Airbnb Bed Bugs: How to Prevent and Get Rid of Those Pesky Guests at Your Short-term Rental

A few bug bites at your Airbnb can turn a guest’s stay into a nightmare – for them and you! Not only can bed bugs cause harm and stress to your clients, they can also lead to financial ruin for your business! Find out how you can eliminate these bloodsuckers and keep your listing free from Airbnb bed bugs!

Should you be concerned about Airbnb bed bugs?

Absolutely! As short-term rental owners, managers, and hosts, it’s our job to provide safe, clean, and livable lodging. And that includes getting rid of rodents and vermin that endanger our guest’s health.

That said, you have to be aware that bed bug infestations have been on the rise. If you want to know whether your area is a hotspot for bed bug infestations, check out this Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List for 2022. (And please, if your property is located in a city that’s on the list, you better pay close attention!)

Pest control experts say no building is exempt from a bed bug infestation. Any type of home is prone, and it has nothing to do with cleanliness or socioeconomic status. Exterminators have been treating for bed bugs anywhere, from the swankiest hotels to public housing.

In 2018, the National Pest Association conducted a survey and found that 91% of bed bugs were present in single-family homes and 89% in apartments or condominiums.

How do you get bed bugs anyway?

Known as the hitchhiker of insects, bed bugs (climex lectularius) can travel from place to place with ease — hitching on people’s luggage, clothes, purse, shoes, and other personal belongings.

They aren’t known to crawl inside people’s homes on their own. They are transported by humans. Many travelers become carriers of these non-flying critters without even knowing it.

Bed bugs infest both private and public places where people sleep or congregate. These include hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, dorm rooms, homeless shelters, prisons, military barracks, theaters, business offices, and even public transportation such as buses, subways, and trains.

Once inside homes, they like to hang around beds, couches, and easy chairs – anywhere humans spend a lot of time resting. They are drawn to the smell and warmth of human flesh.

Bed bugs will look for dark hiding spots near lounging areas and come out when people are asleep so they can suck on blood.

Aptly called “vampires of the insect world”, these parasites can ingest 7 times their own weight in blood, which is equivalent to an average-sized male drinking 120 gallons of liquid!

Bed bugs don’t burrow in wood but they can shelter in cracks and corners of wooden surfaces. They can make themselves so flat that they hide undetected in dark, undistrubed places – underneath mattresses, bed skirts, box springs, behind headboards, baseboards, loose or torn wallpaper, picture frames, and mirrors. They can also lurk inside drawers, chair cushions, power outlets, under lamps, and inside electronics.

While infestations commonly happen inside bedrooms, these wingless insects can easily migrate to other parts of a house. Here are some facts from PestWorld.org that are important for all property owners to know:

Bed bugs are one of the most prevalent and elusive pests in the U.S. They’re found in all 50 states.
Hatchlings are so small they can pass through a stitch-hole in a mattress.
They lay 1 to 5 eggs in a day and more than 500 in a lifetime.
They can withstand a wide range of climates and temperatures, from nearly freezing to 122 degrees F.
They can survive for several months* without a blood meal.

(*Some studies have found adult bugs to have the ability to survive without food for even beyond a year.)

Telltale signs that your place has bed bugs include blood stains on your bed, tiny black ink-like dots on surfaces (their droppings), and a sweet, musty smell in areas where they nest. Aside from live bugs, you’ll want to look for their eggs – which look like small grains of rice, about a millimeter in size – as well as the brown exoskeletons that they shed when they mature.

Why You Don’t Want Bed Bugs in Your Airbnb

Short-term rentals are at high risk of attracting bed bugs. They have shared spaces with high volumes of visitors coming in and out, many of them travelers from around the country or abroad.

When STR owners outline the potential risks to their rental business, they often think of just theft, fire, accidents or physical damages. They don’t realize that a bed bug infestation is just as much a threat or liability risk as the other ones.

Airbnb bed bugs can cause not only pain in your head but also a huge hole in your pocket. Extermination services could run anywhere from $500 to $5000, depending on the location and size of your property, the kind of treatment used, and the severity of the infestation. It can also make you seriously liable for personal damages to your guests.

Imagine these potential scenarios:

At the mere sight of bed bugs, guests can file a complaint with Airbnb and cancel their stay. You not only lose the income, you also risk getting terrible reviews.
An infestation is difficult to eliminate. You’d need the services of professional pest exterminators – which cost a lot of money
Your listing would be suspended (or your calendar blocked) by Airbnb and won’t be restored until you’ve totally eliminated the problem
Depending on the gravity of the infestation, you may have to discard your bed, mattress, and other furnishings.
While not everyone reacts to bed bug bites, those that do can suffer from terrible itching and develop ugly welts. For some people, multiple bites can set off an allergic reaction, trigger anemia, or lead to open sores that could develop an infection. Welts and sores can leave lasting scars that require costly dermatological treatments.
Last but certainly not least, you risk a bed bug liability lawsuit.

Yes, there’s such a thing as bed bug homeowner liability. In the world of lawsuits, bed bug liability is a sensitive issue with great potential for litigation. And the number of bed bug lawsuits has been on the rise. Considering that settlements range from $25,000 to $500,000 on average, you’ll want to steer way clear of this unwanted hassle!

Is there an Airbnb bed bugs policy?

Unfortunately, Airbnb doesn’t have a clear policy on bed bugs. They treat each complaint and situation on a case-to-case basis.

