Bed bugs are a significant threat to your hotel’s ability to host guests looking to unwind after a long day of travel or work. Unfortunately, the recent news abroad of bed bugs spreading quickly around Europe serves as a reminder of the real physical, psychological and economic harm these pests represent. There are two bedding options for addressing bed bugs in your guestrooms: mattress encasements and active mattress liners such as ActiveGuard™ Mattress Liners. While you may have thought all mattress protection options are created equal, the evidence says otherwise.
While mattress encasements may appear to be a logical defense against bed bugs, reality does not support that. These covers are designed to be a barrier against bed bugs entering or escaping from the mattress or box spring encased. Unlike ActiveGuard, however, they do not kill the pest. Additionally, encasements can become a liability once they are torn after normal wear and tear over the course of a few months, not providing a lasting solution. A ripped encasement becomes the perfect place for bed bugs to hide until they seek a blood meal; then, they simply move through the rip and bite the guest. Using mattress encasements may create a false sense of security.
ActiveGuard is designed to be easy to install and is constructed from a light, breathable fabric that is rarely detected by the guest. In contrast, mattress encasements are typically made from thick fabrics, which can lead to increased body temperature and discomfort for a sleeping guest, especially for those who tend to sleep “hot” to begin with. Additionally, some people find the encasements to be noisy or crinkly, which can disrupt their sleep. Encasements also require routine visual vigilance to ensure the zipper is locked in place and that there are no rips or tears, to maintain their effectiveness in protecting the mattress. This can be time-consuming and inconvenient for a busy housekeeping staff and inefficient for your operations.
It’s essential to be aware of the overall limitation of encasements’ ability to address bed bugs. Regular inspections, proper housekeeping practices and professional pest control interventions, if necessary, are all crucial components of a comprehensive strategy to protect your establishment. After that, the more powerful move is to equip your bedding with ActiveGuard Mattress Liners.
The crowning element of a strong “bed bug” strategy is an active mattress liner like ActiveGuard. As the centerpiece of your efforts, they prevent bed bugs from laying eggs for two years when installed on the mattress or box spring. Stopping a bed bug from laying its eggs halts an infestation before it can take hold. Once installed on every bed on your property, these liners work 24/7 to protect every guest from bed bug bites. Unlike encasements, mattress liners do not set out to starve a bed bug over time. Instead, these liners kill the pests shortly after the bed bug contacts the fabric.
Click here to learn more about how ActiveGuard can be seamlessly integrated into your existing prevention protocols. You will immediately learn how they are unrivaled as part of a robust bed bug strategy.