When booking hotels for your vacation, there are many factors a family should consider. Is the hotel in a safe area? Is it close to attractions we wish to visit? And of course, the cleanliness of the room itself. It might seem that booking hotels at higher end luxury resorts will keep your family safe from the threat of bed bugs but unfortunately no hotel is immune to this. Bed bugs are a real problem from road-side motels to top-rated luxury resorts, the threat to all is equal.
Before You Book a Hotel
There are resources available that provide information about a hotel’s history of reported bed bug incidents. Websites such as bedbugregistry.com will provide information to hotels in North America and United Kingdom. Call the hotel that you are interested in and ask if they use bed bug proof bedding encasements. Preferably these encasements will be made of comfortable 100% micro-polyether and not noisy vinyl. If you’re traveling on a tropical vacation, be extra cautious as bed bugs are more likely to be found in hot, humid climates.
Pack to Prevent
Purchase anti-bedbug luggage liners to pack your clothing in. These will prevent bed bugs from infesting your clothing when your suitcase is in the hotel. A small flashlight can help you locate any indicators of a bed bug infestation.
Booked Your Room! Now Inspect It!
When arriving to your hotel you may be tempted to fall into the bed, especially if you have been traveling for several hours. But it is smart to spend some time inspecting the room for signs of bed bugs.
- Using the flashlight, inspect all nooks and crannies in your hotel room – especially those around the mattress, box spring, chairs, headboards, carpets, and closets.
- Remove the sheets from the bed and inspect the edges of the mattress and inspect the edges of both the mattress and the box spring. Bed bug indicators include dark fecal spots, dried blood stains, eggs, and of course bed bugs – dead or alive.
- Do not leave your suitcase on the bed, floor, or chairs. If a metal luggage rack is available, place your clothing there. Metal is good for bed bug prevention because it is too slippery for bed bugs to climb.
If you find bed bugs in your room, alert the hotel manager and ask for another room or book at another hotel. Once you are placed in another room, you will have to start your search all over again.
Before Checking Out
- When the vacation is over, inspect the outside of your luggage and the laundry bags.
- Make sure that your suitcase has no signs of bed bugs who may have found their way into your clothing. If you locate any bed bugs on your suitcase or clothing, leave it behind.
- Upon arriving back home, unpack your suitcase outside if possible.
- Vacuum the inside of your luggage including the outside of your luggage liner and laundry bag before entering the house. If your vacuum cleaner is bagless, empty the container outside and rinse it out to make sure you remove all of the contents of the vacuum.
- Place all of your items in the washer (and your luggage if possible) immediately. When it is time to dry your items, use extremely high heat. If your clothing cannot be dried at high heat, try having them dry cleaned or leave them outside in the heat or cold for several days. Bed bugs cannot survive extreme temperatures.
If you feel the bed bugs have found a way into your home, then call 877-977-1553 today for your free inspection and protect your home, and your health. Proudly serving: Dundas, Ancaster, Oakville, Hamilton and Burlington.