In this episode, Jeff White discusses bed bugs and Airbnb rentals. Hear about what you can do if your rental has bed bugs and what you can expect from Airbnb if you have bed bugs.
We stayed at an AirBnb in December 2021 in Alberta. Husband started complaining of itchy bumps on hands after first night. I figured it was a rash related to dry skin or even stress, but laundered the sheets in case it had been the soap used in laundering sheets. Next day, he was much worse. He wondered if it could be bed bugs. We removed the sheets again, inspected the mattress, but nothing. Tipped the mattress against the wall and flipped up the box spring and on the undersurface of the box spring frame we found 2 tiny amber flecks (the shed skin of bed bug) and then a live bug, which we captured and put in jar. We provided several photos of the bug and of the bites. My husband had 27 bites on his arms alone. He was miserable- and more than 10 days later his sores are resolving but he continues to have itching and lots of scabs. The bites are often in a line, one after the other. Doctors refer to that as the "breakfast, lunch, and dinner" sign. AirBnb owner was very responsive. They had a pest professional come out right away and they confirmed the findings. We requested a refund, and they initially refunded only the remaining nights on our stay, not the 2 nights we had spent there. When we followed up, they agreed to refund the additional 2 nights if we agreed not to write a review. AirBnb company was not easy to deal with. They were vague in their policy of what they would cover since we had to move and find new accomodations. They sent me this note: "If you can check into a nearby hotel, we'd like you to do so for, (sic) We can cover up to 50% of your original reservation's total cost, so please send us a receipt copy for reimbursment if this hotel is more expensive per night than your listing. We can only offer you a maximum of 3 nights in a hotel, so given your reservation has currently more than 3 days remaining, we'd ask you to move back into an Airbnb form Dec 23 onward'. They did not want us to move directly into an AirBnb to protect their properties- as we were now 'contaminated'- but it was OK to go to a hotel. When we moved to an AirBnb after the hotel, they said they 'specifically told you not to go to an AirBnb'. I sent the hotel receipt and had to fight for 1 night of compensation despite what was written above. Despite their promise of help in finding new accomodation-- we did not receive any. After much back and forth with AirBnb they gave us a $30 credit towards a future booking. Ugh. It was a miserable experience and we now know more about bedbugs than we ever wanted to. The only upside of the polar temperatures in Alberta was that we could leave our suitcases in the trunk of the car for several days and it was cold enough (-25 degrees C) to kill any bugs that could have tried to hitch a ride. Our clothes we treated on high heat in the dryer for 30 minutes, and kept them in plastic bags, not back in the suitcases. The reality is that if you travel, you may have an encounter with bedbugs. It doesn't matter how clean or nice the accmodation is.People travel, and so do bedbugs. In the future, I will always: 1. Inspect the mattress/headboard for evidence of bedbugs at the time of moving in. There is a lot of info online about what to look for. 2. Do not put suitcases or clothes on the bed. 3. Keep your suitcase more than 10 feet away from bed, not on floor. Inspect the suitcase stand before using. When in doubt- just store your suitcase in the tub. 4. I had photos of bites, captured a live bug, and took photos/video of it. In hindsight, I wish I had vlogged as the story unfolded.
Bed bugs, roaches, ants, bees. It’s part of life. No matter how many treatments: they come back. Please don’t punish because of nature. I would understand if it was infested and nothing was done.
I’ve got an AirBnB in central London and they appeared after a few guests, the flat had tenants for nearly 20 years prior never any issues - I jointly own 10 others and again only ever had one issue with BB’s and that was a tenant who got back from travelling hostels etc. I’m using clear silicone gun to fill gaps and cracks. Plus you have to do everything, prevention is the best. I’ve been mouse-proofing in my flats for years quite successfully and bed bugs act in a similar fashion ( as opposed to carpet mites, fleas) mature bed bugs can travel quite long distances ( up to 20 ft I’ve read ) so seals on bottom of doors for example, repeated vacuuming, spraying and heating ( up to 60 degrees C ). Bed bug proof mattress covers too.
