Mom Warns Current Bed Bug Infestation in France Is Headed for the U.S.
With the absolutely insane amount of tourism the already-popular destination of Paris saw this year, it seemed inevitable that something bad was going to come out of all of it. That shoe finally dropped when news broke this week that Paris is absolutely infested with bed bugs. Forget just the hotels- they're on the metro, on ferries... just about every public space has them right now.
With as bad as the infestation is- compounded with current travel trends- chances are, those bed bugs are going to make their way here. On October 2, self-proclaimed "bed bug expert" Danielle Leyva warned about this imminent doom and shared what Americans can do to protect themselves.
Here's why we may be facing a big influx of bed bugs soon: as @danielleleyva noted, tons of influencers and tourists are in Paris, France right now. Yes, the city is infested with bed bugs, but it's also Fashion Week, and there are enough people willing to brave the bugs to attend it. Trouble is, the chances are high that at least a few of them will fly home with an infestation.
Here's the thing, though: anyone who stays in hotels or Airbnbs should already be vigilant about checking for bed bugs. If you stay wary and always check for bed bugs as soon as you check in, you greatly lower your risks of being exposed. Danielle's advice here is great: read Google reviews first, don't put your luggage on the bed, check underneath the mattress and under fitted sheets, etc.
But let's talk worst-case scenarios: what happens if you do end up with a bed bug infestation in your hotel? Tell hotel management, ASAP. Most reputable hotels will either find you a new room or at least partially refund your stay.
And perhaps most crucially of all- do not bring infested luggage or laundry into your home! Put all your clothes in plastic bags until you can clean them, then wash all your clothes in hot water and throw them in the dryer for at least 30 minutes on high heat (use dry cleaning for items that can't be washed, including soft luggage). If your hotel doesn't do this for you, I strongly recommend doing this in a laundromat or seperate laundry area so you don't even risk bringing bed bugs inside your home.
Bed bugs may be coming our way from across the pond soon. Are you ready for them?
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