Be careful with bed bug infestations: ten tips to prevent them from ruining you these months

High temperatures and increased traffic of people and goods favor its presence and expansion. We are talking about bed bug infestations in tourist accommodation, one of the most common in the summer season, according to the National Association of Environmental Health Companies (ANECPLA). The group recommends not neglecting what they consider to be one of the usual risks associated with the summer season. How to prevent those insects from ruining the holidays of the final stretch of summer? ANECPLA makes a series of recommendations to take into account and recalls the importance of having professional services responsible for tackling pests.

These small parasitic insects, about 6 millimeters long, have a great capacity to ruin anyone's vacation and for this reason, ANECPLA recommends both the hotel and tourist accommodation sectors to carry out preventive treatments carried out by professionals sector. "There is an erroneous belief that bedbugs proliferate in dirty conditions," denies the general director of ANECPLA, Milagros Fernández de Lezeta. «In Spain they were eradicated for more than half a century. However, in recent years they have re-emerged, and with great force, mainly due to pollution and the increase in the transit of people and goods, which are the main causes of the multiplication of this plague," he explains.

Bed bug bites can cause allergic reactions, as well as innumerable discomforts. It is also frequent that they generate anxiety and problems sleeping. Regarding the treatment of the bite, it is recommended to wash the area with soap and water and, in case of strong itching and irritation, apply a soothing lotion. If an allergic reaction is perceived, it is recommended to see a doctor as soon as possible for treatment. "They feed on human blood and it has recently been shown that they are capable of transmitting Chagas disease," says the general director of ANECPLA.

Once its presence is detected, it is very important to "avoid using domestic insecticides for its elimination since, by basing its activity on the repellent, they generate the opposite effect to that intended, spreading the pest to nearby spaces and neighboring areas."

1. When you travel, check the sheets, pillows, and mattresses.

2. Do not deposit luggage on top of the beds

3. If you've been bitten while you sleep, check the sheets for blood stains and check the seams on the mattresses.

4. Do not use household insecticides, they can generate resistance and help spread the pest.

5. In case of suspicion of contamination, quarantine luggage in a place away from bedrooms, etc.

6. If your luggage is contaminated, wash the garments at 60ºC, whether they have been used or not.

7. Avoid buying second-hand mattresses or pillows.

8. Bed bugs and their eggs can hide in laundry baskets, so it's a good idea to clean those as well.

9. Reduce the number of hiding places: in a messy house bed bugs will find more places to hide.

10. Go to professionals.