The company does take guest complaints about bed bugs seriously and will take down a listing until the problem has been fixed. They’ll likely issue an Airbnb bed bugs refund for the remaining nights of the guests’ stay, and relocate them to another listing nearby.

They’ll also ask the host to provide an estimate of how long it will take to get rid of the infestation. They’ll cancel and reassign your bookings until you’re able to show proof that extermination work is being done by professionals.

What to do if your Airbnb has bed bugs

If your guests start complaining of itchy bites on their skin – appearing as red, swollen welts in a line or zigzag – inspect your home immediately. If you confirm bed bug presence, apologize right away and transfer your guests to another property. Give them a refund* then cancel or reschedule all your bookings for the next week or so. Or until you’ve successfully resolved the issue.

(*We recommend giving a full refund. It would be better to lose a few bookings than to permanently damage your reputation due to bed bug-horror reviews.)

You’ll have to act fast because bed bugs multiply and move quickly from one room to another. You could be facing an infestation in your entire home, as well your neighbor’s – if you live in a multi-family or apartment building.

Here’s how to get rid of bed bugs from your Airbnb:

First, find out if there are laws or regulations on pest reporting and response in your state and area.
Call and schedule for professional pest extermination service.
Wash and dry all beddings in the highest heat possible for at least 30 minutes. If you use a laundromat, seal all your linen in a plastic bag to and from the facility. And always fold your laundry at home.
If your mattress is still salvageable, vacuum and steam clean it along with the pillows, box spring, and headboard. You can do the same with any furniture near the bed and the baseboard underneath. (Be sure to empty the vacuum in a sealed bag and dispose of it in an outdoor garbage bin.) If you’re getting a new mattress, though, make sure to bring it in only after the whole property has been rid of bed bugs.
Dust the mattress with diatomaceous earth or D.E. It’s a natural mineral that doesn’t have toxic chemicals. It works by damaging the bugs’ exoskeletons, dehydrating, and eventually killing them.
Seal all cracks on floors, walls, and windows with plaster or foam sealant.
Make sure no bed linen – duvets, runners, or bed skirts – is touching the floor. Consider putting plastic discs or cups dusted with D.E. under each leg of the bed. (A store-bought alternative would be Climb-up bug interceptors.)
If your listing is in a multi-family building, inform the condo association and advise them to inspect all other units. Everyone will have to be vigilant and you may have to work together to come up with a comprehensive eradication plan.
If your insurance covers bed bug damages, call them right away and submit a claim. (Proper Insurance is one of few companies that cover Airbnb bed bugs.)

How to Prevent Bed Bugs in your Airbnb

So how do you avoid bedbugs if you’re an Airbnb host? It goes without saying that you have to clean up after each guest. That’s an S.O.P. But also vacuum the bedrooms frequently to reduce the possibility of any hitchhikers lingering in the floor and bed spaces.

Here are other things you can do to prevent Airbnb bed bugs:

Educate yourself and train your cleaning staff on how to detect bed bugs. Make sure they know what to do if they find any.
Inspect your property regularly. Be extra wary during peak travel seasons like the summer and winter holidays.
Use zippered covers or encasements for your mattress, box spring, and pillows. And make sure they protect against bed bugs, not just dust mites, stains, and molds.
If your property is in an area that’s a bed bug hotspot, use iron bed frames and metal-legged nightstands. Bed bugs don’t like climbing up slippery metal structures. For headboards, go for leather, leatherette, vinyl, metal, or smooth, finished wood rather than fabric upholstery. A soft fabric surface is more difficult to treat if infested with bugs.
Position beds and furniture at least 6 inches away from walls. Isolate beds totally and make sure there’s no point of contact even with rugs, electric cords, side tables, or other furniture.
Opt for light-colored bedding and upholstery so you can easily spot any bugs.
Thoroughly check all second-hand furniture, upholstery, and decor before bringing them into your unit.
Provide a luggage rack (again with iron legs) and place it a good distance from the bed and walls. Keeping your guests’ luggage elevated and isolated would help reduce any chance of contamination in your house. A safer place for guests to stow their luggage is the bathroom.
Provide wardrobes and hangers for storing clothes instead of drawers. Try to also place a coat rack in the foyer or entryway of your house. In the bathrooms, use hampers with lids and interior linings for guests to stash dirty laundry in.
Remove or minimize clutter and unnecessary decor. If you can, provide a desk, counter, or shelving for guests to place and organize their things on. A room with less clutter will provide fewer places for critters to hide in.
Do a deep clean every 4 to 6 months. Double-wash all beddings in higher levels of heat then steam-press them. Do this, especially at the end of your peak season.
Schedule periodic inspections from a professional pest control team. Most service providers are happy to come and do a free inspection and cost estimate. An annual check would be ideal, which you can schedule during your slow season.
If your insurance doesn’t cover bed bugs, now’s the time to consider switching to one that does.
When you do your own traveling, check for bed bugs in your hotel room and store your luggage up off the ground. Use hard-shell suitcases as much as possible.

Conclusion

Airbnb bed bugs can be both a guest’s and a host’s worst nightmare. While it’s nearly impossible to prevent these critters from sneaking into your property, you can at least prevent them from infesting your home.

If you catch their presence early enough, it’ll be a lot easier and cheaper to address it then, than having to battle a full-blown infestation later.

As with most problems in life, prevention, and early detection is key.

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