Possibly the greatest irony of the pest control world is the reality of how bed bug infestations happen. You would think bed bugs are the consummate homebodies. They’re literally known for never leaving beds. And yet the truth is, bed bugs are major travelers. They infest new properties by hitchhiking from place-to-place, hidden away and waiting. Where there are travelers, there are bed bugs.

You know what that means. Where are there more travelers than anywhere else? That’s right, hotels. People visit hotels from all over, and bring bags full of all kinds of stuff with them. If one of those bags has an unexpected passenger inside, the whole hotel could be at risk. As a hotel owner or manager, that’s the last thing you want. That’s why we’re here today to give you our top tips for keeping bed bugs out of your hotel now and in the future.

Use power outlet covers.

This prevention tip sounds a little peculiar, but trust us when we say it works. Power outlets are a place where bed bugs like to hide to evade extermination.

If you want to keep bed bugs away, take away places they can hide. Use cover outlets for any outlets that are not currently in use.
   

Avoid letting clutter build up.

This is a good practice for prevention of all varieties of pests – not just bed bugs. Keep your maintenance and storage rooms organized. Don’t let things pile up into haphazard messes.

Clutter gives bed bugs a place to hide and an opportunity to sneak around. Don’t give them these opportunities.
 

Use vacuum-sealed bags for storing vulnerable linens.

Vacuum-sealed bags do a very effective job of keeping bed bugs and other pests from accessing your linens. We recommend using plastic bags to protect clothing, sheets, and any other linens whenever they’re not being used.

We understand, however, that this isn’t always a viable option – especially for hotels. If you can’t keep all linens wrapped up when they’re not in-use, identify the most vulnerable ones instead. Keep lost-and-found items, stored, spare sheets, and other particularly vulnerable linens sealed up whenever you can. The fewer hideouts bed bugs have, the better!
 

Use mattress covers.

This is a given, but sometimes it’s easy to overlook the most obvious solutions. Use mattress covers on all the beds in your establishment to keep them safe from potential infestations. Bed bugs that can’t lay eggs in safe areas are bed bugs that can’t spread.
 

Include furniture inspections in your cleaning schedule.

Unfortunately, bed bugs don’t limit their infestations just to beds. They also love hide and even lay eggs inside furniture. Don’t let them. Look for bed bugs behind headboards, under sofas, beneath end tables, and around and near all baseboards.
 

Make sure you launder with high heat.

This is the simplest way to ensure that no eggs are ever left behind on your linens. High heat guarantees the eradication of bed bugs and eggs.
 

Call a company that practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

IPM effectively treats current infestations but most importantly, it also helps protect your property against all future infestations.

Partnering with a company that uses IPM is the single best way to protect your establishment against pest infestations, permanently.

Speaking of partners, never hesitate to call the IPM experts at Assured Environments about how to set up bed bug prevention measures for your hotel or business. We’ve been driving bed bugs out of New York businesses for more than 80 years, and we’ve learned a thing or two about how to do it right.