- Bed bugs bites cause misery for thousands of holidaymakers
- Lots of hotels are not using bed bugs treatment
- Many Hotel owners don’t know how to get rid of bed bugs. UK hotels need to do more
- Holidaymakers believe hotels not taking bed bugs problems seriously
- Hotels need to learn the signs of bed bugs
- Learn how you can see bed bugs
How To Check For Bed Bugs In Hotel Rooms
Bugs in beds are a real problem for UK hotels as well as hotels abroad. The fast spreading mattress bed bugs can be one of the biggest complaints a guest house or premium hotel can receive. Signs of bed bugs in a hotel matters can impact a hotel or guest house image and reputation. That is why it is important that hotels and guests houses keep on top of the problem and learn how to check for bed bugs and learn how to identify bed bugs and eliminate the problem before they suffer from a bed bug infestation.
Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?
Mattress bed bugs are a serious problem in hotels, guest houses, and even in our own houses. Bugs in beds can multiply and cause damage to a person’s health and that is why it is important to learn where bugs come from and how to check for bed bugs.
Sine the early 2000s it has been reported that mattress bed bugs has become a growing problem. In 2016, it was reported that there was an increase in bug infestation by more than 80% in Ireland. However, during the Covid Lockdown, the problem with bugs in bed reduced. That is down to according to experts, people not moving from one bed to another.
Now lockdown has ended, it is expected that bed bugs in hotel rooms will increase. When we look at hotel rooms and UK staycation accommodation, bed bugs in mattresses come from different people staying in the same bed and sleeping on the same mattress. With the high amount of human traffic, bed bugs can spread from one person to another. That is why more needs to be done to deal with mattress bed bugs, and why hotel cleaning staff need to learn the signs of bed bugs in hotel rooms.
How To Check For Bed Bugs In Hotel Rooms?
How to find bed bugs and signs of bed bugs in hotel rooms is important. Tens of millions of people around the world stay in hotels, which means hotel mattresses are heavily used and suffer from wear and tear. This wear and tear can include bad smells and people pockets, dips and bumps, making for a very uncomfortable sleep. However, there is another problem with so many people using the same mattress, and that is mattress bed bugs and bed bugs bites. That is why we have put together this article on how to find bed bugs and spot the signs of bed bugs, and learn what do bed bugs look like.
A hotel should normally replace their mattresses between three to five years and have them professionally cleaned at least twice a year to get rid of bugs in bed. However, it seems this is not happening and many hotels don’t know how to get rid of bed bugs or take the safety of their guests seriously.
With so many people using the same mattress, hotels can and are prone to bed bug infestations and that is why it’s important for hotel guests to understand how to check for bed bugs in hotel rooms.
These tips of how to spot signs of bed bugs in hotel rooms can also be used for finding bed bugs in your own house. So for people asking, how to tell if you have bed bugs, then read on and use these tips.
Here’s how to check for bed bugs in hotel rooms.
Mattress and Bed Frame
When you visit a hotel room it is important not to unpack. Put your suitcase in the bathroom in a clean environment while you inspect the bed for bed bugs and signs of bed bugs.
Download a flashlight app on your phone as you will need this to help you look for hotel bed bugs.
Pull the corners of the blanket and linens off the bed and look at the corners as this is where bed bugs like to hide. What you are looking for is dark brown blood spots. Bed bugs are around 4mm long.
You then need to pull the blankets and linens right back to the mattress so you can see it clearly. Examine the folds and the seams for signs of bed bugs. Use a credit card or any kind of card so you can get underneath the folds of the mattress, as this is where bed bugs do like to hide.
Make sure you check all four corners of the mattress and not just one corner.
Check the sheets on the mattress for bed bugs. You are looking for small brown spots or dried blood, or the mattress bed bugs themselves.
Fully inspect the headboard. You are looking in between any design patterns. You need to move the headboard away from the wall so you can inspect behind and check underneath the headboard.
Bedside Cabinets
Any furniture near the bed can also be a hot spot for bed bugs, so it is important to check bedside cabinets.
How to check bedside cabinets for bed bugs:
Have a look inside the drawers, as well on the handles and the joints
Look under the bedside cabinet for signs of bed bugs.
