Prevention
It is important to prevent bed bugs in hotel rooms, as these pests can spread quickly and cause severe health and financial damage. Prevention tactics can be used to identify, stop and control an infestation before it starts.
Preventive measures include:
- Inspecting the guestroom
- Being mindful of travel habits
- Following proper housekeeping protocols
Let’s take a deeper look into what preventative measures are available.
Check for signs of bed bugs before entering a room
Before entering your hotel room, it is important to check for signs of bed bugs. Bed bugs, which are small wingless insects, can be difficult to spot, but there are a few signs that you should be on the lookout for. These include black dots or small spots on the mattress or in the folds of sheets and blankets. You should also inspect around furniture and baseboards, especially if they are visible near beds. Pay special attention to areas beneath cushions and behind headboards as these are common places where bed bugs may hide.
If you notice any of these indications, it is best to inform the hotel staff members immediately so they may take action and prevent any further spread of bed bugs in the hotel. Furthermore, it is wise to avoid placing items like suitcases or clothing on beds or furniture until it is determined whether or not bedbugs are present in your room.
To be extra cautious, you may consider bringing your own plastic bags for storing items that have been used traveling from one location to another; this will reduce the likelihood that you bring them home with you after leaving your room:
- Bring your own plastic bags for storing items used for travel.
- Avoid placing items like suitcases or clothing on beds or furniture until it is determined whether or not bedbugs are present.
- Pay special attention to areas beneath cushions and behind headboards.
- Inspect around furniture and baseboards, especially if they are visible near beds.
- Look for black dots or small spots on the mattress or in the folds of sheets and blankets.
Check for bed bugs in the seams of mattresses, headboards, and furniture
When staying in a hotel, it is important to be vigilant for the presence of bed bugs. Bed bug populations have been growing more prevalent worldwide in recent years, so you should take precautions to check for them during your stay.
There are some key signs that may suggest a bed bug infestation including small droppings or blood spots on mattress edges, egg shells and skin left behind by molting bed bugs, as well as live bed bug sightings during inspection. To check for these signs effectively, you’ll want to inspect places where the insects could be hiding such as the seams of mattresses, headboards, and furniture. Before inspecting the mattress itself, first remove all linens and inspect furniture and headboards first starting with cracks and crevices closest to the floor.
Check in between tufts or flaps in fabric headboards and take note of any foul smell that can indicate an infestation. It is also good practice to pull up mattresses or any other large pieces of furniture so you can see underneath or inside any compartments they may have. You may also want to put your luggage on luggage racks away from beds and couches if possible since these are common vectors of transport for bed bugs.
Whenever possible, avoid storing suitcases on either beds or floors since those provide an easy ‘path’ for small creatures such as cockroaches or bed bugs to travel from one area to another without needing to climb walls or ceilings like many other pests do. If you suspect an infestation but can’t confirm it visually there are specialized kits that detect volatile compounds released by bedbugs that can be helpful diagnostics tools too.
Avoid putting your luggage on the bed or floor
Bed bugs are a serious pest problem for travelers and one of the first steps in preventing an infestation is being aware of the signs and taking proactive steps to protect yourself from bed bugs.
The best way to protect yourself from bed bugs in hotel rooms is to always avoid placing your luggage directly on the mattress, box spring or floor in your hotel room – instead, set it on a suitably sized luggage rack. Opt for luggage that has hard sides so you can inspect it thoroughly, and keep it away from walls and furniture as these are known hiding spots for bed bugs.
Make sure to check your clothing or luggage before you leave, especially during packing. Pay attention to dark spots on fabrics – these could be bed bug excrement – and take any unconventional insects you find with you when you leave, such as dust mites or other types of pests. Before leaving your room each day, inspect mattresses, curtains, upholstered furniture, drawers and baseboards for pests seeking refuge between parts as this is where they most commonly hide.
Be sure to place all clothing in plastic bags shared by multiple members of a family or room mates at once if possible; this will help reduce further spread of any remaining bed bugs.
By keeping these simple tips in mind each time you stay in hotel room, you can significantly reduce the chances of bringing home uninvited guests:
- Avoid placing your luggage directly on the mattress, box spring or floor in your hotel room.
- Set your luggage on a suitably sized luggage rack.
- Opt for luggage that has hard sides so you can inspect it thoroughly.
