Next summer people from all over the World will be visiting Toronto for the Pan Am Games. Some will bring unexpected travellers to the hotel room you could be staying in. Some may get unexpected travellers on the way home. Bed bugs are on the rise, not only in Toronto, but all over the World. With the decreased use of many pesticides for environmental reasons, bed bugs are thriving!
Hotels are of particular concern because bed bugs love people. Hotels have a constant supply of their main food source: people. Plus, people bring them to the hotel from their home, further spreading bed bugs though out the hotel and to other hotels.
Tips to Avoid Bed Bugs at the Pan Am Games in Toronto 2015
- Check your room thoroughly
Although a visual inspection is nowhere near 100% accurate, when you arrive in your hotel room you should at least inspect the mattress for signs of blood stains and feces from the bed bugs. Check in the seams, that’s where they love to hide. Bed bugs don’t like light, so you may be hard pressed to see any.
- Move the bed away from the wall
Typically, bed bugs hide in the walls and trim around the room. It’s not foolproof, but if you move your bed away from the wall you can reduce the chances of them finding you in the night.
- Don’t store your suitcase on the floor or bed
If possible, use the suitcase racks. Putting your suitcase on the floor or the bed is just asking for a hitchhiker to take home with you. Do whatever you can to keep the bags closed and off the floor.
- Ask for another room
Don’t be afraid to ask for another room if you are in any way suspicious of a bed bug infestation. While most hotels have a really good pest control program, bed bugs are common in hotels just due to the volume of people that move in and out. Better safe than sorry.
- Don’t take your bags to your bedroom when you get home
When you return from your trip, take your bags directly to the laundry or leave outside in the garage for a few days. Bring the bags to your bedroom just gives bed bugs a new home if you were unlucky enough to bring some back with you.
- The absolute best way to be sure – A K9 Bed Bug Inspection
The absolute best way to be sure your hotel room isn’t contaminated with bed bugs is to have a canine bed bug inspection. For a reasonable cost, an inspector will show up with specially trained dogs that can sniff out bed bugs. They’ll check your room and you can sleep easy if you get a clean inspection. Dogs are close to 100% accurate.