Bed Bugs in Hotels - A Traveller's Guide

Anyone who travels regularly be it for business or pleasure should be aware of one very important fact - there can be bed bugs in hotels!

Bed bugs have become an ever growing problem across the USA and it is not just households who are experiencing problems with these pests which were thought to have been eradicated years ago. There are bugs in our hotels too. It is not just the cheap and nasty motels and hotels who have the problem either. Some of the most expensive, luxury hotels have been blighted with bed bugs too.

So why have they re-appeared? Quite simply the pesticides which once eradicated many of our bugs including bed bugs - one of which was DDT were found to be harmful both to human health and to the environment and so were withdrawn from use. The pesticides which replaced them are designed to target one particular type of bug say for example cockroaches and because bed bugs have not been treated they have now become a big problem.

would you recognise a bed bug? Well, they are oval in shape and measure about 1/4 of an inch in length when mature. The are a reddish brown in colour and there main source of nourishment is blood - human blood! They will however bite pets such as dogs as well.

Where are they found? They tend to hide out in carpets, mattresses, bed frames, behind peeling wall coverings, cracks, crevices and some times can be found in the most obscure places such as light switches or smoke detectors. These little bleeders are nocturnal so you are very unlikely to come across them during daylight hours. However, if there are bed bugs in your hotel room they will most definitely come out for a feast whilst you sleep!

Where do the bed bugs in hotels come from? They are very good at hitching lifts in luggage, clothing and any other items where they can hide out. So anyone travelling regularly can quite easily transport the blood sucking pests from hotel to hotel or indeed take them home. Where a new batch will hatch and the cycle continue.

How can you avoid bed bugs in hotels? The best thing to do is immediately you arrive and BEFORE you open your luggage have a thorough look around the room. Check the mattress along seams and around any handles or buttons for live bugs, dark stains which could be fecal marks or blood smears where bed bugs have been squashed by previous occupants. Also check furniture - closets, drawers and so on. Have a look around the walls check any cracks or peeling wall paper or paint for signs of bugs. Again you may not actually see any live bugs but there will be evidence of activity from any fecal makes left round the entrance to their hiding place.

If you have any concerns that there may be bugs in your hotel DO NOT UNPACK your luggage. The simplest way to avoid stowaways in your belongings is to keep everything in your suite case, keep it on a raised surface, off the floor and keep it zipped shut. Don't forget to do the same with laptop cases and hand luggage.

What do you do if you are bitten by bed bugs in a hotel? Firstly inform the management! Secondly go to a drug store and purchase some cream such as hydrocortisone or an oral antihistamine which will ease the itching of the bites. These bites for the majority of people are red and itchy. They may look like a rash or come up as red bumps or welts. Apart from the discomfort of the itching there is not usually any ill effects. Scratching, can cause the bites to become infected in which case a doctor may have to be consulted.

What do you do next? Firstly do not unpack your luggage in your home or any other hotel room. Before leaving the hotel where the infestation is, if possible place all clothing, shoes and other personal belongings which may be infected in plastic bags and seal them tight. You should discard any items which you no longer require such as newspapers, magazines and so on as these too may be infected with larvae or nymphs. Thoroughly check suite cases and any other baggage for unwanted guests. It may be an idea to spray them with a non toxic bed bug spray such as Bed Bug Patrol which will also leave behind a pleasant fragrance. Launder all clothing on a hot wash cycle, any items which cannot be washed should be placed in a tumble dryer on a hot setting for around 10 minutes. This will not only kill adult bugs but also eggs and nymphs as well. For other clothing such as expensive business suites which would not stand laundering or tumble drying you could try using a steam cleaning machine which will also kill the bugs at their various stages of development.

It is vital that once you have dealt with clothing etc. that you thoroughly clean all work tops and flooring with disinfectant to prevent any spread of the bed bugs.

Don't let the thought of bed bugs ruin your hotel stay - just stay vigilant!

Vacation Resorts and Spa