Ugh these things (just started to notice about two weeks ago.) I didn’t get to bothered by the bites, felt like a bit of itching like every other night. Then saw one, and then searched. Between mattress and box spring. Bam, a few came out. Black spots it the sown edges, and like little white one. Hearing that’s eggs or larva state. I did what everyone says not to do now. Threw out the mattress, and not wrapped :/ But it was going anyways. This is what stinks. Cause sister knew money was really rough. She buys me a a foam forming all in one (no box spring) mattress. And with pillows to. So I got this good mattress. It’s at least off the floor, (I didn’t want to put it up.) But couldn’t sleep on the ground. And I’m almost broke every month. Live with friends (adults, so not a party house.) House is fairly new. I look at pic I got of one. Which was pretty high Rez. So I could zoom in on it. And I looked for every sign that it could be something else. But I’m like 99% sure. I mean I lined it up against pic after pic. Plus they act like them. They feed off me. And they can explode red or sometimes black if squished. Have a certain smell on them. So I barely have any money. No way I can do extermination. Thus I search and read, and go with. Trying to wash as much as I can hot. And buy (of corse) ED dust. Do the cracks draws (some with stuff en them!) some sockets. But friends are out of town. And I can’t find a screwdriver to save my life to dust outlets. I just try and track them. I realize ED can’t dehydrate them right away. But they leave like any holes where the possibility came out from. I try to notice areas. And then I saw your 2016 I think? Lecture on how Cimexa is actually better. And I’m like dang. Plus I have this new bed. But the frame crosses on the back bottom and front. Thus you can’t just sit a post into (forget what those are called to trap them, or keep them off. So I’ve tried reverse taping anything that goes up on the frame. Not sure how that will work. And I’m going threw any boxes I have and checking. Then moving them into another room, where no one is at. Thinking, well it will eventually get clutter out of the room. Hopefully they won’t (if I missed one) stay in those draws or boxes or whatever. And stay or come to me the host. I knew to keep the dust dry at least. No way it can get wet. I use some spray when I see one (which it’s not bad yet.) Plus their tricky sneaky. But if I see one, I’ll spray, unless it’s by the dust. Cause wanting to keep that real dry. But even if I somehow freakishly rid my room. My friends rooms are bound to get it. My friend was getting bit by probably these before he went out of town. I wasn’t. So I’m like, if this builds. We can’t pay for infestation. Probably can’t afford a steam cleaner/heater. Although that seems like it would be vary useful if mixed with Cimexa use. But all I can think of, is how are we going to deal with this, when it gets worse. As we probably don’t have the means to keep it as low of a infestation as it is now? It’s nuts what companies want to charge for bed bugs compared to anything else. Cause it even takes them time. We’re clueless on how are we going to go about this in a affordable way. Yea the house is nice, but we’re on the edge after that. Not even a decent vacuum cleaner. And that’s key. Had to borrow a good one, to try and vacuum deeper. Ares is just bad. Ok for average cleaning. But not to suck those up. I never heard of these things till like 2 years ago. Thinking, hum seems like a lot are getting this. Will never happen to us though, to rare, and house is to clean. These things are trouble though. I’d take roaches if I had a choice over these. Like I said, doesn’t seem like many yet. But from what I read, it will be if we can’t figure something out. How can people on a budget deal? It’s the only bug we have! And it seems from what I hear from others. This is becoming worse for everyone vary quickly. Like a freak epidemic is coming?
I wonder though. If the powder drys them or kills them eventually. And you sleep in your bed that’s constantly surrounded by it. Wouldn’t they just wear off after awhile.
Never had this problem before, in San Jose Cali, air bnb Found out last night the place has bed bugs and killed many, but didn’t think of taking pics... so I have no proof to tell the owner... and my air bnb has a room decider paper thin and there’s another guest in the other section... was thinking in spraying but the neighbor is the problem we will smell the pesticide and might go nuts. What should I do?