- Keep it away from walls and furniture.
- Check your clothing or luggage before you leave.
- Pay attention to dark spots on fabrics.
- Take any unconventional insects you find with you when you leave.
- Inspect mattresses, curtains, upholstered furniture, drawers and baseboards for pests.
- Place all clothing in plastic bags shared by multiple members of a family or room mates at once if possible.
Detection
It is important to know how to detect if you have been affected by bed bugs in a hotel room. This can be done by visually checking around the mattress edges and box springs for signs of bed bugs, such as molted skins, fecal spots, and eggs.
Checking for bed bug activity requires a keen eye, so it is important to take your time and inspect the area for evidence of bed bugs. Checking for bed bug activity is the first step in addressing any potential infestations.
Check for bed bug bites on your body
If you suspect your hotel room may have bed bugs, you should closely check your body for any bites or irritation. Bed bug bites may appear 3-4 days after initial exposure and can appear in tight, zigzag patterns across several parts of the body or in clusters that are grouped together. Bites can also cause itchy bumps and can sometimes be mistaken for other insect bites.
To distinguish bed bug bites from other types of insect bites, look for a pattern on the skin or use a magnifying glass to look at the abdomen of any dead insects you might find. Bed bugs typically have flat bodies, red-brown coloration and oval shapes with 6 legs. They’re about 4-5 mm long – about the size of an apple seed – and may hide between mattresses and behind headboards during the day. Commonly found around beds, they feed on human blood mostly during nighttime hours while their host sleeps.
If you notice any signs of bed bugs while checking your body, it is important to take action right away to avoid more serious issues. Identifying bed bugs early can help prevent them from spreading to other areas such as carpets and curtains which could result in a larger infestation down the road.
Look for dark spots on mattresses, bedding, and furniture
When inspecting your hotel room for bed bugs, look for dark spots on mattresses, bedding, and furniture. The dark spots are bed bug droppings which are a mixture of digested blood from their hosts and waste material. If you spot these dark spots or live bed bugs in your hotel room, do not proceed to stay there.
Bed bugs tend to hide during the day in crevices such as mattress seams and tufts, within furniture such as headboards, in cracks along baseboards or moldings and even inside electrical outlets. Bed bug eggs can also be found around these areas – take a look at the tiny white flakes against dark surfaces as they can signal an infestation.
Traces of shed skin exoskeleton may also be present near wood crevices or baseboards as they molt after each adult stage – they appear as thin, brownish skins that are stuck on floors or walls along with bed bug droppings.
Put your luggage on a luggage stand away from the wall denoting no contact between walls and your belongings to prevent the transport of any unwanted pests. Speak up to hotel management if you suspect any infestations and be sure to get a refund for certain losses if necessary to dissuade unwelcomed guests from intruding in future lodgings.
Treatment
Bed bug infestations can be a huge problem for hotel guests, with the bugs biting and causing skin irritation and discomfort due to their presence. Treatment for bed bugs can be complex and include a combination of chemical and non-chemical treatments which are aimed at killing the bed bugs and their eggs.
In this section we will look at some of the different treatments available for bed bug infestations in hotel rooms:
Vacuum the area thoroughly
The first step to dealing with a bed bug infestation is to vacuum the affected area thoroughly. Vacuuming removes all the adults, nymphs, eggs, and other debris that may be present in the bedding or furniture. Bed bugs are small (adults grow to only 5mm in length) so they are easily missed when not properly inspected. To ensure that no bed bugs escape your vacuum cleaner, you should use a crevice tool and move slowly over each surface.
In addition to vacuuming, you should also remove any pieces of furniture or fabric that have come in contact with the affected area and dispose of them appropriately. Make sure you inspect all seams of mattresses and box springs for signs of bed bug activity. If these items cannot be removed from the room, you can employ steam cleaning for treatment as an alternative method.
Use a steamer to kill bed bugs
Using a steamer is an effective way to kill bed bugs. Steam penetrates wherever they hide and can effectively kill them at all stages of their lifecycle. The easiest, quickest, and most effective approach is to rent a commercial steam cleaner, but if that isn’t an option, there are several types of portable steamers available for use in beds and furniture.
Using a steamer can be very effective in reducing the numbers of bed bugs present, as it will reach nooks and crevices that other techniques cannot. It can also help prevent bed bug eggs from hatching by directly killing the eggs before they have a chance to emerge. To ensure the highest degree of effectiveness when using a steamer, it is important to ensure that steam is applied at the correct temperature (around 118°F).
