Traveling is a great way for families to spend quality time together and recharge. As such, a hotel room is designed for comfort and luxury. However, some places aren’t as clean as others. For example, big beds are commonly found, and double-checking for the pesky critters is highly recommended before doing anything else.
Bed Bugs Love Hotel Rooms
A 2017 study found that 8 out of 10 hotels have faced bed bugs in their hotel rooms. “It doesn’t matter how nice the hotel is ― they’re not attracted to grime,” Bologna noted. Bed bugs are attracted to “warmth, blood, and carbon dioxide” explains Caroline Bologna, a Senior Editor at HuffPost. “I have two really good friends who have gotten bed bugs in New York [hotels] before.”
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They Like the Fabric in Hotel Rooms
As their name implies, bed bugs like hanging out in beds but aren’t picky as almost any fabric will do. This means they may hide on the couch or a fabric chair in a hotel room. “They like upholstery — just look at the sheets,” Bologna suggests. “Just peel back one of the corners of the bed, look at the seams of the mattress… just check. Check anything upholstered. Look at the headboard. Look at the chairs. If you don’t see anything, you’re probably totally fine.”
Tactics for Inhibiting Bed Bug Travel
Although they’re unpleasant to think about, there’s some good news. Bed bugs are relatively easy to spot, “about the size of an apple seed,” according to the NYC Department of Health. Moreover, Bologna suggests some precautions for travelers weary of finding bed bugs in their hotel rooms. “People who are really cautious — like my friends who have had bed bugs — put their suitcase in the bathtub… just not on upholstery,” she explained, noting that most hotels have carpet.
“Some people travel with plastic trash bags,” she added. “You put the plastic around it and then put your suitcase on it because bed bugs don’t really hang out on plastic.”
Switch Hotel Rooms Immediately
Staff should be notified immediately If bed bugs are found in a hotel room and they spread quickly. “If you decide you don’t want to leave the hotel but you want to switch rooms, don’t move to an adjacent room because that would be likely to have the same problem,” Bologna warned.
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Illnesses are also Found in Hotel Rooms
Bed bugs aren’t the only scary thing lurking in a hotel room. Rather numerous pathogens are present in the air and on surfaces. Here are a few tips for keeping germs at bay, allowing you to unwind and be immersed in the luxury of your hotel room.
Carry Wipes
Carry sanitizing wipes. Not only are they great for wiping down your seat on the plane or hands after touching a surface touched by hundreds if not thousands of people in a day but they’re also ideal for wiping down hotel room phones, remotes, faucets, clocks, light switches, and other hard surfaces that are likely touched regularly but rarely sanitized.
Double-Check Linens
Check bedding and towels for spots or note any odors that imply linens weren’t washed between guests. While most housekeeping in hotel rooms is thorough, some things can be neglected because otherwise, they’d be cleaning all day and night. As a result, things may unintentionally go unnoticed so it’s best to double-check, particularly if you’re germaphobic.
Use Plastic
As Caroline suggested, traveling with plastic bags can help protect your clothing and other belongings from germs. Sandwich bags are great for storing your toothbrush or jewelry when not in use. Meanwhile, plastic grocery bags can separate dirty clothes from the clean pile. However, one-time-use plastic isn’t great for the environment but reusable bags are on the market as an alternative.
Don’t Use Communal Dishes in a Hotel Room
Most hotel rooms have coffee and water cups but they don’t always get used. Regardless, germs float in the air and sometimes people touch the glasses without using them. As a result, countless germs and bacteria live on those surfaces. It’s best to avoid using the provided glasses or wash them thoroughly with soap and water to prevent transmission of illness-causing germs.
Protect Your Immunity
Lastly, not every bed bug or germ can be prevented, so be sure to add an immune booster to your diet while you travel. It will do more to minimize your risk of illness. Plus, a strong immune system can help stave off jetlag. Moreover, if bed bugs travel from your hotel room to your home, you can do some things to get rid of them.
Treating for Bed Bugs
Start by isolating and sealing off fabrics in plastic ziploc or vacuum-sealed bags. Next, they should go into the freezer as this will cut off the oxygen supply and freeze them to death. Interestingly, it must be the freezer as most refrigerators aren’t cold enough to kill the bed bugs. Luckily, heat or steam can be used if the fabrics don’t fit in the freezer, such as couch cushion covers or rugs. In this case, steam clean these surfaces or put them in the dryer on high heat, if they fit.
No one wants to be in a dirty hotel room, or one infested with bed bugs. While not everything is preventable, some methods include checking the room for bed bugs upon entering and keeping belongings off fabric surfaces. you can help protect your family and yourself, if not improve your overall experience by taking these extra precautions.
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