How to check for bed bugs in a hotel room
11/10/25 7:45pm
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If you're in a hotel, don’t put your suitcase on the bed—leave it by the door while you inspect the room.
Start by checking the mattress, and make sure to pull the sheets back and inspect the mattress seams. Also, check the headboard, dressers, and baseboards. Look for bed bugs themselves or reddish splotches left by bed bugs (which are digested blood residue).
If you find bedbugs, move your suitcase immediately, notify hotel staff, and request another room (preferably not directly next to or above/below the infested room). In some cases, it’s best to leave the hotel altogether.
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Start by checking the mattress, and make sure to pull the sheets back and inspect the mattress seams. Also, check the headboard, dressers, and baseboards. Look for bed bugs themselves or reddish splotches left by bed bugs (which are digested blood residue).
If you find bedbugs, move your suitcase immediately, notify hotel staff, and request another room (preferably not directly next to or above/below the infested room). In some cases, it’s best to leave the hotel altogether.
To check a hotel room for bed bugs, start by putting your luggage in the bath tub or shower to keep it from getting infected if there are bed bugs. Then, use a flashlight to check the seams on the mattress underneath the bedding and sheets. Lift the edges of the bed up to see if any bedbugs scurry away. Next, inspect the baseboards and the cushions under any upholstered furniture. Lastly, check the drawers of the side tables and dresser.
Bed bugs have flat, reddish-brown bodies and are small—about the size of an apple seed (1 to 7 mm). They don't fly or jump. Look for bed bug eggs, too. They’re tiny, white dots that can be hard to see with the naked eye, but you may find a collection of them under a sheet or on a baseboard.
If you do find bed bugs (or you think you do, but you aren’t sure), immediately leave the room with your belongings and let the front desk know. They should refund you your money and help you find alternative housing.
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Bed bugs have flat, reddish-brown bodies and are small—about the size of an apple seed (1 to 7 mm). They don't fly or jump. Look for bed bug eggs, too. They’re tiny, white dots that can be hard to see with the naked eye, but you may find a collection of them under a sheet or on a baseboard.
If you do find bed bugs (or you think you do, but you aren’t sure), immediately leave the room with your belongings and let the front desk know. They should refund you your money and help you find alternative housing.
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