Uh-oh! The dreaded little blood spots have started appearing — small, round bugs have infested your hostel. Bed bugs are very invasive and spread throughout a space quickly. This doesn’t mean your hostel is dirty or undesirable; it just means a guest brought some uninvited enemies along for the ride.
If you don’t know where to turn now, we have you covered. This comprehensive guide will help you ensure your hostel transforms into a bed bug-free haven soon.
1. Contact a Professional Bed Bug Removal Service Right Away
Time is of the essence when it comes to treating a hostel bed bug invasion. While there are other preventive and restorative treatments you can do yourself, the professionals know best. It’s always a good idea to contact a bed bug removal service in your area as soon as you notice this problem.
Know the Signs: When to Call a Professional
Some signs of a bed bug infestation include:
- Bug bites on guests
- Dark blood spots on furniture
- Tiny brown spots (bed bug waste)
- Yellow skins from nymph shedding
- Small eggs and/or eggshells
- Sightings of live bed bugs
Even one sighting of any of these telltale signs calls for extreme measures. You’ll want to control the infestation before it completely takes over your hostel and causes more trouble.
2. Wash All Fabric in Hot Water
Bed bugs can’t survive in environments above certain temperatures. The best way to make sure clothing, furniture covers, and other fabrics are bed bug-free is to wash them in extremely hot water. Make sure the water reaches at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit to kill all of the bugs.
3. Vacuum Entire Rooms and Mattresses
Vacuuming is both a preventive measure and an easy bed bug treatment for hostels. Make sure all carpet floors, furniture, and mattresses are thoroughly vacuumed each time a room is cleaned.
If you’re trying to control an active infestation, dispose of the vacuum bag afterward. Make sure you seal the discarded bag in plastic to prevent bed bugs from reentering the hostel. You’ll need a brand-new vacuum bag to keep your space clean and free of these pests.
4. Get Rid of Infested Materials
Whenever possible, it’s best to just throw away infested materials. These can include sheets, linens, and furniture covers that are riddled with bed bugs.
It’s extremely difficult to clean up all of your materials and ensure that the bugs don’t come back. You might miss an unhatched egg or a live bed bug from time to time. If you can afford it, discard any materials that show signs of an active infestation.
5. Seal Items in Plastic to Starve Bed Bugs
Bed bugs need live hosts to survive. This means that if they’re physically cut off from their feeding sources, they will die. The best way to starve bed bugs in your hostel is to seal infested items in plastic bags. Make sure the bag’s seal is airtight with no possible exit spots — bed bugs are notorious for getting creative with their escape routes!
The downside to this method is that it takes at least 70 days for bed bugs to die of starvation. If you are really adamant about saving a particular item or material, you’ll need to exercise patience. Keep the sealed items away from guest rooms and out of sight, as this can drive away your business.
Once you remove an item from the sealed plastic, discard the bag and wash everything in hot water. You should also dry the item(s) on the hottest setting your dryer will allow.
6. Seal Any Cracks and Crevices in Your Hostel
Bed bugs love to hide out in tiny nooks and crannies throughout hostels. If you have cracks, paint chips, and crevices that you haven’t addressed yet, now is the time to do so. Use caulk, a silicone sealant, to ensure the cracks don’t break open again.
It’s also a good idea to keep external doors and inside windows sealed against the outdoors. This will help prevent bed bug infestations from extra foot traffic, even if the visitors aren’t hostel guests. Bed bugs can hitch a ride on pant legs, shoe laces, and other less visible clothing items. It’s important to keep them out of your hostel any way you can.
7. Invest in Metal Bug-Resistant Beds
Prevention matters when it comes to managing bed bug infestations. To reduce the chances of your hostel becoming infested, we recommend investing in bed bug-resistant furniture. Our metal bunk beds and bed bug proof resistant foam mattresses are designed to keep pests out and healthy, happy guests in.
Our bed bug-resistant beds for hostels are equipped with metal tubing that keeps bed bugs from nesting. Each foam mattress — complete with a zip-up washable cover — is also highly resistant to these persistent pests. You can ensure a comfortable, bed bug-free stay for each hostel guest with our bed bug-resistant bunk beds and mattresses.
Keep Your Hostel Pest-Free
Every hostel guest wants to feel satisfied, safe, and clean when they stay with you. Prevention is key when it comes to bed bug infestations, but you can also treat active infestations with care. Use this guide to ensure bed bugs don’t ruin the essence of your hostel.
ESS Universal manufactures and supplies high-quality, cost-effective commercial grade beds, mattresses, and furniture to camps, hostels, shelters, dorms and more. View our entire line of furniture products including our popular waterproof foam mattress for institutional use, single metal bed frames, single over single bunk beds, single over double bunk beds, and triple bunk beds. Download our catalog for detailed information on our complete product line.
