Bed Bugs in Hotels are A Lot More Common Then You Think, Here’s How To Stay Safe When Traveling

You may think just because you opt for the nicer hotel, you lower your chances of running into traveling’s biggest enemy, but that just isn’t true. Bed Bugs have plagued humans for thousands of years and don’t seem to have any reason to slow down.

A survey from the sleep doctor shows that 1 out of 7 travelers in the U.S have experienced bed bug encounters in the last year, and 20% of those sightings occurred in 5-star hotels.

Bed Bug exposure when traveling is extremely common. High turnover of hotel guests, and large international events are the perfect way for Bed Bugs to find new areas to grow.

In travel season, from June to October there is a much higher chance of running into Bed Bugs, because travel accommodations have far more traffic.

These are the results from the sleep doctor survey that identifies where guests saw bed bugs in the past year.

1-Star Hotel (9%)
2-Star Hotel (16%)
3-Star Hotel (38%)
4-Star Hotel (30%)
5-Star Hotel (20%)
Motel (20%)
Bed and breakfast (10%)
Vacation rental (19%)
Hostel (4%)

How Can You Identify Bed Bugs in Your Hotel Room

To look for bed bugs in your hotel room, start by inspecting mattresses and bedding, paying attention to mattress corners and looking for small dark spots.

Bed Bugs can also be hidden in carpets, curtains and bed frames.

When inspecting these areas, it’s important not to place your bags or belongings on the beds or carpets before finishing your check. Placing bags in a bathtub or hard floor for the time being is your best option. When checking these areas, you should also look out for tiny white eggs or bedbug’s exoskeleton. It may be difficult to identify Bed Bugs so it’s recommended to use a flashlight, Bed Bugs are very small (about the size of a pinhead) and may look similar to a grain of uncooked white rice. More mature bed bugs will be reddish brown in color and larger, up to the size of a pencil eraser.

What to Do If You Spot Bed Bugs in Your Room

If you think you found a Bed Bug in your room, the first thing you should do is take a photo, then alert the hotel and request to either switch rooms or relocate to a new hotel. Try not to move into a room directly adjacent to the one that was infested, as bedbugs can travel through walls via piping, wires, and holes to other nearby rooms.

And always check your possessions for any signs of Bed Bugs to make sure none of the creepy crawlers travel back with you.

HERE IS THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BED BUGS WHEN TRAVELING...

If you’ve done an inspection of your room and can’t find any signs of Bed Bugs, it's still important to take precautionary measures, as sometimes its very difficult to spot these little bloodsuckers. We recommend using Premo Guard Bed Bug and Mite Spray. It even comes in a 3 oz travel size perfect for saving space and bringing it through airport security. Thoroughly spray any surfaces you suspect could have Bed Bugs lurking to get some peace of mind when traveling. Premo Guard is not only a 100% effective killer but also a preventative spray, so you won’t have to worry about Bed Bugs ruining your peaceful vacation. It is also important to spray your luggage with Premo Guard Bed Bug Spray right before leaving your hotel. Spray inside and outside of your luggage.

ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR WHEN YOU ARRIVE HOME...

Premo Guard also makes a special and highly rated Laundry Additive. Use it to wash your clothing when you arrive home to insure you did not bring any bed bugs, their eggs or larvae home with you. Check out our Laundry Additive here.

Original Article Source: Forbes