Bed Bugs, Along with seeing new places, one benefit of traveling is the variety of lodging options. Hotels provide many alternatives to suit various travelers. Because each visitor has different demands, most hotels uphold a high degree of hygiene. But what are the chances of bringing home bedbugs from a hotel?
Table of Contents
Chances of Bringing Bedbugs Home from a Hotel?
Unfortunately, the chances of bringing bedbugs home from a hotel are high. This is because, even though hotels try to maintain high levels of hygiene, not all travelers maintain decent hygiene.
Travelers carry numerous surprises. Some are manageable, but others may make your skin crawl. And hotels are where all these surprises meet. Bedbugs are one of the many pests that can thrive in hotels. They are brought by travelers who leave them there.
How Likely Are You To Get Bugs from a Hotel?
Hotels are one of the top three sites to look for bedbugs, with single-family houses and apartments/condos coming in second and third, respectively. And if you don’t contract bed bugs from hotel beds, you could do so through someone else’s luggage.
Each night, bedding are changed at hotels. However, bedbugs conceal themselves in furniture cracks.
Due to the significant risk of bed bug infestations in hotels, several hotel owners periodically employ exterminators to lower the likelihood of an infestation. If you enjoy staying in hotels and are a regular traveler, ensure to properly inspect the furniture and furnishings in your room before unpacking.
How Can You Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs From a Hotel to Your Home?
Even if staying in a hotel is unavoidable, bedbugs can be prevented from being brought home. Using these tips, you may lessen the likelihood of bed bug infestation in your house:
-
Examine the Hotel Room
Quickly look over the bed and any couches or armchairs before you begin unpacking. Examine the mattress’s folds and seams carefully. Any little black spots could be an infestation symptom. You might even be able to see pearly white eggs or abandoned shells if the infestation is terrible.
-
Look Closely at the Wooden Headboards
Most people believe that bedbugs can only adhere to the fabric. However, they can climb bed frames using their claws. Check the headboard’s front and back because critters can conceal themselves in crevices.
However, it’s important to note that many hotels have hefty headboards. Be careful as you peek, and do not approach the headboards too closely. If you do, the bugs might silently land on your clothing.
-
Know How to Spot Bedbugs.
The majority of people who are familiar with bedbug appearance have had an infestation. However, even if you’ve never had one, you may learn how to recognize these troublesome creatures. When you know the characteristics of bedbugs, you can alert the hotel as soon as you come across one.
Bedbugs are reddish-brown in color and roughly a quarter inch long as adults. Younger ones are often smaller in size and have a creamy coloring.
Additionally, bedbugs crawl, another trait that can be used to identify them. If you notice bugs flying or jumping around in your hotel room, it’s not bedbugs.
-
Never Place Your Suitcase on the Floor
It takes a mated bedbug to stow away to bring an infestation home, so it’s crucial to be cautious. So, where do you place your suitcase if not on the floor? In the bathroom!
Doesn’t that sound like a weird idea? However, bedbugs only stay in places with a greater chance of human contact. Because they don’t like water, they avoid bathrooms. They can survive without it; they need blood for that. If they are submerged in water, they will perish rapidly.
Keep your bags in the well-lit hotel bathroom, out of the way of any dark crevices. This might sound a little extreme, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
-
When You Get Home, Start Unpacking Right Away
You’re mistaken if you believe bedbugs reside in a person’s body. Your bite is followed by their departure. After all, they only care about food and blood.
But bed bugs can easily adhere to the material of a suitcase or your clothing. Put everything you had in the hotel in the dryer once you arrive home and realize there are a few unwelcome visitors. All life stages of bedbugs are killed by high heat. Thirty minutes should be allowed for drying the clothing.
What about the travel bag? Get a suitcase heater—a device made specifically for this purpose, albeit it is essential to note that luggage heaters are expensive. But in the summer, there is a less expensive option.
Place the suitcase in a locked car when it’s hot outside for one or two days. A car’s interior temperature during the summer can reach 80 degrees. This will effectively eradicate any bed bugs in a suitcase.”
Can You Get a Refund if a Hotel Has Bedbugs?
Like most businesses, hotels despite negative reviews. Because a bedbug complaint might be fatal for a hotel, most owners would instead give their customers a refund.
However, you can file a lawsuit against the hotel if you have a legitimate bedbug complaint.
In a small claims court, you can pursue compensation. Because they won’t want any negative publicity, the hotel owners will probably settle the dispute out of court rather than risk a court battle.
You will receive a complete reimbursement for as many days you spent at the hotel. If you took bed bugs from the hotel home, you might be eligible for a full refund and some extra cash, particularly if you demonstrate that your hotel stay directly contributed to the infestation.
How Much Compensation Do You Get for Bed Bugs?
In most cases, hotels offer compensation to bed bug victims. There are no specific figures regarding how much a hotel will compensate you for the bedbugs. However, the amount one can be paid for bedbugs depends on the following:
- How frequently you were bitten
- The animals’ harm—both material and psychological
- The harm that bed bugs have done to your items
