
