Bed bugs are small blood-sucking insects that live in cracks and cervices in and around beds. They crawl out at night and bite exposed skin to feed on blood.
Bed bugs aren’t dangerous and don’t spread diseases, but their bites can be itchy and stressful to deal with, especially if an infection is severe.
Bed bugs aren’t attracted to dirt so are not a sign of an unclean home, but they can be spread by picking them up when away from home and bringing them home with you.
Places like hotels and hostels and rented accommodation are more likely to suffer from infestations due to the high number of occupants they have.
The more people who stay in a hotel or hostel, the higher the chance of someone causing an infestation by bringing bed bugs with them from somewhere else.
Follow these four tips to help prevent picking up bed bugs and carrying them into your home.
Inspect beds and mattresses
Inspect your bed and mattress at home regularly for signs of an infestation, and seek professional advice from a pest controller if you think your home may be infested.
When away from home, inspect the bed and mattress at the hotel or accommodation you are staying in.
If you suspect an infestation at a hotel, report it to management and avoid staying in that room.
As bed bugs spread from room to room, am infestation in one room unfortunately means other rooms may also be infested.
Signs of infestation can include the bugs themselves, hiding in the crevices of mattresses and furniture, but as they are small and hide well, you may not be able to spot them.
In this case, tiny brown or black spots on the mattress could be a giveaway sign – this could be bed bug poo.
Blood spots on the sheets are another tell tale sign – these can occur if you squash a bug in your sleep after it has fed.
You may also notice mottled bed bug shells on the bed, as bed bugs shed their skin as they grow.
Keep your suitcase away from the bed in hotels
Keeping your suitcase away from the bed can prevent potential bed bugs from crawling into it and going home with you.
The same goes for putting clothes on the bed. Keep clothes away from the bed and if you get bitten during the night, wash any clothes on or near the bed, including your pyjamas, on a high heat.
Avoid buying second-hand mattresses
Avoid buying second-hand mattresses as they may be infested.
Carefully inspect second-hand furniture before bringing it home, checking cracks and crevices for any bed bugs that could be lurking inside.
Keep your bedroom tidy
Keeping your bedroom tidy and removing clutter will reduce the number of places bed bugs can hide.
“Once in your home, they can quickly spread from room to room. They don’t jump or fly, but can crawl long distances,” said the NHS.