Does anyone worry about this when traveling?

L

LoveTulips

Senior Member
Location
British Columbia, Canada
We have not travelled anywhere for 10 years or so. Mostly because of our incomes, being laid off. Anyways, not that we would go anywhere expensive, one thing that worries me, really, really worries me are bedbugs. When we travelled before, never even thought about it. However, I have been binge watching travel videos on youtube and even in a 7 star hotel, bedbugs were found. If we did go anywhere, I would take Walk with me Tim youtube video advice on how to look for them:
It takes about 20 minutes to check around your bed and surrounding area in the hotel room. I can see my hubby rolling his eyes right now, but better safe than sorry.
 

No, I have never worried about bed bugs when traveling. I do remember catching a case of crabs in a hotel bed in Marrakesh, Morocco, back in 1963. When I got to Spanish Ceuta, I went to a pharmacy there and showed the pharmacist a drawing I had made of a crab. The pharmacist shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he did not understand. I then said, "Pero muy pequeño aquí," while pointing to my pubic area. The pharmacist immediately understood and sold me a little bottle of a clear liquid, and indicated that I was to rub it on the afflicted area—which I did back in my hotel room and was soon jumping around in agony, fanning myself like crazy while my traveling companion roared with laughter. Anyway, whatever it was in that little bottle it killed every crab on me.
 
When we have travelled, I am not concerned BUT Misa is. :) I did a little research on this wondering the percent of places that have bed-bugs. It seems like
estimates vary, but it's generally believed that around 5% to 15% of hotels and hostels worldwide could potentially have bedbugs. However, this number can be somewhat misleading, as the actual rates vary greatly depending on the cleanliness and quality of the establishment.

For instance, a high-end hotel is less likely to have a bedbug infestation than a budget motel. But that's not to say that more expensive hotels are immune to bedbugs either. Even the most luxurious hotels can sometimes fall victim to an infestation, as these critters don't discriminate when it comes to where they settle in.

While bedbugs can certainly be a concern when traveling, don't let that stop you from exploring the world. With a little bit of awareness and a few simple precautions, you can minimize the risk of encountering these unwanted pests. 🤔🐛
 
LoveTulips said:
We have not travelled anywhere for 10 years or so. Mostly because of our incomes, being laid off. Anyways, not that we would go anywhere expensive, one thing that worries me, really, really worries me are bedbugs. When we travelled before, never even thought about it. However, I have been binge watching travel videos on youtube and even in a 7 star hotel, bedbugs were found. If we did go anywhere, I would take Walk with me Tim youtube video advice on how to look for them:
It takes about 20 minutes to check around your bed and surrounding area in the hotel room. I can see my hubby rolling his eyes right now, but better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

Bed bugs hit the headlines in recent times, but honestly I never worried about them in my travels. There's a lot going on when you travel, I didn't need anything else to worry about! :D
 
It takes less than a minute to lift up the sheets and check the edge of the matress,and I always do that. Never set my bags on the bed or on any upholstered furniture,or even on the stand for your luggage. Sounds like I`m obsessed but I`m really not. Just careful.

When my grandson was an apprentice lineman,he worked for a company that did not pay for rooms when they were working out of town.So the guys always found the least expensive places possible. This one time,they were working in Santa Clara,CA (Silicon Valley) and he woke up the first morning itching like crazy.Yep,bedbugs. I should also mention that he opened the drawer of the nightstand only to find drug paraphanalia-yuck.So it wasn`t a high end place for sure,but finding something affordable there would probably cost a days wages.
 
Well 20 minutes out of let's say, a week's of vacation, is well worth to me to look for bedbugs. But my hubby would probably agree with you
Click to expand...

20 minutes of a weeks vacation if the entire week is staying in one place - we often travel and spend a few days here, a few days there, a night in a hotel on way home etc - it would be 20 minutes in each one

Its 20 minutes I wont be doing anywhere though
 
John cycling said:
Along with detailed inspections, light sprinklings of food grade diatomaceous earth are the best remedy
to get rid of bed bugs. Food grade diatomaceous earth also works to get rid of fleas and other similar insects.
Click to expand...
I use this in my garden a lot. It is a great remedy because it is non-toxic and of no concern other than inhaling the dust. It is just fine dust from mud that coats their exoskeleton.
 
LoveTulips said:
We have not travelled anywhere for 10 years or so. Mostly because of our incomes, being laid off. Anyways, not that we would go anywhere expensive, one thing that worries me, really, really worries me are bedbugs. When we travelled before, never even thought about it. However, I have been binge watching travel videos on youtube and even in a 7 star hotel, bedbugs were found. If we did go anywhere, I would take Walk with me Tim youtube video advice on how to look for them:
It takes about 20 minutes to check around your bed and surrounding area in the hotel room. I can see my hubby rolling his eyes right now, but better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...
You need to stop watching those videos. (Also watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix to learn how YouTube is designed to addict you to fear.)

I have stayed at plenty of the least expensive motels because of my budget and I have not found a single bed bug or gotten a bite, ever.

Read all the online reviews about a place before you book. If anyone from the past year mentions bedbugs, don't book it.
 
Bedbugs are taking over and they are everywhere. I have had them in the past two years and I do not travel. I have done research on them and you can get them anywhere not just traveling. In a waiting room, a taxi or bus, in a dentist chair, a restaurant.....you get the idea. I have had them in my apartment and it is a nightmare getting rid of them. I threw out a lot of my things. Vacuuming often is the key. Do not store things under your beds. Do not buy clothing or bedding from thrift stores. Less clutter the better. They can survive a long time in your walls and furniture. Just last week the apartment above me was sprayed for them.
 
Progressive pest control companies now have bed bug detector Dogs that are trained to sniff out the bugs. The dogs are trained to recognize the smell of the bugs and their eggs. The dogs are small breeds like beagles or terriers, who have a strong work drive personality. Training a bed bug dog takes 3 weeks at a special school, and the handler also has to be taught how to work with the dog properly. The pest control companies sell their dog services to national hotel and motel chains. The dogs are trained to "alert " when they smell the target scent. They sit down, or paw at the location, or freeze and point their nose at the location of the bugs. link to bed bug training schools.

Bed Bug Detection Dogs | Highland Canine Training
 

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