Sleep tight and avoid the bites! Hotel expert reveals exactly how to check your room for BED BUGS in viral video – and all you need is a phone flashlight
- Hotel and travel expert Halee, based in the US, has gone viral for her hack that sees travelers lifting their mattresses to check for blood-sucking bed bugs
- The hospitality expert has worked in the hotel industry for 15 years and shared that guests should always check for bed bugs ‘before unpacking’
- From turning all the lights off to checking ever corner of your mattress, the hospitality expert detailed what you need to do to catch bed bugs
- She added that you should check for blood spots and take photos if you do find any indications of bugs and request a new room on the ‘other side’ of the hotel
- Users were shocked by the travel expert’s video and many even said they’ve been following these tricks for years
A hospitality expert has gone viral for her hack that sees travelers lifting their mattresses in search of blood-sucking bed bugs.
Hotel and travel expert Halee, who has worked in the industry for 15 years and is based in the US, has shared her tips for checking your rooms for any unwanted guests that’ll leave your skin crawling.
From turning all the lights off and closing the blinds to checking ever corner and crease of your mattress, the hospitality expert detailed what you need to do to catch those blood-sucking bugs before they get to you.
In a viral step-by-step video, Halee, who frequently posts her tips on Instagram and TikTok, explained how to search your room for bed bugs – which can be found on beds, sofas, walls, sheets and headboards – ‘before you even unpack.’
Hotel and travel expert Halee, based in the US, has gone viral for her hack that sees travelers lifting their mattresses to check for blood-sucking bed bugs
The hospitality expert has worked in the hotel industry for 15 years and shared that guests should always check for bed bugs ‘before unpacking’
From turning all the lights off to checking ever corner of your mattress, the hospitality expert detailed what you need to do to catch bed bugs (stock image)
Duetting a family of three who claimed they stayed in a room with bed bugs, Halee shared a video captioned, ‘This is how you should check your hotel room before you even unpack.’
‘The first thing you’re going to want to do is make sure your room is dark: Turn off the lights, close any shades, and use the flashlight on your phone,’ she explained.
‘And while everything is off, you’re going to come up here under the covers…you’re going to check on all the creases here on the bed.
‘They [bed bugs] usually like to hang out in the corners and the creases. Pay attention if there’s a mattress pad, too,’ she said at the beginning of her video.
She explained that the reason you should check for bed bugs in the dark is because they are ‘nocturnal, so they’re more likely to be out and about looking for their pray.’
Next up, the hospitality expert explained that even if you don’t see the bugs themselves, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
She added that you should check for ‘blood spots’ for signs of bed bugs.
‘Even if you don’t see bugs, make sure you check for spots. [Even] blood spots because that’s not a good sign, either,’ Halee said.
Bloods spots are an indication that bed are around, as the blood spots are filled with the bug’s blood-filled excrement.
She added that you should check for blood spots and take photos if you do find any indications of bugs and request a new room on the ‘other side’ of the hotel
She explained that the reason you should check for bed bugs in the dark is because they are ‘nocturnal, so they’re more likely to be out and about looking for their pray’
According to the CDC , bed bugs tend to live ‘within eight feet of people sleep’ and although many believe otherwise, the spaces bed bugs are found aren’t actually dirtier than others
Another indication that bed bugs are nearby is any signs of their shed exoskeletons after molting, this is usually found in areas like beds or sofas.
In a follow-up video, Halee said if you do find bed bugs in your hotel, you should ‘document everything.’
She noted that guests should document the ‘time they checked in, room number, everything.’
She then explained that you should ‘take pictures’ and make a note of everything before heading to the front desk and requesting a new room.
Halee explained most hotels will refund you and give you a new room, but she noted that you should always ask to move to the ‘other side of the hotel’ because bed bugs travel easily.
She added that if you found bed bugs after being bitten, ‘the first thing you need to to do is bag up all of your stuff, put it in plastic baggies.
‘You can even go to the front desk and get the housekeeping bags, because you don’t want to bring any of that into your car or anywhere else, you’re going to want to seal all of that up as soon as possible.
‘Once you’ve done that, go to the front desk and take all of it with you, they’ll probably give you your money back and try to find you a new room.
‘Keep in mind just because they’re in one room, doesn’t mean they’re in all the rooms.’
Bed bugs are small insects that survive on the blood of humans and animals and feed during the night time.
They are commonly found on mattresses, headboards and other furniture or fabrics.
Bed bugs come from other infested furniture or areas and can even hitch a ride or clothes, luggages, purses and backpacks.
They’re known for their reddish-brown color and flat shaped and according to the CDC, bed bugs tend to live ‘within eight feet of people sleep’ and although many believe otherwise, the spaces bed bugs are found aren’t actually dirtier than others.
Users were shocked by the travel expert’s video and many even said they’ve been following these tricks for years
Users were shocked by the travel expert’s video and many even said they’ve been following these tricks for years.
One user said: ‘I travel for work and we got bed bugs once a long time ago. Now I obsessively check every hotel no matter how fancy.’
Another user added: ‘I work in hotels as well and always do this as well.’
One user commented: ‘Appreciate you!’
‘As a housekeeper that’s the first thing I do in every room before I clean,’ added one user.