With all the publicity about bed bugs, I still find it hard to believe the number of people who do not check the beds when staying at a hotel.
Inspecting A Vancouver Island Hotel For Bed Bugs – scroll down for more photos
It only takes five minutes and can offer peace of mind for the duration of their stay. I always check regardless of the star rating and have found them in an apartment in New York where we stayed a number of years ago.
You may say that it’s New York, but comparing the statistics now, one in 2,000 of the population have bed bug problem in New York compared to Vancouver where it is one in 1,000.
Recently, I took these photographs from a room that had bed bugs which could have been easily found.
- The first clue was the marks on the sheets, like a black + sign where the excrement of the bed bugs has gone into the weave of the material.
- The second clue is a black spot like someone marked it with a ball point pen.
- And by lifting the bed skirt covering the box spring and checking the white sheet underneath for any bed bugs or skins.
Entering a hotel room, I place my luggage on the horse provided, then I carry out my inspection. I always focus on the head of the bed because they like to stay close to their host.
I slide the mattress down the box spring about 12” to expose the top of the bed skirt and the box spring. You are looking for any of the above clues. If the headboard is not too heavy, then I lift it off its brackets and check behind and along the bottom edge, as this is not sealed and a good hiding place. Then I take the sheet off the mattress at the head of the bed and check for clues.
These are my own guide lines that I carry out when I stay in hotels and this may help you when you are traveling. If I find anything suspicious then I will ask for another room, hope this has helped and you will sleep better.
