{"id":152024,"date":"2024-02-15T17:31:21","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T17:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/02\/15\/here-is-one-crucial-thing-you-should-do-the-moment-you-enter-your-hotel-room\/"},"modified":"2024-02-15T17:31:21","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T17:31:21","slug":"here-is-one-crucial-thing-you-should-do-the-moment-you-enter-your-hotel-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/02\/15\/here-is-one-crucial-thing-you-should-do-the-moment-you-enter-your-hotel-room\/","title":{"rendered":"Here is one crucial thing you should do the moment you enter your hotel room"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Travellers are being warned to avoid making this one mistake (Image: Getty Images)
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When you first arrive at your hotel room after a long day of travel, it\u2019s tempting to want to drop your suitcase and immediately flop onto the bed.<\/p>\n

But experts say this is one of the cruicial mistakes travellers make, as it could leave you with an infestation that can be difficult to get rid of. Travellers staying in any hotel \u2015 basic or fancy \u2015 should avoid getting in or on the bed before performing a quick\u00a0bed bug\u00a0check. This involves getting under that mattress and taking thirty seconds or so to sweep the area.<\/p>\n

Instead, the critters crave \u201cwarmth, blood and carbon dioxide,\u201d according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and enjoy feasting on the blood of sleeping humans. The\u00a0NHS\u00a0says bed bug bites can be itchy, but they do not usually cause other health problems.<\/p>\n

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Bed bugs\u00a0can hide anywhere, including on bed frames, mattresses, clothing, furniture, behind pictures and under loose wallpaper. They often leave signs of their presence in the form of blood spots (often found on mattresses), small brown spots on bedding or furniture (bedbug poo) and bites on your skin.<\/p>\n

In October last year, an\u00a0epidemic of bedbugs\u00a0saw the streets of Paris littered with piles of abandoned mattresses amid concerns the UK could be next in line for an infestation.<\/p>\n

All holidaymakers are being warned to stay on the lookout, as bed bugs don\u2019t discriminate and can be found in good or bad hotels around the world.<\/p>\n

Bologna added: \u201cThey like upholstery \u2014 just look at the sheets. Just peel back one of the corners of the bed, look at the seams of the mattress\u2026 just check. Check anything upholstered. Look at the headboard. Look at the chairs. If you don\u2019t see anything, you\u2019re probably totally fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who are really cautious \u2014 like my friends who have had bed bugs \u2014 put their suitcase in the bathtub\u2026 just not on upholstery,\u201d Bologna said. \u201cMost hotel rooms are carpeted, so just don\u2019t have your bag on carpeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you find bed bugs in your hotel or place of accommodation, you should report it to management immediately, or you may increase your risk of bringing the critters home.<\/p>\n

Bologna also warned travellers to distance themselves from the problem adequately. She added: \u201cIf you decide you don\u2019t want to leave the hotel but you want to switch rooms, don\u2019t move to an adjacent room because that would be likely to have the same problem,\u201d she warned.<\/p>\n

According to the NHS, bed bug bites usually clear up on their own in a week or so, but in the meantime, you can put something cool on them, like a clean, damp cloth, to help with the itching and any swelling. If you\u2019ve been bitten, it is also advised to keep the affected area clean and avoid scratching the bites as it could leas to an infection.<\/p>\n

Koku Anyidoho graduates from Galilee International Management Institute<\/strong><\/p>\n

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