Summer is the time to take vacations and hit the road. But when checking into your hotel - no matter how many stars it gets online - always look for bed bugs first thing. Hotels and motels are hot spots for bed bug infestations because so many people stay there in large numbers, with rooms turning over every night of the week in some cases. These small reddish-brown insects don’t just live in the hotel bed, they can hitch a ride home with you on your clothing and in your luggage.

Bed bugs feed on your blood while you sleep. But while they don’t transmit disease, their bites leave itchy, red welts. By checking for bed bugs upon arrival, you can alert staff if you see anything suspicious and change rooms or hotels. This way, those nocturnal blood suckers can’t travel home with you and set up shop in your own box springs, mattresses, and furniture.

Bed Bug Tips

Check out these tips for ensuring your vacation is bed bug-free.

• • When entering the room, place your luggage on a luggage rack or on the floor in the bathroom while you check out the bedding and furniture.
• • Peel back the bed sheets and blankets, inspecting both the mattress and box spring seams. Concentrate at the head of the bed, which is where they usually hide. You can see with your naked eye the adults, nymphs, and eggs, as well as the exoskeletons. Be on the lookout, too, for dark, rust-colored spots.
• • Lift the mattress and check underneath with a flashlight.
• • Look under buttons, scan the area where the carpet and baseboards meet, and check the closet joints and drawer seals before hanging up your clothes.
• • Take a look around the bedside table, particularly around the phone, lamp and picture frames.
• • Check upholstered furniture in the room, such as sofas and chairs, concentrating at the head area and at all seams.
• • Let staff know if you see something suspect.
• • As a precaution, store your zipped suitcases on a luggage rack or hard surface such as the bathroom or hallway floor for as long as you stay at the hotel. You could also cover them with large trash bags.
• • Keep your clothing and items in one central spot rather than spreading them out all over the room.
• • If there’s any question that bed bugs may have made the trip home with you, place all your clothing in the dryer and run it at high heat for a half hour to kill them.

Contact PureGuard Pest Control - Ant Exterminator

Bed bugs don’t just happen in hotels. They can happen in your own home. If you suspect you have a bed bug infestation in your home, call our professional exterminators in Nashville TN right away. We also welcome you to call us if you are a hotel or motel owner and need discreet bed bug extermination. Contact us today at 615-502-2855 to schedule your free bed bug inspection and your bed bug treatment plan.