How Airbnb Hosts Prevent Bed Bugs
These days whenever I travel, I am always worried about bed bugs. Since my bed bug infestation (the reason I started Premo Natural Products), hotels and motels make me nervous.
Recently we stayed in an Airbnb in Queens, NY, and it got me wondering just how Airbnb hosts prevent bed bugs? I assume that bed bugs hitchhike to (and from) Airbnb’s at about the same rate as hotels and other locations.
I did some quick research and found the following article in CNET. “Bedbugs are giving Airbnb users headaches… and itchy bites” (link here)
What struck me immediately is this quote:
“Terri spent three hours on the phone with the company [Airbnb] that night trying to find new lodging for her guest and information on how to get rid of the little blood-sucking creatures. But then Airbnb went silent. After CNET informed Airbnb more than two months later that it was writing a story about what happened, the company contacted Terri. Airbnb acknowledged it mishandled the situation.”
Completely understandable, right?
Since Airbnb is made up of thousands of independent hosts like you, and the “parent” company doesn’t actually own any properties that are rented, it’s doubtful they had an official protocol, much less a policy for handling bed bug infestations.
Further on in the article I confirmed this…
“Aside from urging users to contact its customer support hotline and suspending a listing if bedbugs pop up, it's hard to discern if Airbnb has a cohesive policy on what to do in those situations. When asked what the company's policy is for situations in which a guest finds lodging uninhabitable due to bedbugs, Breit pointed CNET to Airbnb's Safety Resources and Tips, Guest Refund Policy, Contact Us page, Trust and Safety portal, Community Standards, Standards and Expectations, Host Protection Insurance, Terms and Policies and Terms of Service. None of these documents mention bedbugs specifically.”
Airbnb hosts, here is how to spot, treat and prevent bed bugs from even getting into your property
With that in mind, we at Premo Guard have prepared some tips for how Airbnb hosts can prevent bed bugs.
- After each guest leaves, thoroughly inspect all bedding for signs of bed bugs. Inspect the mattress and the mattress seams (bed bugs love to hide in the seams of your bed)
- To be safe remove all bedding and wash on high heat. Heat kills bed bugs. Put bedding in the dryer at the highest setting for at least 30 minutes to be safe.
- Pro Tip: Use one ounce of Premo Guard Bed Bug Killer in your washing machine along with your favorite laundry detergent. Its odorless, non-toxic, enzyme based, and contains no pesticides. Learn more about Premo Guard here.
Additional reading: Protecting Your Home from Bed Bugs - The Ultimate Hitchhikers
- Purchase a light-colored zippered mattress cover so bed bugs cannot get on your bed and hide. Also having a light-colored mattress cover makes spotting bed bugs and their waste easier.
- If you have already purchased a bed bug proof mattress cover, thoroughly inspect it for signs of rips and openings. This will ensure that no bed bugs have been able to enter the mattress cover.
(pro tip: keep an extra mattress cover on hand in case you find a tear)
- Bed bugs actually poop. Bed bug feces looks like small red or reddish brown stains or streaks on your mattress and sheets. If you see these signs, you need to use Premo Guard Bed Bug Spray to kill bed bugs quickly (again, it’s not toxic, effective and 100% guaranteed)
- Bed Bugs love the dark which is why bed bug activity (bites, etc.) happens mostly at night. Since they love the dark, if you suspect your Airbnb has bed bugs inspect the feet of the bed, the box spring, even the electrical outlets (bed bugs travel room to room via cracks in walls, outlets, under doors, etc.
- According to Wikipedia, “Once a bed bug finishes feeding, it relocates to a place close to a known host, commonly in or near beds or couches in clusters of adults, juveniles, and eggs—which entomologists call harborage areas or simply harborages to which the insect returns after future feedings by following chemical trails. These places can vary greatly in format, including luggage, inside of vehicles, within furniture, among bedside clutter—even inside electrical sockets and nearby laptop computers.”
AN OUNCE OF BED BUG PREVENTION IS WORTH…
The best way Airbnb hosts can prevent bed bugs is to be proactive. Use Premo Guard Bed Bug Spray. If you have bed bugs in your Airbnb, it kills bed bugs on contact, is safe around children and pets, and odorless.
Many of our customers spray it on the mattress, the box spring, your furniture and floors, without worry of staining. Spray after each guest leaves. It’s simple to apply. And it will keep your property on the market, and potential legal issues away too (in our litigious society)
Take action…
ORDER PREMO GUARD FOR YOUR AIRBNB NOW AND GET A 10% DISCOUNT (APPLY IN SHOPPING CART) USE PROMO CODE “GREEN”. ORDER HERE. IT’S 100% GUARANTEED OR YOUR MONEY BACK.
