How to Identify Bed Bugs in a Hotel
Every time you embark on a trip, most of your time will be spent in your hotel room. Unfortunately, no matter how nice your hotel or how memorable your vacation is, everything can turn into a nightmare because of the presence of bed bugs. Don’t let their small size fool you. These tiny reddish-brown pests are no laughing matter.
Bed bug bites can cause pain, rashes, and paranoia as you struggle to make sure that the bugs in your hotel don’t end up in your home. There’s no need to worry, though. There are several things you can do to check your hotel room for bed bugs.
Most Obvious Signs of Bed Bugs in a Hotel
Before leaving for your trip, make sure you are familiar with some of the common signs of bed bug infestation. Checking for bed bugs will let you recognize an impending problem to lower the risks of bringing these bugs back home.
Watch Out for Fecal Spots
The feces or poop of bed bugs has an almost black colour. This can soak into the corner of the mattress and other types of porous material. This can also leave a small flat stain that resembles an ink spot. These fecal spots are often slightly raised on varnished wood like the bed frame or other types of impermeable surfaces. These spots usually show up in clusters.
Inspect the Bedding
If possible, try pulling away the bed from the wall. It is common to find bed bugs to headboards fastened to a wall beside the bed. Shine a flashlight under beds and at the back of headboards. Strip the hotel bed right down to the bedsprings and mattress to see what is under the mattress pad and sheets.
Lift up the box springs and mattress and check below them. If the bed is of platform type, make sure you check around the base and under the bedsprings. Signs of bed bugs can often be seen in the box springs and mattress seams.
Check Floorboards and Closets
Bed bug eggs and adult insects don’t only thrive in cushy and soft spaces like upholstered furniture. They can also hide in the closet. Check the areas where the floor moulding or floorboards and the wall meet.
These tiny corners are famous hangouts for these bugs. Inspect the seals of drawers, doors, corners and of the closets. It would also be best to take a close look at the luggage rack. Basically, if you see a spider web, chances are there is also a bed bug problem.
Don’t Forget the Curtains
Curtains are also popular hiding spots for bed bugs. When inspecting the room, make sure you also give a complete inspection of the outside and inside of the curtains. Smooth out wrinkles to see the whole curtain.
By completing these steps, you can be more confident that the room you are staying is free from bed bugs. To keep your hotel room this way, always inspect the bags and clothing you carry outside and inside the room.
Once you get home, put everything in the dryer. Heat can kill bed bugs so drying out your luggage is one way to ensure that there are no unwanted hitchhikers that entered your house. To stay on the safe side, seek the help of a pest control company to clean your luggage and other items.
