Brits warned to check their hotel rooms for bed bugs amid Spanish airport outbreak

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport – the largest airport in Spain and the sixth largest in Europe – was fumigated last week following reports of a bed bug outbreak

The largest airport in Spain has been hit with a reported bed bug outbreak.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport was fumigated last week following widespread reports of insect outbreaks, including bed bugs. Some holidaymakers have photographed bite marks they claim to have received during transit through Europe’s second-largest airport.

Airport workers have reported insect bites, prompting the airport’s managing body to hire a pest control company that has fumigated hallways, furniture, and check-in belts for bedbugs, ticks, and cockroaches. There are also reports of outbreaks at Mallaga Airport in the south of the country, although airport authorities have denied this.

Martin Seeley, the CEO and mattress expert at MattressNextDay, has explained why an infestation is serious and his top seven tips to prevent bringing them back from holiday.

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“If you believe you have brought bed bugs home from your holiday, it’s important to deal with the infestation straight away. These small, flat pip-like insects feed on human blood, leaving behind itchy bites and potentially triggering allergic reactions,” Martin said.

“However, what many people are unaware of is that they’re able to survive for up to a year without feeding on any blood, making it easy for a single bed bug to quickly escalate into a full-blown infestation.

“What’s more, female bed bugs lay 200-500 eggs over two months in batches of 10 to 50, allowing them to breed much quicker than you’d like to believe. The eggs themselves are sticky and can attach to furniture, clothing and other items, spreading them further too.”

Martin’s top seven tips for avoiding bringing bed bugs home from holidays

Inspect your hotel room as soon as you arrive

Upon arrival, check the mattress, bedding, and surrounding areas for dark spots, red or rust-coloured stains, and egg clusters. One of the main culprits of bedbugs is hotel rooms. So before you bed down for the night, inspect the mattress, bedding and other areas of the room for any dark spots.

Adult bed bugs have flat bodies and are a similar size and colour to an apple pip, depending on their age. When checking the mattress, look out for red, rust, or dark-coloured stains, and eggs or eggshells that are about 1mm in size. These are hard to spot, but they do tend to come in clusters, making them easier to see. Make sure to also check the underside, any bed drawers, and between the gap of the headboard and the wall itself.”

Keep your luggage OFF your bed

Never place your suitcase on the hotel bed, as this gives bed bugs easy access to your belongings. Never put your suitcase on the hotel bed. It is common that when you initially arrive at your hotel, you might put your suitcase straight onto the bed without checking for bugs and begin unpacking. However, by doing this, you’re putting your luggage and clothes right onto the place where bed bugs are commonly found and giving them a free ticket home.

Never store your clothes in the drawers of a hotel room

Store clothes in wardrobes rather than bedside drawers to minimise the risk of bed bugs crawling into your garments. After a long day of travelling, it’s tempting to remove your clothes and get changed into something more holiday appropriate. You might even put some of your clothes into the conveniently placed bedside drawers. This is a big mistake as, although bed bugs can’t fly, they can crawl, and putting your clothes into bedside drawers gives them a perfect opportunity.

Keep your hotel room clutter-free

Bed bugs thrive in cluttered environments. Keep your hotel room tidy and clothes off the floor. Research shows that bed bugs harbour in dirty items so keep your hotel room clean and keep your clothes off the floor. The more objects you own, the more opportunities for bed bugs to hide. Plus, clutter increases the difficulty in eliminating bed bugs once they’ve been established. Make sure to take a spare bag for your dirty laundry in your case and tie the bag in a knot to make it completely sealed. And make sure to keep your clothes off the floor and your room clean.

Air out your mattress every morning

Every morning, pull back your bedding and air out your mattress. This gives your mattress the chance to spring back into shape whilst evaporating any excess moisture. Bed bugs thrive in warm temperatures, so it’s important to let your mattress cool each morning.

Once you’re home, unpack on hard flooring

At home, unpack your suitcase on hard flooring, not in your bedroom, to easily spot any stowaways. Unpack on a hard floor and not in your bedroom. When you get home, unpack your luggage in another location apart from your bedroom. Even better if it’s on hard flooring, as you won’t be able to spot bed bugs on a carpet. Inspect your suitcase closely and use a flashlight or torch to look into the seams, folds and pockets of your suitcase.

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Heat-treat your belongings – even those you didn’t wear

After returning home from your holiday, it’s good practice to immediately wash and dry all clothing on high heat, including those not worn in hot water and dry them on a high heat for at least 30 minutes. You should also vacuum your suitcase thoroughly, including the seams, folds and pockets to kill any potential bedbugs and dispose of the vacuum bag outside your home immediately.