8 Bed Bug Myths Debunked

There are many truths about bedbugs. They are notoriously difficult to kill. They get around by hitchhiking with humans and they feed on our blood. There are, however, many myths that perpetuate misinformation about bedbugs, scaring hoteliers and their guests and even causing irreparable damage to business reputations. We debunk the 8 most popular myths here.

Myth 1: Bed bugs infest dirty hotels

Cleanliness, or a lack thereof, is not a driving factor in where bedbugs choose to make their home. Bedbugs spread by ‘hitchhiking’ a ride on travellers’ luggage which means they can be introduced to a hotel at any time, by anyone.

Myth 2: Bed bugs only infest beds

Bed bugs are not constrained to mattresses and are often found in curtains, furniture, sockets, carpets and skirting boards. If you’ve found bed bugs in your bed, they’re likely to be in other parts of the room.

Myth 3: The only way to get rid of bed bugs is to throw out the mattress

It is possible to get rid of bed bugs without dumping your mattress or other pieces of furniture. Our technique involves sealing off the room and treating it with either a heat treatment or other non-corrosive, non-toxic chemical.

Myth 4: No bites, no bed bugs

If you wait until a hotel guest has been bitten by bed bugs to tackle your problem, it’s already too late. Effective bed bug management calls for a more proactive approach which involves training of housekeeping staff to identify early signs with regular inspections.

Myth 5: Bed bugs spread disease

Bed bugs do not spread disease. While they are not ideal, your biggest concern is an itchy bite, although some people may develop minor swelling or a rash.  While there are no particular patterns with bed bugs, a common sign is that several bites often appear in a line along an exposed area.

Myth 6: Bed bugs can fly

Bed bugs are surprisingly very limited in their mobility. They do not fly or jump. Instead they crawl roughly one metre a minute and find their way throughout a property by crawling through vents, electrical conduits, beneath doors and other openings.

Myth 7: Bed bugs only bite at night

Bed bug bites mostly occur at night because this is when the host is motionless. Bites however can occur at any time.

Myth 8: Bed bugs only live in big cities

Bed bugs are most commonly reported in big cities because they favour anywhere that has a high turnover of people.

Interested in a bed bug prevention plan for your hotel or guest house? Call us on 5999 724 3011 or contact us online and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.