If there are ornaments or lamps on the bedside cabinet then check them for bed bugs signs.
Wardrobe and Skirting Boards
Bed bugs like to hang out near their food source, but it does not stop them going on a little vacation to the other areas of the room. That is why it is important to check for signs of bed bugs near wardrobes and skirting boards.
How to check wardrobes and skirting boards for bed bugs:
Check inside wardrobe, can you see bed bugs in there?
Check the drawers, and of parts of the wardrobe to check for signs of bed bugs
Check in between handles, and joints, and any cracks and see if you can see signs of bed bugs
You need to check gaps between the skirting boards and walls.
Check Sofa, Chair and Throws For Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can often be found in sofas, and throws. It is important to check these when staying in a hotel
Remove the cushions and check above and below them for signs of bed bugs.
Remove the covers from the cushions and check to see if there are any bed bug signs.
What are the signs of Bed Bugs?
It is important you learn how you can see bed bugs
Live Bed Bugs – Bedbugs are small, flat and oval shaped. They have six legs and two antennae and are a reddish-brown colour. Adult bed bugs are usually around 5-6mm in size.
Blood smears – This happens when a bed bug has been accidentally crushed after a meal and look like small red stains. This comes from the undigested blood meal in its body.
Dark/black stains – This comes from the dark liquid bed bugs excrete after a meal.
Shed skin – A bed bug sheds its skin in order to grow and move on to the next stage of their life cycle. Once they have fully matured they no longer go through this process. Sightings of shed skin usually point towards indications of a large infestation.
Bed bug eggs – Bed bugs can lay anywhere between 200 and 500 eggs over a two month period, and are usually laid in batches of 10. Bed bug eggs are 1mm long and are a pearly white colour.
Hotel guests should not be afraid of complaining and demanding to be moved to a new room. The company also stated that all hotels should have a proper procedure in place where the mattresses are properly cleaned to avoid an infestation of hotel bed bugs.
How Big Are Bed Bugs?
Bed Bugs are small, flat and oval shaped.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
As mentioned, bed bugs are and flat shaped. They have six legs and two antennae and they have a reddish-brown colour. Adult bed bugs are normally around 5-6mm in size.
How To Know If You Have Bed Bugs
Blood smears – If you see blood smears then this is a sign of bed bugs. This happens when they have been accidentally crushed.
Dark/black stains – This comes from the dark liquid bed bugs excrete after a meal.
Shed skin – A lot of people don’t know that bed bug sheds their skin. They do this to grow and move to the next stage of their life. If you see shedding skin, then this could be signs that you have serious infestation of mattress bed bugs.
Bed bug eggs – Bed bugs can lay between 200 and 500 eggs over a two month period. They are normally laid in batches of 10. Bed bug eggs are around 1mm long and are a pearly white colour.
How Bed Bugs Affect Your Health
You do not expect to go on holiday and stay in a hotel with bed bugs, but it does happen if they do not change their mattresses within three to five years, and when they don’t employ a professional pest control company.
Let’s look at the health problems that hotel bed bugs can cause. Hotel bed bugs can cause many different problems, below is just a few of them
Allergic Reaction
Hotel bed bugs can cause a serious allergic reaction when a person is bitten by them. This type of reaction is similar to a person being stung by a bee. If you suffer from an allergic reaction to bed bugs then it is important to seek medical treatment straight away. The hotel may have a doctor on call or will have details of an emergency doctor that is available.
Infection
A person who has been bitten by a hotel bed bug could result in gaining an infection. Although this is rare, it does happen. If you do receive an infection then it is important that you visit a hospital straight away to receive treatment.
Insomnia
You go to a hotel to relax, but if the hotel has bed bugs then this could result in lack of sleep. Bed bugs are not friendly, they will wait until you are asleep and then pounce on your body. The bites from the bed bugs may not be painful but they can and do cause irritation to the skin causing you to scratch. This leads to lack of sleep and waking up the next day feeling dirty and tired.
If you have stayed in a hotel with bed bugs then it is important to seek medical treatment. Remember, as Nature’s Own Pest & Lawn Services has said, do not be afraid to ask to be moved to another room if you feel your hotel room has bugs in bed.
