How to check bed for bed bugs

Inspecting Your Hotel Room for Bed Bugs (.pdf)

When staying in a hotel it is a good idea to inspect your room for bed bugs as soon as you arrive. You do not want to unpack or settle in until you have checked to see if there are bed bugs in your room.

Bring a small flashlight with you when going to stay at a hotel; this will make it easier to inspect your room. As soon as you arrive, keep your suitcase on the floor away from the bed or place it in the bathroom. These areas are less likely to have bed bugs. Never put your suitcase, clothes or personal items on the bed as this is the most common way to get bed bugs in your possessions and transfer them to your home.

A Basic Inspection

Start your inspection with the mattress, as this is the most common area for bed bugs. Gently remove the sheet and mattress pad inspecting the four corners of the mattress and box spring.

Another important place to inspect for bed bugs that is often overlooked is the luggage rack or valet. Inspect carefully, concentrating on cracks and crevices. Bed bugs maybe found on the luggage rack if they have come in on other travelers’ luggage.

An In-Depth Inspection

If you want to do a more in-depth inspection of your room we recommend the following.

Inspect along the edging, seams and other small areas of the mattress and box spring. Continue your inspection with the headboard. In most hotels the headboard is attached to the wall. Use your flashlight to look in the crack between the wall and the headboard.

Next inspect the furniture around the bed, and any pictures hanging on the wall. Bed bugs are known to hide behind framed pictures and around or on furniture. Make sure you inspect all the cracks and crevices of the night stand, including screw holes, joints and in the drawers. Once you have insured that these areas do not have bed bugs move on to other furniture in the room, especially upholstered chairs. As you are inspecting pay special attention to the seams.

If you find bed bugs in your hotel room notify the front desk immediately and ask to be moved to a new room, which is not next door to the room where you found bed bugs.

Precautions

When staying in a hotel it is a good idea to bring along a large plastic bag to put your dirty clothes into. Bed bugs can smell the chemical that we leave behind on our clothing and are attracted to this smell. Putting dirty clothing into a plastic bag will reduce the chance that you will get bed bugs on these items, and then bring them home with you.

If you stay in a hotel room and are worried about bed bugs take these precautions when you return home to reduce the risk of bringing bed bugs into your home.

• Immediately launder all the clothing you brought with you, or seal inside a plastic bag until it can be laundered. See the factsheet “Laundering Items to Kill Bed Bugs” for more information.
• Vacuum your suitcase, inside and out. Once you have finished vacuuming your suitcase immediately discard the contents of the vacuum in a plastic bag which can be sealed tightly shut and then put in the trash. The suitcase can then be stored inside a large plastic bag or box to insure, in the unlikely event that bed bugs did hitchhike, they cannot move from your suitcase into your home.
• Shoes can be wiped down with a damp cloth and hot water to reduce the risk of them being infested with bed bugs.

Bed bugs are treated directly, which makes it important to know exactly where they are, and where they are not, in your home. This will help you target where to treat for bed bugs and avoid wasting chemical. You also do not want to miss any bed bugs, which can cause a longer infestation.

Using your flashlight and flat-edged object, inspect your nightstand and dressers. Empty out each drawer and examine the cracks and joints of the drawers. Don't forget to turn your drawers over and inspect the bottoms.

Inspect curtains and drapes, around window and door frames, around the ceiling (especially in the corners of the room), behind loose wallpaper, behind outlet covers, under lamps, inside picture frames, and inside alarm clocks and other home electronics. Watch the video below for a demonstration of a bedbug inspection.

The Ultimate Guide to Bed Bugs Prevention, Treatment and Control in Singapore

Have you been getting unbearably itchy bed bugs bites causing sleepless nights? Or have you been noticing skin rashes that pop up from nowhere when you wake up every morning? If the answer is yes, then you might be facing a bed bug infestation.

You might be wondering what the source of a bed bug infestation is? And where do the bugs come from? The answer may surprise you. Humans bring in bed bug infestations, so we need to take some responsibility. Someone may pick up bed bugs from a hotel room, theatre, a plane or even from public transport. They climb onto your clothes or sneak into your luggage bags. Eventually, the beg bugs find a way into your home.

