Picture this: Following a scalding hot shower in yourhotel room, you settle into a free soft robe and start the TV with a variety of mini-bar snacks to entertain you… only to wake up from your calm sleep to groups of swollen, itchy red bumps on your arms and legs. It soon becomes clear that the hotel room was already taken before you arrived. And now, you’re dealing with a severe case ofbed bugs.
Bed bugs are a nightmare for hotel guests. With summer travel on the rise, medical professionals and pest control specialists are warning about their prevalence.
Most tourists are aware to inspect a hotel room’s mattress, but a popular TikTok video is cautioning about another area where these biting insects tend to gather—and it could be the initial place you take out your clothing.
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Where to Find Bed Bugs in a Hotel Room
Primary care physicianJason Singh, MD, informed his TikTok followers abouta June 2024 videoof other locations these troublesome creatures might be hiding—and how you can outwit them.
So, how many of you fully unpack yourclothesDid you transfer your belongings from your suitcases into the hotel dresser?” asks Dr. Singh, before explaining that “hotel dressers, particularly those constructed from wood or featuring joints and crevices, pose a risk for bed bug infestations.
“It’s not only beds that may have bed bugs; hotel dressers can also be affected,” he emphasizes again.
While hotelFurniture is quickly wiped between guests, Dr. Singh notes that the real hinges, tracks, and drawers in the dresser are not being “easily cleaned.” If there’s a bed bug problem developing, you and your clothing could be in significant danger.
How to Stay Clear of These Regions
A simple method to safeguard yourself from bed bugs is to avoid the dresser and instead make use of thecloset, according to Dr. Singh.
“I suggest using the hotel closet or hanging areas to keep your clothes, or simply take your clothes directly from your suitcase,” he says in the video.
Likewise,Anthony O’Neill, a pest control specialist with over 20 years of experience in the field, previously statedBest Lifethat the most secure location to store yourluggageIs the hotel’s bathtub or shower? “Bed bugs can’t climb smooth surfaces, and you’d easily see a bed bug in a light-colored bathtub,” he explained.
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Travelers Offer Their Personal Advice
In the comments section of Dr. Singh’s video, hundreds of TikTok users shared their own anti-bed bug traditions:
- “Store your suitcase in the bathtub and retrieve the clothes you need from it,” a retired pest control specialist verified.
- “Nope, it remains in the suitcase. I use a garbage bag for dirty clothes and take them directly to the washer after the trip,” another person said.
- I never unpack anything, even inluxury hotels,” one user added.
- “I consistently carry alcohol spray and mist the drawers and bed each night,” another person mentioned.
Why Bed Bugs Pose a Significant Threat in Hotel Rooms
Although bed bugs do not spread illness, their bites may cause itching, skin irritation, allergic responses, and costly home pest control expenses if they accompany you back.
They’re most commonly found in the mattress, as they “like to stay near their hosts, so they can emerge at night to take a blood meal without being seen,”Nancy Troyano, PhD, a certified entomologist withEhrlich Pest Control, previously toldBest Life.
You should also steer clear of wooden dressers, ensure your luggage is raised or stored in the bathroom, and carefully consider whether to open up any hidden spaces.Read the original article hereBest Life.
