When traveling, when you have to sleep in an unfamiliar bed, there is always a risk of bed bugs. It is not easy to find them in advance if you do not know how to look. Reddit forum users have listed to tourists signs of bed bugs in a hotel room and ways to minimize the associated risks.
Most often, hotel guests learn about bedbugs by the bite marks on their skin, when it is too late to take precautions. In order not to spoil the rest and not to bring pests to your home, it is recommended to inspect the bed immediately upon arrival. Experienced travelers have shared their proven bed bug detection methods on Reddit.
User RockleyBob wrote: “The first line of defense against bed bugs is a thorough inspection of the room. Check the mattress and mattress topper under the sheets for stains or discoloration. Depending on the stage of their life cycle, bed bugs and their eggs can range in size from a tiny speck to a sesame seed.
If you can't visually detect bed bugs, look for dark spots on the walls and blood stains on the sheets. According to Online-Bedrooms' Nick Shacklock, mattress seams can show blood stains that often look like rust. Clusters of small white spots are another telltale sign of bedbugs, as are tiny, husk-like spots that crunch when crushed.
Traces of unpleasant creatures should be looked for not only on the bed. It is recommended to inspect the pillows, bed frame and upholstery in the room. If a hotel guest notices any of these signs in the bedroom, do not touch the affected areas.
“Notify hotel or apartment staff immediately. They should suggest that you move so that nothing negatively affects both your vacation and, more importantly, your health,” Nick Shacklock advised.
Tourists should also take a few extra precautions to minimize the risk of bed bugs spreading from an infested area to their belongings. “Unlike mites or lice, bed bugs do not like heat and do not usually live on their hosts. Instead, they take refuge in nearby cracks, fabrics, and crevices and wait until we fall asleep to feed on our blood. They hitchhike among your clothes and luggage. This means that if you can keep your belongings away from where they live and feed, and don't put your sleepwear with everything else, you can reduce the risk of bringing these pests into your home,” the Reddit user wrote.< /p>
He suggested removing luggage from beds and upholstered seats, and avoiding hotel chests of drawers or shelves. The tourist added: “Use hangers if you can’t store things right in your suitcase. Separate your sleepwear and be very careful with it, even if you don't see signs of infection. Put your sleepwear in polyethylene and isolate it from other clothes when packing your luggage.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “The doctor named 12 foods that are “fat traps” and interfere with losing weight.”