Hotel worker warns: do this bed bug check before you sleep

A hotel worker has urged guests not to leap straight onto the bed after checking into their rooms. While a comfortable double bed or larger may appear tempting, conducting a few inspections beforehand could prove worthwhile, according to Natalie Brookson.

The 37-year-old, who has spent years working in hospitality, said she was left “horrified” after discovering the minimal attention paid to bed bugs.

According to her, inspections for bed bugs were conducted in just 10 per cent of rooms at the chain where she was employed.

“If you thought the little critters were frequently checked for in hotel rooms, you’d be wrong,” she said.

Speaking to Woman’s Own Magazine, Natalie encouraged hotel guests to perform their own comprehensive checks before getting comfortable.

To identify bed bugs, she recommended examining the seams of the mattress and any buttons closely, as these are the areas where they typically hide themselves and lay their eggs. Small blood marks on the sheets can also signal their presence, she warned.

Standard guidance suggests checking confined, concealed spaces such as mattress seams and labels, bed frame joints, the headboard (both front and rear), behind bedside furniture, within cracks in walls or skirting boards, and around electrical sockets or picture frames.

In more severe infestations, there may also be a sugary, musty smell, reminiscent of damp towels. Natalie also revealed there is “a second check” that is absolutely essential. “And one you’ve seen the outline of a body on top of a mattress, showing how heavily a previous user sweated on it, you know to never sleep in a hotel bed unless it has a mattress topper. That’s the second check I always make,” she added.

The hotel insider also warned that guests should “think twice” before resting their heads on decorative pillows. Despite their pristine appearance, she cannot recall them ever being washed.

The same vigilance should be applied to glasses left in the room, with Natalie urging guests to give them a thorough wash before use.

Meanwhile, should you suspect you have brought bed bugs home from your travels, Martin Seeley, CEO of MattressNextDay, has offered guidance on how to act swiftly.

He said: “If you believe you have brought bed bugs home from your holiday, it’s important to deal with the infestation straight away.

“These small, flat pip-like insects feed on human blood, leaving behind itchy bites and potentially triggering allergic reactions.”

He went on to warn: “However, what many people are unaware of is that they’re able to survive for up to a year without feeding on any blood, making it easy for a single bed bug to quickly escalate into a full-blown infestation.”

Martin further cautioned that female bed bugs are capable of laying between 200 and 500 eggs across a two-month period, in batches of 10 to 50, meaning infestations can spiral far more rapidly than most people would ever anticipate. “The eggs themselves are sticky and can attach to furniture, clothing and other items, spreading them further too,” he added.

To combat this, he suggests keeping luggage away from the bed and storing personal belongings in drawers wherever possible.

Martin also recommends that travellers pack a dedicated laundry bag for soiled clothing and seal it as tightly as possible.