"Night-night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite." How often have we said those words while tucking in our kids at night, never really thinking about what they mean? An old nursery rhyme that thankfully has no relevance in today's word . . . or does it?
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| Source: Wikipedia Commons |
Bed bugs were nearly eradicated in America during the 1950's, when the now banned chemical DDT was killing them off. Unfortunately, bed bugs are now alive and well, and have made a huge comeback. Getting rid of them has become tedious, because they are so tiny and can live for up to a year with nothing to eat. There are specially trained dogs who can sniff out bed bugs. High heat (120*) is the one thing that will effectively kill them off.
From the run-down, dumpy motels to the nicest places you can stay, bed bugs are definitely a travel problem. Travelers unknowingly help to transfer them from one city to another, as the tiny creatures can hitch a ride on a suitcase to go to the next stop on the itinerary. The charts below explain what to look for.
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| Source: Bed Bug Downloads |
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| Source: Bed Bug Downloads |
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| Source: Bed Bug Downloads |
Are Your Sheets Clean?
To make matters worse, besides bed bugs, there is another worry out there for travelers: shoddy housekeeping. For one thing, housekeepers are not always changing the sheets in guestrooms! They are just re-making the bed inbetween new guests. Somebody checks out, somebody new checks in and the sheets stay the same. That is so gross; not to mention just plain laziness on the part of housekeeping. It makes me wonder what else is being skimmed over.
When you first arrive, make sure to pull back the covers all the way to the foot of the bed and inspect the sheets. Check for hair, indentations of previous people, and for any stains. Again, this happens in all room price ranges.
There are many articles out there on the internet on both of these subjects. I was recently talking to my friends who work in the hospitality industry and thought that I would share these two issues that are becoming more and more of a problem. Do you have any travel stories to share with us? Please leave a comment and tell us all about them, because inquiring minds want to know!
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8 comments:
I'm staying put now!!
Well, this was pleasant. I like the end of the rhyme: Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite. But if they do, HIT'EM WITH YOUR SHOE!
eeewwwwwww...dang, I'm never leavin' home again! Well, not until next spring, anyway! This was informative and...scary!!
Thanks!! I've been itching reading through this post... I fortunately have none but I know there's some in the building where I live...
:(~
HUGZ
Man, this makes me glad we have a nice travel trailer, and I think I am going to make sure it's our lodging of choice! Thank-you for the info, much read & appreciated.
Lovely!
My husband works for a pest control company and recently did video footage for their training videos on a bed bug treatment. Fun stuff, let me tell you!
Ugh. Not a fun thought, but something definitely worth considering while traveling. However, having been to India and returning home with nothing more than a sore throat from the dry airplane air, I sort of feel immune! But I'm taking no chances :D
Cheers!
Jen
Good information to remember, unfortunately. The trick is to be aware of things like this, but not let them keep you from doing the things you really want to do. Of course, you've solved that by buying your 5th wheel! (And can Dana sniff out bedbugs?!)
The bed bug issue has worried me. Maybe because one of our close friends is an exterminator. (Their phone message is "Hello! What's bugging you?") They are around here in homes and in the motels. I can't imagine what I'd do if I brought them home--probably call Ken!
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