When using any type of device for pest control, caution should be taken to avoid causing damage to valuable possessions or fabrics in the room. For this reason alone, it may be best to leave treatment with a steamer to qualified pest control professionals who will also know how best prepare rooms for treatment before undertaking any procedures.
Contact a pest control professional
If you notice any signs of bed bugs during your stay, it is essential to contact a pest control professional immediately. Bed bugs can spread quickly through an area and the longer they are allowed to stay, the harder it is to remove.
A professionally trained exterminator will identify where the bed bugs are located and assess what treatment option is most effective. Generally, inspectors usually suggest either chemical or heat treatments as they have been found to be effective for removing bed bug infestations.
Chemical treatments involve using spray insecticides throughout the room, including furniture, baseboards and carpeting. Heat treatments involve bringing in specialized equipment that increases the temperature of a bedroom to over 140 degrees Fahrenheit over a period of several hours until all stages of bed bugs, including eggs, die simultaneously. Both methods must be done properly by a professional in order to work effectively and reduce the likelihood of reinfestation.
In addition to treating existing infestations, pest control professionals can also advise you on how best to prevent possible bed bug invasions in the future by recommending:
- regular inspection of furniture;
- vacuuming carpets on a regular basis;
- using mattress protectors; and
- slowing down or stopping relocation of furniture between different households/locations.
Prevention
Prevention is the best way to deal with bed bugs in a hotel room. Taking preventive measures can help to avoid a bed bug infestation before it occurs.
Before you bring your belongings into a hotel room, you should inspect the room for signs of bed bugs such as dark spots on the bedding or tiny, red bugs. Keeping your belongings away from the bed and other furniture can also help to minimize the risk of bed bugs.
It is important to know what to look for and how to take necessary precautions when staying in a hotel:
- Inspect the room for signs of bed bugs.
- Keep your belongings away from the bed and other furniture.
Use a mattress encasement
Using a mattress encasement is an important part of preventing and controlling a bed bug infestation in a hotel room. Mattress encasements are specially designed covers that zippered close around the entire mattress and box spring. Because bed bugs cannot chew through them, they are essentially sealed off from the outside environment and any bed bugs that may be living inside them.
The mattress encasement also traps any trapped bed bugs if they try to escape, so they can’t make it back out into the environment. If you suspect there may be an infestation in your hotel room, you should get a mattress encasement as soon as possible to prevent any further spread of the pests. It is also important to keep an eye out for signs of bed bugs when traveling, such as:
- Small rust-colored spots on mattresses or wooden furniture
- Tiny black spots along walls or baseboards that could indicate the presence of eggs or feces from bed bugs.
Wash and dry all bedding and clothing on high heat settings
Be sure to wash and dry all bedding and clothing that has come into contact with your hotel room on the highest heat settings before you unpack them in your home. Bed bugs cannot tolerate high heat and will die when exposed to temperatures of 117 degrees Fahrenheit or above for a lengthy period of time.
Use the highest temperature setting on your washing machine and dryer for at least 30 minutes to eliminate any potential hitchhikers. Make sure all items are sufficiently dry before packing them away or you may be introducing moisture into your home, which can facilitate their movement.
Keep clutter to a minimum in your hotel room
When visiting a hotel, minimizing clutter in your room is a key step in preventing bed bugs. Other preventative measures include regularly inspecting the bed, linens and surrounding furniture for any signs of bed bug activity.
Upon entering the hotel room, inspect surrounding areas for any evidence of infestation. You may discover shed skins or eggs that have been left behind by bugs. Pay particular attention to seams on mattresses and box springs, behind headboards and frames and inside couches or chairs before bringing any luggage into the room.
Bringing items up to the rooms that do not need to be there only creates more places for bedbugs to hide. To reduce clutter and simplify inspections, limit the number of items brought into the room such as nonessential clothes and electronics. Place suitcases on luggage racks instead of directly onto carpets or floors while in your hotel room to minimize contact with any potential bed bug hiding spots.
In short-term stays it’s best practice to keep everything you aren’t using inside bags with sealable closures when possible- if left out temporarily shake out all garments before putting away again so you can be sure any hitchhikers have gone back where they came from!