Earlier this year, Orkin’s annual list of the “50 Worst American Cities for Bed Bugs” was released. While the order of the cities may slightly shift each year, one fact remains constant: these bugs aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they are increasing, and not merely in urban areas. Suburban and rural America are also becoming homes for the pests as their relentless march continues. While we’ve always known that the eight million residents of New York City fight the pests, we now see that several counties in North Dakota are seeing increasing bed bug reports over the last few months. The bed bug population is growing due to several factors, most notably the return to frequent travel post COVID-19 and the lack of knowledge about how to prevent infestations in the first place.
Bed bugs are not just a simple nuisance for individual households as they can affect entire industries. Hospitality is a notable victim of these pests, as guests are the perfect targets for these bugs. Bed bugs stay in rooms that are less than thoroughly cleaned, emerge from numerous places—often suitcases—that allow them to “hitchhike” along with them, and sleep in beds that innumerable individuals have occupied.
The downside of a negative guest experience can turn exponential. The presence of these pests can lead to negative social reviews, potential lawsuits and costly treatments for hotel owners. Guests who have experienced bed bug bites or seen evidence of these pests in their rooms therefore have an outsized ability to deter potential customers from booking a stay. This domino effect can significantly impact the hotel’s revenue, brand reputation and future bookings. By taking proactive steps to protect their guests and property, hotels can mitigate the impact of these pesky insects on their business. But how?
Prevention is the best path a hotel can follow when it comes to protecting their guests. Many establishments rely on “reactive” strategies to “clean up” following a bed bug infestation. By then, however, the damage has been done. A ”reactive” approach cannot stop an upset guest from posting about their anxiety-inducing stay. In contrast, a “proactive” approach emphasizes and relies upon the “preventive” component of a comprehensive strategy that will likely keep an major outbreak from occurring in the first place.
The EPA suggests using a pretreated mattress cover to prevent bed bugs from infesting your mattress or box spring. The leading pretreated mattress cover, or “active mattress liner,” is ActiveGuard™. Placing an active mattress liner over a mattress or box spring provides constant protection from bed bugs laying their eggs, immediately eliminating infestations from taking hold. More importantly, active mattress liners offer long-term protection: they last for two years, after which they merely need to be replaced. Finally, they require no maintenance. “Set it and forget it” is all you need to do. That high level of protection allows you and your staff to stop worrying about any looming bed bug surges, instead focusing on providing the best possible service to your guests.
Click here to learn more about how ActiveGuard can be seamlessly integrated into your existing prevention protocols. You will learn how they are unmatched as part of an effective bed bug strategy.