How to Check for Bed Bugs in a Hotel Room

When you go to hotels, do you often have this fear of getting bed bugs? If so, check out specialist Jim Dill's tips to spot them and avoid bringing them home with you.

Watch where you put your bag

First, you have to figure out where to put your luggage! We usually mindlessly put our bag on the bed or on the luggage rack as soon as we enter the room, but unfortunately, both of those are places creepy crawlers are particularly fond of. So Jim recommends putting your bags in the bathtub, which bed bugs are not interested in, while you check the rest of the room.

Inspection

Next, make sure to take a good look around the room (unless, of course, you want to experience first hand what these tourists in New York went through). Start with the mattress: remove the sheets and be sure to inspect every nook and cranny of the mattress because these little critters are hide-and-seek champs. Up next is the bedside table: remove the drawers and look at them from every angle.

As important as it is to check the mattress, taking a look at the sheets is just as important. It's also worth noting that bed bugs like certain colors more than others. Finally, inspect the luggage rack! It may appear to be an unlikely bed bug hideout because it's made of so little fabric, but they actually love to hide in the straps...

Don't hesitate to leave

If after you've inspected the room, you're satisfied with its cleanliness, go ahead and settle in. However, if you spot anything suspicious, request another room or run out of that hotel as fast as you can! Trust me, you don't want to bring bed bugs home...