Bedbugs in hotels: How to protect your belongings
Upon entering a hotel room, guests often instinctively place their luggage on the bed without realizing that this isn't a good idea. Specialists warn that this should be checked before doing so to avoid potential problems.
4 October 2024 14:09
Interest in hotel beds has increased, particularly concerning the bedbug problem in Europe. Experts provide tips on staying safe during travel.
Before placing your belongings on the bed, check for bedbugs
If we place a suitcase or bag on the bed before checking for bedbugs, they can easily get into our belongings.
"Such actions make it easy for bedbugs to reach your home," warns Martin Seeley, head of MattressNextDay, a mattress company. "Until you are sure everything is safe, keep your luggage as close to the room's entrance as possible."
So how do you check if there are bedbugs in the bed? We should remove the bedding to reveal the mattress. Adult bedbugs have flat bodies and a dark colour and are about the size of apple seeds.
The best time to look for bedbugs is with the lights off
During the mattress inspection, look for red, rusty, or dark brown spots, eggs, and shells about 1 millimetre in diameter. Although they are hard to spot, they often appear in groups, making them easier to detect. Seeley advises checking underneath the mattress, drawers, and spaces between the headboard and the wall.
It is also worth checking areas near curtains, preferably with the lights off, using a flashlight on your phone. Bedbugs are active at night, so they leave their hiding places in search of hosts.
Source: mirror.co.uk
