During travelling, people always hope to have a comfortable ride and do not want any encounter with creepy-crawlies. However, bed bugs in a hotel may easily make a pleasure trip a nightmare. These blood-sucking nuisances are compact fliers and they hide in your luggage and in personal items, and often turn your bedroom at home into their next stop.
By spending a couple of minutes being observant, you can greatly reduce the chances of an unpleasant experience with bed bugs during your stay. This is a step-by-step guide on how to inspect a hotel room to find bed bugs and what to do in case you find them. We even tell you how to safeguard your luggage, bed bug control surrey, and what to do once you are back home, just in case.
Why You Should Check for Bed Bugs in a Hotel Room
Hotels qualify as high-risk areas for bed bugs not because they are dirty, but due to the high guest turnover. Bed bugs are not particular about filth; they simply require warm bodies to feed upon and hiding places.
There is no hotel, whether a budget motel or a luxury resort, that is immune. Hotel bed bugs can travel between rooms in the wall voids, furniture, or even the luggage carts. They can hitch a ride on your suitcase or clothes, and you can end up bringing them home without knowing.
Step 1: Store Your Luggage Safely
Before you even begin inspecting the room, store your luggage properly to prevent bed bugs control vancouver from crawling in.
- Avoid placing your suitcase on the bed, carpet, or upholstered chairs. These are the most likely areas for bed bug activity.
- Place your luggage on a metal luggage rack, far from walls and furniture. Bed bugs struggle to climb slick surfaces, such as porcelain or metal.
Keeping your items isolated while you inspect the room gives you an added layer of protection.
Step 2: Inspect the Bed and Mattress Thoroughly
The bed is ground zero for bed bug control langley activity. Start with a close inspection of the mattress seams, box spring, and headboard.
What to look for:
- Reddish-brown stains (fecal matter or crushed bugs)
- Tiny white eggs in creases
- Molted skin casings (pale yellow, shell-like)
- Alive bed bugs, which are small, oval-shaped, and reddish-brown
Pull back the bedding and inspect seams and crevices. Focus on the head of the bed and underneath the mattress. Use your phone flashlight and a credit card to probe narrow seams and joints.
Bed bugs are nocturnal, so they often hide in tight spaces during the day and come out at night to feed.
Step 3: Check Furniture, Walls, and Curtains
If the bed looks clean, move on to the surrounding areas, because bed bugs don’t just live in mattresses.
Check:
- Upholstered furniture (cushions, seams, underneath chairs)
- Baseboards and behind the wall frames
- Window curtains and drapery folds
- Wallpaper edges and electrical outlets
Bed bugs are pros at hiding in unexpected places. Even textured ceilings or power outlets near the bed can serve as hiding spots. Take a few extra minutes to examine the room carefully, especially if you notice any musty, sweet odour, which can indicate a larger infestation.
Step 4: Use the Enhanced S.L.E.E.P. Method
To make the inspection process simple to remember, use the S.L.E.E.P. acronym, an industry-recommended practice, now expanded for more actionable steps:
- S: Survey the room for signs of infestation, including blood spots, eggs, and odors.
- L: Lift and look around mattress seams, box springs, furniture joints, and behind the headboard.
- E: Elevate your luggage on a metal rack or place it in the bathtub.
- E: Examine your belongings before leaving and again when you arrive home.
- P: Prevent future infestations by washing and drying all clothes on high heat, vacuuming your luggage, and storing your suitcase away from bedrooms.
This method ensures a thorough and proactive approach to bed bug prevention throughout your entire trip.
Step 5: Know What to Do If You Find Bed Bugs
If you discover bed bugs in a hotel room, don’t panic, but don’t stay there either.
What to Do:
- Take photos or videos of the evidence (bugs, stains, or eggs).
- Report the issue immediately to the front desk. Ask to be moved to a room on a different floor or at least far away from the current one.
Never attempt to use store-bought pesticides in a hotel room; it can be hazardous and is typically against hotel policy.
When You Return Home: Final Safety Measures
Even if your hotel room looked spotless, you should still take precautions after your trip.
- Unpack outside or in a utility space, not in your bedroom.
- Immediately wash and dry all clothes on the hottest settings.
- Vacuum your suitcase, paying attention to zippers, linings, and seams.
- Consider using a steamer on the luggage if you’re extra cautious.
- Store suitcases away from sleeping areas in the garage, basement, or attic if possible.
Bed bugs can survive for months without food, so don’t take chances.
What If You Brought Bed Bugs Home?
Even taking all possible precautions, bed bugs may still hitch a ride to your abode. Bites that have no explanation, reddish stains (rust color) on your bed sheets, and the sight of the bugs themselves should serve as the signal to take action immediately.
Avoid DIY remedies. They hardly work with complete infestation and can even propagate the issue further.
Rather, call in a professional pest management business. ASM Pest Exterminator is a professional Bed Bug Control company that offers effective solutions meant to get rid of infestations entirely and discreetly. Our specialists will employ reliable techniques that will attack bed bugs throughout their life cycle to keep your house safe.
Final Thoughts
Travel is supposed to be stress-free, but when there are bed bugs in a hotel, it can readily become a nightmare. These five simple steps will help you greatly minimize the possibility of inviting any unwanted guests home.
Whether it is wisely storing your luggage and examining the room or understanding what actions you should take in case you suspect the presence of bed bugs, these measures can help you avoid the inconvenience, cost, and emotional distress. And if you ever have the misfortune of a bed bug infestation in the house, Professional Bed Bug Control is only a click or a call away.
