Bed bugs have become almost synonymous with hotel rooms. It’s not without reason. Hotel rooms have a lot of people coming and going, and they could be bringing in bed bugs with their luggage. When hotels become infested, the bed bugs don’t always stay there. They get back into the new luggage and go back home with the hotel guests.
Due to this, it’s become fairly common practice for people to check their hotel rooms before settling into their accommodations. So, where should you check for bed bugs in a hotel?
Firstly, don’t unpack but place your luggage into the clean bathtub or on a rack. Just make sure it’s not placed on the ground or bed before you’ve looked around. Grab your room key and a flashlight,you can even use the flashlight app on your smartphone. Take the linens off the bed and, starting at the corners, look for bed bugs. You should check for dark brown blood spots.
Next, closely examine the seams and folds in the corner of the mattress. Using your room key, slide this under the folds of the mattress. Bed bugs love camping out in this area. Use a flashlight to look into the dark areas that are not immediately visible. Repeat with the remaining corners of the bed, and any other soft furniture in the room, such as chairs and couches.
Look in the grooves of the headboard, and into the dark cracks, if the headboard has any. Most headboards can be lifted and pulled off of the wall for inspection. Also check all of the curtains, including in between the folds. Use the flashlight to peer into any dark spaces. Bed bugs don’t particularly like light, and you may see them scurrying away from the beam.
These steps may take you a few minutes longer to get settled into your hotel room. Making sure you take all of them, though, is incredibly worthwhile. It could save you from an infestation in your own home, which could take weeks or months to eliminate. If you do see signs of bed bugs in a hotel room, leave immediately and request another room. If not, you’re likely protected and can enjoy a good night’s sleep.
