TRAVEL
How to Spot Bed Bugs in Your Hotel Room
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So you’ve checked into a swanky expensive hotel and think you’re immune to a bed bug infestation? Think again.
“Bed bugs don’t care about socioeconomic status—they just want a warm food source,” Ken Unger, the president of Suburban Pest Control, told Reader’s Digest. “Even the nicest hotels can have a case of bed bugs.”
Bed bugs, unfortunately, can be found anywhere and they don’t care what kind of hotel room they make their home as they look for their favorite food source – you!
Nothing ruins a vacation more than bed bugs. Not only do they like to feast on you as you sleep, but they also adore hitching a ride with you back home and once they infiltrate your house they’re a pain to get rid of.
Fortunately, Reader’s Digest spoke with pest professionals to gather tips on what you should look for before you unpack and settle into your new hotel room.
Firstly, Reader’s Digest recommends giving the bed, mattress and bed frame a thorough check. This includes removing the sheets and searching along the mattress seams and under the mattress. The bed frame should also be checked as the joints, crevices and slats make excellent hiding areas for the nasty critters.
Secondly, Reader’s Digest suggests taking a good look at chairs and sofas in your room. Again you will want to check along the seams, under the cushions and around the zips of the cushion covers.
Bed bugs also like to hang out in closets and drawers, according to Reader’s Digest, so check those out too.
If you find signs of bed bugs (this could also include clues to bug infestations such as droplets of blood) request a room change immediately. However, Reader’s Digest says you should request a room change far away from the infected room as bed bugs can travel to neighboring rooms with ease.
According to Reader’s Digest, you can easily check on hotel bed bug infestations before you book your room by visiting www.bedbugreports.com, which compiles a list of bed bug complaints.
