The news has been infested with horror stories of hotels riddled with bedbugs. Let us set the scene , you have waited all year for your holiday, saved up all of your hard earned money and jetted off to your chosen holiday destination. You have had a long journey and need to catch up with some sleep before the fun begins so you throw down your bags and settle down on your hotel bed. You wake up to find your skin sore blotchy and itchy with your sheets a little bloodstained. So you check the bed and what do you find? Hundreds of bed bugs, their skeletons and poo all over the sheets and the mattress!

Every Holiday Makers Nightmare...

 Let us be clear Bed bugs do not care if your accommodation is luxury. As recent stories in the news have shown they do not discriminate!

Bed bugs also do not just live up to their name and inhabit beds. This is why it is so important that you check your room thoroughly before putting your luggage down on the floor or bed. In fact experts suggest placing all luggage in the bathroom prior to unpacking to be safe. Headboards, mattresses, bed posts, carpets ,curtain , loose wall paper and even electrical fittings are all popular haunts for the disgusting creatures.

What Do We Know About Bed bugs?

Bed bugs are reddish brown and are about the size of an apple seed. They are parasitic creatures who feed of human blood. Before they feast they are usually flat! After a feed their weight increases by 200%!

Following this they will not require a meal and can go for months without a feed. This allows them to survive travel within luggage and clothing without a human in sight. This is how an infestation begins in unaffected locations- humans transport them from A to B. Not the ideal holiday souvenir!

They do not fly and jump and usually reside within 8 feet of their human meal! It is believed they can travel up to 100 feet in a night. They are attracted to warmth and carbon dioxide emitted from their hosts so a bed is a perfect environment for them!

So How Can We Avoid Them?

Keep your luggage sealed and do not be tempted to unpack any bags or cases until you have confirmed that your hotel room is free of bed bugs.

During your stay, seal any dirty clothes in a plastic bag. Bed bugs are attracted to the scent that we leave behind on our clothes, so keep these stowed carefully away to minimise the risk of bringing any bugs home with you. Upon your return keep all your dirty laundry sealed in a plastic bag until you are ready to wash it, and use a high-temperate program. Vacuum your luggage, sealing the contents in a plastic bag before disposing of it in an outside bin.

Should you find bed bugs in your hotel room or at home remember to call a professional to help deal with the infestation and remember sleep tight do not let the bed bugs bite!

Do you have a bed bug problem? To discuss your specific bed bug requirements in more detail call us on: 0800 158 3885.