How to Prevent Bed Bugs in Airbnb Rentals

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With more travelers and backpackers trying to visit as many places as they can, there are more and more people who are becoming interested in turning their homes into Airbnb rentals. With this in mind, both travelers and property owners have a common problem with bed bugs, as these pests can be brought from one home to another. Even the cleanest rental space can get these bugs in some cases when guests are the ones who bring them in.

Catering to travelers makes your home prone to bed bug infestation. It is best that you are aware of the bed bugs Airbnb issues and how to prevent being the next victim. By checking the Airbnb forums, you can find various complaints regarding bed bugs. Most issues were resolved with Airbnb finding new rentals for the guests. As a host, it is your responsibility to provide a comfortable and healthy environment for guests. Seeing and experiencing bed bugs is never a good thing.

Most people are not aware of the difference between bed bugs and most other pests. It is best that you learn how to identify bed bugs so that you have an idea on how they look like and to confirm whether your property is infested by these bugs or other insects. Getting to know what bed bugs look like will allow you to detect these pests ahead of time and go through the necessary procedures to get rid of them.

What You Can Do as an Airbnb Rental Owner

The last thing that you’d want to experience as a rental space owner is canceling all bookings just because you got an unexpected bed bug infestation. Remember that bed bugs can eventually infest your home if guests bring them, despite your efforts in cleaning your surroundings, changing beddings and spraying insecticides regularly.

Now, if you’re worried about bed bug issues or have been confronted with this issue, there are certain things that you can do to detect their presence and prevent them from spreading to the entire household. Check out the following:

Provide a hamper with a lid and interior lining

This will minimize the risk of letting bed bugs spread throughout your rooms as it will provide easy transport as well as bed bug containment. Put this in areas where guests can easily place their soiled clothing. These places can be inside the bathroom, inside the changing area in a walk-in closet, at the entrance of the room, or opposite the bed.

Protect your mattresses

Since bed bugs tend to hide in seams and folds of the bed, there is a great chance that it will be the first place they will transfer to and wait for their next blood meal. One way to prevent bed bugs from staying in your beds is to protect mattresses by using a mattress encasement or covers that are bite-proof, stain proof, have tight closures and are still breathable.

Have furniture and luggage racks with metal legs

Bed bugs hate climbing on metal and slick surfaces. If possible, find pieces of furniture or add luggage racks with legs made of metal surfaces. Place at least one of these luggage racks in every room as one of your precautionary measures in avoiding the transference of bed bugs from guests’ luggage to your home or vice versa.

These are only a few of the effective ways to prevent these pesky little bugs from spreading in your rental property and avoid bed bug Airbnb issues.

How to Know if Your Airbnb Rental Space is Infested with Bed Bugs

Unless you’ve been bitten by these pests or have seen one, it is unlikely that you will suspect their presence in your property. However, if you have received a complaint and want to confirm this suspicion, the following are a few simple things that you can do:

Learn where to look for signs

You can look for bed bugs on bed sheets, folds and seams of any fabric or linen-covered furniture, drawer joints and corners, loose wallpaper, as well as cracks and crevices. Check these areas and other possible hiding spots as bed bugs are great at hiding and will only come out at night or when reaching their host for their blood meal.

Look for live bed bugs or proofs of infestation

Look for reddish-brown or rusty stains on mattresses or bed sheets, bug excrements in the form of dark dots, eggshells measuring approximately 1mm and live bugs. These are obvious signs that pests are lurking and breeding around your Airbnb rental and should be treated immediately.

Once your suspicions are confirmed by such signs, using DIY treatments can help in controlling pests. However, if the infestation is already in its worst case, exterminators and continuous monitoring are your next best solution.

Tools to Help in Preventing and Monitoring Bed Bugs in Your Airbnb Rentals

If you are an Airbnb rental host who wants to secure your property from bed bugs, there are tools you can use to prevent and monitor them. There are many products you can choose from. From a simple fecal sampling kit such as the Bed Bug Blue Fecal Matter Test Kit to a complete set of Bed Bug Home & Travel Kit, these can help you in controlling the bed bug infestation in your property.

Your effort in preventing and monitoring bed bugs from infesting your property is asking your guests to put their luggage and other belongings in the ZappBug Oven 2. It is a great way to show your guests your efforts in keeping the entire area free from any type of pest. This can also put their mind at ease that the place where they’re going to stay is clean and healthy. ZappBug Oven is also a great tool for frequent travelers.

Aside from rental hosts, we also recommend Airbnb guests to always bring a Deluxe Bed Bug Travel Kit as a complete set of products to prevent and detect bed bugs in any of their future Airbnb bookings.