The Best Way to Break Into a Hotel Room and Search It for Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a threat and it’s important to learn how to look for them in your hotel room before you collapse into bed so you don’t take them home with you. This video shows you the best way to do it and how to get a good night’s sleep away from home.
Contrary to popular belief, do not go into a hotel room or put things on the trunk. People often say that you should do this instead of putting things on the bed, but a video from the University of Maine YouTube channel explains that it is best to put things in the bathroom or tub while searching. The luggage rack is usually too close to the bed, and since bed bugs are usually within 20 feet or so of their owner, if they are in your hotel room, they are probably on the luggage rack too.
Once you have your belongings in the bathroom, go to your bed and shine a flashlight (or whatever light you have on your phone as a last resort) around your headboard to see if you have noticed any bugs. If you can, move the headboard a little (in some hotels they are attached to the walls, so it’s okay at the edges and on the floor). Then pull the sheets and check the top and bottom straps of the mattress. Right in the crease where the piping and body of the mattress meet can usually be hidden. Also look under the mattress where the box spring or bed frame meets. Then check the mattress topper (not the sheets, pull them out to the side – they may have changed recently) for blood stains that you won’t see through a fresh, clean sheet.
Then look at the nightstand next to your bed in your hotel. Pull out the drawer and inspect the trimmings and joinery – this is another good hideout that’s often untouched but close to the sleeping host. Finally, check out this overhead rack. The fabric is flexible and pliable, so bed bugs can hide in it. The full video shows you exactly how to do it all, and includes closed captions if you want to watch without audio.
It’s a lot of work, but this effort, when you check in and walk into your room, will make sure you don’t bring minor annoyances home after a business trip or other enjoyable vacation. Keep in mind that bed bugs are very portable and can hide anywhere – in four-star hotels or hostels – so no accommodation is “too good” to have one. Always check.
How to find and avoid bedbugs in hotel or motel rooms ”wiki useful University of Maine (YouTube)