Hampton Inn Florence Sc Bed Bugs (2024)

FAQs

How to tell if your hotel room has bed bugs? ›

Pull back the bed sheets and blankets and check the mattress and box spring seams for bugs, especially at the head of the bed. Adults, nymphs, and eggs are visible to the naked eye. Also keep your eyes peeled for exoskeletons (casings that the bugs leave behind when they molt) and dark, rust-colored spots.

In the busy travel season, about June to October, there is a higher likelihood of encountering bed bugs because hotels, motels, and other travel accommodations are common places where bed bugs can be picked up and brought home, says Nicole Carpenter, president of Black Pest Prevention.

Hotels regularly inspect for bed bugs, looking for signs such as live bugs, spots on sheets, and eggs or eggshells. Hotels also bug proof their beds using mattress or box spring encasem*nts and bed bug interceptors (a kind of trap that wraps around the bed frame's legs). Hotels must isolate any affected rooms.

Don't let bedbugs, or the fear of them, ruin your travel. Despite the statistics, the chance of encountering bedbugs in any given hotel room is “pretty darn unlikely,” said Michael Potter, then a professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky. (I interviewed Potter and the other experts in this article in 2019.)

Virtually all hotels have insurance that covers the costs of bed bug claims filed by hotel guests. Certain steps must be taken to present a successful claim.

Although nocturnal, bedbugs don't necessarily feed every night -- it could take days or weeks before you notice bedbug bites. Bedbug bites can look similar to other insect bites -- if confused with mosquito or flea bites, you may not think to check for bedbugs until other symptoms crop up.

Although most people do not realize they have been bitten by a bed bug until bite marks appear (which can be as long as 14 days after the bite), finding a bite mark is the easiest way to identify a bed bug infestation.

Sleep in long-sleeved clothing

These sneaky creatures will feast on exposed areas of your skin, but they can't bite through fabric. Lower your risk of getting bedbug bites by wearing long-sleeved pajamas with pants while sleeping. But be mindful that bedbugs can find their way to your skin under loose clothing.

Bed bugs can spread from room to room remarkably fast. They are capable of moving 4 feet per minute which allows them to easily cover as much as 100 feet or more in just one hour.

Does bed bug spray work? ›

There are no magic sprays that will get rid of a bed bug infestation. Using a chemical to get rid of bed bugs will not work unless you also remove clutter, clean and launder everything, seal off hiding places, and follow other, non-chemical steps to control bed bugs.

Hotels usually get rid of bed bugs by reaching out to certified pest control professionals, which provide several means to control the infestation. These methods may consist of vacuuming, steam or heat treatments, and insecticides.

If you do find signs, any at all, tell management and request a different room in a different part of the hotel. Then, start the process all over. Once you find a safe place to unwind, by all means, do so -- but don't forget the critters entirely.

Reputable hotels have routine checkups and treatments for pests including bed bugs.

Look carefully at your blankets, sheets, and mattress pads and then check the mattress and box spring. Are there specks of blood anywhere, especially near the seams? If so, there could be a bedbug infestation. You should also check for specks of blood on all upholstered furniture, including couches and headboards.

Fully inspect the headboard, checking in between any design patterns. Move the bed away from the wall to check behind and underneath. Check any and all crevices, corners, joints, carvings and any over small cracks and holes on the bed frame. Inspect the bedding.

Do a quick check of pillows and upholstered furniture for signs of bed bugs. If you can, check behind headboards and open the drawers of the nightstands and look inside. For short stays, consider keeping your clothes in your luggage. Keep bags closed when not in use.