Bedbugs have become epidemic in at least 25 states. What were once parasites associated with dirty hotels or third world countries, have reemerged as enemy number one as far as insect pests go. Along with dust mites and the lesser talked about scabies, bedbugs are infesting hotel after hotel in every major city in The USA. While this modern outbreak has been going on for the past 5 years, the media has only began reporting on this scourge over the last couple of years.
Snowbirds who, until a few years ago, would just shrug off any report on bedbugs, have begun to sit up and take notice. Bedbug blogs and web sites litter the in internet as do products to protect against the little vampires. Imagine stopping for a night at a hotel on the way south. You check into your room, put your luggage down on the carpet or bed, unpack and go to sleep. While your sleeping bedbugs may be crawling into your luggage or clothing. Even if you are not bitten or don’t realize you’ve been bitten, ( not everyone experiences welts or itching, especially the first time bitten ) you could be come a host, or at least your belongings become the host. Now, you continue merrily on your way, with these parasites in your stuff. Bedbugs , by the way, can live for a long time without feeding and the warm tropical air you so enjoy is also a welcome reprieve for your little guests. Arriving at your destination you unpack, put your clothes away and your luggage in the cupboard or closet. A few days later all hell breaks loose.
Once bedbugs enter a home or hotel, even office complex, they are excruciatingly hard to eradicate. Bedbugs have evolved over tens of thousands of years to adapt to their main meal ticket, humans. Newly resistant to a broad range of chemicals, bedbugs have flourished since the banning of DDT in the seventies.
It’s one thing if you’re staying for only short time, a few weeks, in a hotel. Sure the vacation will be most unenjoyable but you will leave to go home, taking your friends back with you. But what if you are staying for the season. A proper course of pest control can cost thousands of dollars. It can mean insecticides, replacement of mattresses and furniture, you might have to stay somewhere other than your place while eradication is done.
Using these precautions will greatly diminish the chances of infesting your home or ruining your vacation.
1) Research - Use a site like bedbugregistry or even travel sites with hotel rating and feedback from customers, to research the hotel you plan on staying in.
2) First Thing - When you check into your room do not put your luggage on the carpet or bed, or any upholstered furniture. Use only hard surfaces like the desk or luggage rack.
3) Inspection - Inspect your hotel room very, very carefully. Check the headboard, behind the headboard if possible,the mattress seams under the sheets, not just a quick look, and the baseboards in back of the bed. Inspect the drawers if you are going to use them. You are looking for brownish rust colored stains, if you find brown or rust colored spots, leave the room and take your belongings.
4) A Travel Sheet - Companies like Allersac manufacture and sell high quality travel sheets to shield you from bedbugs and other pests, not to mention unclean hotel bedding. Make sure, whichever travelsheet you choose, that it is zippered and enclosed on 3 sides and that it is washable in hot water and dry-able in hot air. Heat is the only way to effectively kill bedbugs and their eggs so you don’t bring them back with you.
5) Protection - Many companies make bags especially for the purpose of protecting your clothes from being infested by bedbugs while they are folded in the drawers of your hotel room. This might seem like overkill but it happens all the time. Even commonly used plastic zipper bags, like the ones used for food are effective. Heavy duty garbage bags also work well but you must seal them very well. Bedbugs can fit through the smallest of spaces.
6) Painters Tape - An excellent deterrent, painters tape will not damage your room but will prevent bedbugs from crossing over wherever it is applied. Around the headboard, mattress, bed, bed legs, inside drawers etc. It takes very little time to apply, is inexpensive and can even be used in luggage.
7) Non Toxic Sprays - There are so many products on the market that claim the ability to kill on contact and continue providing protection. Be aware, some work, some don’t. The best way of determining which brand to use is either by word of mouth or testimonials. Included in this group is food grade diatomaceous earth, powder made of the exoskeletons of microscopic sea creatures. DT kills by wearing away the protective coatings or scratching the exoskeletons of the bedbugs causing them to eventually die of exposure or dehydration. I say “ eventually “ because it takes time for DT to work. Remember if you buy DT it MUST be food grade otherwise it is a danger to humans and pets.
8) Luggage Sanitizers - Most of these are sprays meant to kill bedbugs. Sprayed in luggage, they kill bedbugs and their eggs so they won’t infest your home. There is one product on the market that kills by heat. Luggage is placed into the product which is turned on and heats up to a pre determined temperature and holds this temperature for a period of time, long enough to kill the bedbugs and eggs. A great idea if chemicals are not your choice. This product is especially efficient for a frequent business traveler as it is a one time investment.
Remember, bedbugs are no laughing matter. A small amount of time and a few inexpensive products can make or save your vacation.