A bed bug infestation may be a headache to a lot of people. However, with some understanding, you can prevent or get rid of bed bugs infestations.

Types of Bed Bugs in Singapore

There are two commonly found species of bed bugs in Singapore:

• Common bed bug (Cimex lectularius)
• Tropical bed bug (Cimex Hemipterus)

Cimex lectularius has a worldwide distribution, especially in temperate regions. Cimex Hemipterus is a common species found in tropical and subtropical areas including Singapore. Both species feed on human blood and are important pests to the travel and hospitality industries.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

• Oval-shaped body
• Reddish-brown colour

Life Cycle and Biology

A female bed bug can lay 200 to 250 eggs in her lifetime and the eggs hatch in 6 to 10 days. The life cycle of a bed bug can be completed in as little as three weeks.

Bed bug larva undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. It takes five stages before a larva matures into an adult bed bug. A blood meal is needed each time before a nymph moults into the next stage. Bed bugs are opportunistic feeders. They consume as much blood as possible from you until they are fully engorged.

A tropical bed bug can live for up to 100 days while a common bed bug can live for up to 1 year. As much as they need blood meals for growth, bed bugs were found to be able to survive a long period without blood meals.

Have you ever wondered how a tiny bed bug can find its way to you? Bed bugs are attracted to the carbon dioxide and body heat given off by human bodies. A higher concentration of carbon dioxide due to human presence stimulates bed bugs to feed. As they approach the human host, they are attracted by the body heat of the host.

Hazards

Unlike many other pests, bed bugs do not transmit diseases to humans nor cause structural damage to buildings. However, bed bugs feed on human blood. Their presence can still have severe impacts on humans.

1. Allergic reactions

Bed bug bites are not harmful to humans. Some people do not even develop reactions toward the bites. However, people that develop allergic reactions to bed bug bites may have painful swelling or intense itching around the bites. In this scenario, medical attention will be needed to ease the symptoms of allergy.

2. Effect on mental health

Bed bug bites can be extremely itchy to some people. The itch from the bites can cause insomnia and even anxiety in cases of heavy infestations. Bed bugs may cause an affected individual to have sleepless nights, and the lack of sleep can further affect mental health and the ability to carry out normal daily activities.

3. Property damage

Bed bugs do not cause structural damage like termites and rats, but they can cause cosmetic damage to the property. In a heavily infested unit, blood speckles and the droppings of bed bugs can be found all over the unit including the mattresses, bed frames and walls. Owners need to replace the items if the stains are not removable. Also, repainting the walls can be costly.

4. Economic and reputation damage

Bed bugs are a serious threat to the hospitality industry as well as the transport industry. Hotels suffer a loss when the bed bug infestation decreases their capacity to accept guests. The cost to treat bed bug infestations is usually a significant amount that can badly affect a company.

Besides hotel rooms, bed bugs can also be found on planes, buses and trains, causing significant losses to the businesses. A business’s reputation can be badly affected by bed bugs. Numerous lawsuits may also come from bed bug infestations.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

Here are some signs that tell you that you have a bed bug infestation.

1. Bites

One of the most apparent signs that indicate a bed bug infestation is the presence of bite signs. It might be difficult to differentiate between the bites caused by bed bugs and other insects such as mosquitoes.

A bed bug usually bites more than once, so it is likely to leave numerous bites that cluster around several exposed parts of the body such as the face, neck, arms and legs.

2. Blood speckles on bedding and wall

Bed bugs hide in the corners and edges of a mattress, as well as other locations with cracks and crevices, including the wall. During the night, as bed bugs leave their hiding place to forage, you might accidentally crush them during your sleep. Crushing them causes their bodies to rupture, leaving behind blood stains on the mattress or wall.

3. Dark spots on mattress and wall

The droppings of bed bugs consist of digested blood which resembles black pepper flakes. They are commonly found near the hiding sites of the bed bugs so be sure to check the corners and edges of your mattresses and bed frames if you suspect a bed bug infestation.

4. Sickly sweet odour in the room

In places heavily infested with bed bugs, a pungent smell can be detected. People can have a different perception of how the odour smells. The odour is caused by the pheromones released by the bed bugs. Thus, the odour intensifies as the number of bed bugs present increases.

