Continuing From Monday…
Here are more things you should do when you check into a hotel room so that you can avoid having a NJ bed bug infestation in your home….
Using your flashlight, look along the baseboards, inside dresser drawers, and inside nightstand drawers for any signs of bed bug fecal matter or the skins that they shed (exoskeleton). The skins will be light brown in color.
If you see powder in the drawer in the room, that’s a good indication that there has been recent bed bug activity in the room and you will know that an exterminator has been on site.
Bed bugs are known to hide in bedside clocks, IPOD docking stations, phones, etc. All electronic devices should be carefully checked and knocked on a hard surface to see if any bugs drop out.
Bed bugs can easily hide in picture frames so be sure to inspect both the front and back of any artwork in the room.
Bed bugs seek harborage in dark places, so be sure to check the curtains in the room. Look for fecal matter, blood spots, and live or dead bugs or their skins.
Most hotel head boards are bolted to the wall so they are difficult to examine. Your best bet is to bang on the headboard and then take your flashlight to examine it entirely to see if any bugs were dislodged from their sleeping quarters. Don’t forget to look on the floor below.
Adult bed bugs are the size of an apple seed. You should check the entire bed for live or dead bed bugs of all different sizes. Be sure to carefully check along any seams as this is the favored spot for bed bugs to hide. Look for blood splatters and fecal matter too! Bed bugs tend to hide along the seams of the mattress. Tiny bed bugs can be embedded tightly within the seam, but are easily dislodged by running tweezers or a credit card along the seam line.
Experts agree that you should no longer use the dresser in a hotel or motel…even in a swanky 5 star hotel. Instead you should keep your clothing zipped up inside of your suitcase at all times or if you must unpack, hang your clothing or place items in large Ziploc storage bag for easy access.
Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.