We all know that reviews are worth their weight in gold. But if you have a slight mention of Bed Bugs, your potential guests will move to the next booking pretty quickly.
As accommodation providers, clean mattresses are essentially linked to your reputation, no matter how long you've been in operation.
Where do Bed Bugs come from?
The brown or red bugs can travel in clothing or luggage. So if you have a steady stream of guests, your property is more likely to have unwelcomed bed bugs.
So the focus is to be prepared for these pests, and our tips below will help you to make sure you’re only accommodating your paying guests.
What do bed bugs do?
Bed bugs feed on blood, usually at night. Their bites can cause rashes, and allergic reactions and can leave permanent scars. They aren’t restricted to beds, and can be found in most soft furnishing, and also cracks in the wall. They are naturally attracted to body heat
React positively to complaints
If anyone complains about bed bugs don’t waste time asking questions, accept their enquiry and refund them. Any complaints like this will be too damaging to your reputation to dispute. Remember, people talk and this is the fastest way to damage your hard-earned reputation.
Check the room at each check-out
Your housekeeping team should check the room for bed bugs on check-out and if a guest complaint has been reported.
Our Housekeeping Essentials for Hospitality course covers how the top hotels in the world check rooms for bed bugs. Bed bugs love nooks and crevices. Check the seams of mattresses, headboards (especially if these are material), box springs, and behind picture frames. Every room must be checked after every guest. Remember, it is best that the infestation is discovered by your staff, rather than a guest and can be actioned straight away.
What to do if bed bugs are found in the room
The room must be out of service immediately and pest control contacted.
The bedding must be washed in hot water for 30 minutes, followed by a hot setting in the dryer for 30 minutes. This will kill bed bugs and their eggs.
Use a steamer or professional upholstery cleaner on mattresses, couches and other places listed above.
How to prevent bed bugs in your accommodation
Encourage guests to keep their luggage on a rack (instead of placing on the bed where they can transfer from luggage to the bed), and the room tidy. If items are on the floor, the bed bugs have more choice of where to settle. Refrain from upholstered headboards. These tend to have buttons and cushioning, which are ideal for bed bugs to lay eggs.
Use a linen hire company to wash and iron bedding at the appropriate temperature to kill any bed bugs and eggs. Advise them of the infestation on collection to avoid spreading the infestation.
So the moral of this blog is that bed bugs can appear in the cleanest of rooms, therefore it’s imperative that all rooms are inspected after each guest, including communal areas and offices.
Bed bugs are not restricted to beds and can be transported on luggage and clothes. Initiate a bed bug protocol for your property to ensure that rooms are routinely inspected for bed bugs and there is a system in place for managing an outbreak.
How we can help
We care about your accommodation business and are focused on providing the training and resource to help your guest’s satisfaction.
Our specialist cleaning and housekeeping training deliver immediate results and improvements to your cleaning standards, helping you to deliver a first-class service to guests, confidence in staff, and fewer complaints. This is available online or in person (location dependent). We will give you all the information you need to provide an outstanding cleaning and housekeeping service that matches the standards of the top 5-star London hotels.
We have launched our additional services to accommodation providers in the Southampton and New Forest area. This includes commercial cleaning (including end of tenancy), maintenance service, and carpet and upholstery cleaning machine hire.
Follow us on social media or visit our website for more information
www.spotlighthospitalitytraining.com, or email us at hello@spotlighthospitalitytraining.co.uk to discuss a quotation.
About Edita
Spotlight Hospitality Solutions was formed in 2021, by hospitality hero, Edita Talat-Kelpsiene. Edita works primarily within the accommodation industry, as a provider herself, she manages a caravan, 3 apartments, and a house in Southampton (www.edkaroom.com) as well as her commercial laundry business (www.edkalaundry.co.uk). Her working history has seen her work for top hotels around the world, managing the housekeeping team training and processes.