5. Cast skins of bed bugs

As mentioned earlier, bed bugs need to moult (cast off their skin) to grow. The sighting of cast skins (also known as exoskeletons) indicates the presence of bed bug infestations. The sightings of live bed bugs are also possible.

Tips to Prevent and Get Rid of Bed Bugs

1. Check your bed and sofa

While bed bugs are mostly found around your bed, they can hide around other locations such as the sofa too. Bed bugs locate themselves near the seams and zippers of mattresses and cushions.

They can also infest the gaps between cushions as well as the frames of beds and sofas. Inspecting the beds and sofas helps to detect bed bug infestations. This allows early action before the infestations worsen.

2. Check your luggage

Another major source of bed bug infestation is infested accommodation. As you are enjoying your vacation in resorts or hotels, bed bugs from an infested room may climb into your luggage and follow you back home. Inspect your luggage as you are unpacking them may help you prevent a bed bug infestation.

3. Be mindful when using shared laundry services

Launderettes and shared laundry services are convenient for people living far from home. However, the convenience does come with a risk of exposing yourself to bed bug infestations. Bed bugs may hide in the shared equipment, so do check your washed clothes for signs of bed bugs after using shared laundry services.

4. Check secondhand furniture and clothes

Buying pre-loved items are a great way to save costs and care for the environment. However, sometimes you are getting more than what you wish for as bed bugs may hide in items such as furniture, clothing and even stuffed toys.

Bed bugs can survive without a blood meal for up to 4 months, so they can even be found in items that have been left unattended. Make sure you check the items before you use them again to prevent bed bug infestations at home.

DIY Methods to Prevent and Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Getting rid of bed bugs on your own is not an easy task. However, some methods can reduce their presence or even remove them entirely in cases of light infestations.

1. Wash and dry in high temperature

Bed bugs can be killed when exposed to temperatures higher than 60°C. Washing or drying your mattress linen and clothes at high temperatures is one of the most effective ways to kill bed bugs.

2. Vacuuming

Vacuuming can remove the adult bed bugs, the nymphs and even the eggs. Focus on the potential hiding spots of bed bugs such as wall joints, cracks and crevices. Thoroughly vacuum the bed, including mattresses and bed frames to remove bed bugs.

Vacuuming together with washing linens at high temperatures may help to eliminate the bed bugs. However, if the situation does not improve, professional pest treatment is required to help solve your problem.

3. Use bedbug-proof encasements

Bed bug-proof encasements restrict the movements of bed bugs, thus preventing new infestations as well as trapping existing bed bugs. They are available in the market and work well to keep bed bugs off your bed as long as you install them correctly.

Professional Bed Bug Treatment

Residual insecticidal treatment is one of the treatment methods to get rid of bed bugs. The chemicals and products used by pest management professionals are different from those that are available over the counter (less effective). The application of residual insecticides targets the areas where bed bugs are most likely to hide and reside, such as:

• Seams of beds
• Folds of sofas
• Wall crevices

Killem Pest has employed steaming treatment as an alternative solution for bed bug control.

It is an environmentally friendly solution as it resolves and eliminates bed bugs and their eggs without the use of any insecticide.

The superheated dry steam from the specially designed appliance can be steamed up to 180°C, which directly kills the bed bugs and eggs upon contact. The steam generated will not cause damage to any surface or fabric. Instead, it can help to eradicate viruses, bacteria, germs and fungi on the treated surface.

Bed bug problems should not be underestimated. They are best solved before they become much more severe. In the case of a serious bed bug infestation, treatment methods may vary and can become more challenging. It is vital to identify the root cause of bed bug problems, recognize the source to avoid continuously bringing them back from outside. Lastly, help from a professional pest control company is strongly advised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, bed bugs are visible to the human eye. They typically have an oval-shaped body and reddish-brown colour.

Bed bugs are not considered dangerous, however, their bites may cause an allergic reaction which may require medical help.

Yes, bed bugs are common “guests” in Singapore homes and can be brought in on surfaces like clothes, furniture or bedding.

Bed bugs can come from various infested areas or surfaces, or used furniture. They can often be found in many forms of transportation or any public places and can travel with you from lounge areas, airports or airplanes.

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