When you arrive at a hotel and are shown to your room, your immediate worry probably isn’t what revolting creatures might be lurking in the darkness. Nevertheless, one hospitality expert has disclosed why spotting these uninvited visitors should be your number one priority upon check-in.
Halee, who shares videos on TikTok under @haleewithaflair, cautioned that bedbugs can utterly ruin traveller’s getaways and revealed a straightforward trick to identify them before you settle down for the evening. The method involves turning off all the lights, which probably isn’t your natural reaction when you’re brimming with holiday enthusiasm. Halee posted her video after seeing footage of a couple who woke up covered in angry red marks from hotel bedbug bites, reports Dublin Live.
She said: “This is how I check my room before I unpack and get settled into the room. The first thing you’re going to want to do is make sure your room is dark. Turn off lights, close any shades and use the flashlight on your phone.
“While everything is off, you’re going to come up here under the covers. This one does have a mattress pad but you’re going to check under all the creases.”
Halee showed how holidaymakers should examine beneath the folds at the edge of their hotel bed.
She recommended: “They usually like to hang out in the corners and the creases.”
Raising the mattress, she showed how travellers ought to examine beneath the mattress and underneath the mattress pad. The hotel employee cautioned: “Even if you don’t see bugs, make sure you check for spots, like blood spots, because that’s not a good sign either.”
Halee recommended that tourists should search for bed bugs before they unpack as these creatures can slip into suitcases. Holiday-makers should avoid placing their luggage on the bed.
It’s better to leave it on a luggage stand or near the room’s doorway.
Some specialists advise washing all holiday clothing straight away upon returning home to eliminate any stowaway pests. The hotel employee also suggested checking ironing boards and curtains for the insects.
Bed bugs are night-time creatures, so turning off the lights may encourage them to appear in search of victims. Bedbug bites can show as red, itchy marks, often arranged in a line or cluster.
Some people may experience an allergic reaction to these bites.
The insects themselves can be dark yellow, red or brown and are typically only about 5mm long, whilst their eggs are usually white. If you can’t spot the insects directly, look out for red or rusty stains on the mattress, which could indicate a crushed bug.
Dark spots might be bedbug droppings and may bleed onto the fabric similar to a marker pen. These troublesome pests often lurk in the seams of furniture, including any chairs and sofas in the room.
Although they can endure low temperatures, they will die when their body temperature hits 45 degrees. If you’re on holiday and spot any signs of bedbugs in your room, it’s vital to alert your hotel straight away.
