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Bed bug experiences

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Dewey090, Jun 29, 2012.

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  1. Dewey089

    Dewey089 VIP Whale

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    I had two bedbug sightings this trip, one in the Gold Spike and one at the Four Queens. The first was more than likely a case of the hotel using a mattress pad after the bugs had been killed. It looked as if dead bugs had caught in the rough texture of the small pad just above the mattress. There was no other indication of any bedbugs, but any indication means I ask for a room change and I get it.

    The second was more real.


    I arrived at the Four Queens at about nine in the morning and they were willing to book me, but only had quiet rooms in the North Tower. I was moving from The D and wanted to be able to walk it in two trips, so I abandoned my request for South Tower and took the North Tower.


    Quiet is my one concern.


    And Bedbugs.


    I walked up without luggage and there were the little black dots in the crevice of the mattress. I was really motivated to talk myself out of the first sighting of just two insects because I wanted an early booking, and I feared I'd lose that advantage. Maybe I was overreacting to lint, I thought. But I could not talk myself out of seeing a long line of the telltale black dots in the crevice of the seam on one side of the mattress.


    So down I went for a room change.


    I have been moved twice before, last trip in the Flamingo and then this one in The Gold Spike, and I exspected that the bugs would be treated like no big deal by management, and they would remove me without much attention to the issue. Perhaps I would lose the advantage of my early booking and have to really pack to move from the D afterall because I'd need to store with the Bell Captain.


    Not here.


    Immediately the clerk set out to lock up a new room for me, but explained I needed to make a security report. She took the issue very seriously. In two minutes a security guard arrived. I wrote a statement and signed it and my photo ID was photographed and added to the paperwork.


    He wrote down the number of the room I was going to.


    Clearly they would follow up and inspect that room after I left.


    There would have been attention to my bags as well if I had spent the night with the bugs. The guard said that they would inspect my luggage if it had been exposed. I don't have much faith in visual inspection of luggage, but that is what they do.


    As I was going to inspect my new room 1209, the guard was going to inspect the infected room 417, but he did not know I was directly behind him.


    As we passed the fellow sitting security in the casino high seat, the guard mentioned where he was going and why. From his tone I caught that he was skeptical of what I had seen. So they must get false reports.


    We were in the elevator together and talked about the problem. He had encountered them in a high end resort property he managed in North Carolina, and said that they could occur anywhere, that they were common wherever there was a high turnover of transient visitors.


    He told me what I already knew, but everything he told me was true.


    I liked him.


    He was down to earth and what he said made common sense. I asked if I could watch his inspection. He was happy to have me because I could show him just what I saw.


    We did not do much of an inspection because what I showed him was plenty. He said he thought they were eggs rather than live bugs, and he photographed one section of the mattress. The next day I saw him again and he said he suspected that it was a case of poor housekeeping after the bugs had been fried by heat.
    They treat there with high temperature heaters and fry the bugs and eggs and everything.


    So, one more good note on the Four Queens. They take bedbugs seriously, keep records, have an immediate inspection, follow up by checking where the guest goes next, and use the best extermination methods. It was the most attentive reaction to bedbug worries that I have encountered. And their procedures were serious and attentive immediately, with the inspection happening just minutes after my finding and reporting the sighting and all was done in spite of the fact that my reporting may have seemed questionable to them.


    This is already my favorite casino for gambling comps and how I am treated in general. Their serious attention to my biggest worry when traveling just increases my respect.


    Contrast the Flamingo where two trips ago I found bloodspots and put a live bug under a glass. Their attitude was close to "whatever" and as far as I know nothing was written down or any report made. No one asked me to show them anything. No one took the new room number so they could look there later.


    I really thought that after the Flamingomoved me, they would just remake the bed, replace the cushions which showed bedbug activity, and rent the room again.


    It did not make me want to stay there again.


    Don't confuse my finding bedbugs at low end properties with a widely held myth that like roaches, fleas, etc they are a result of poor cleaning. They can be anywhere. I only inspect low end properties because I only book low end properties. Bellagio has had bedbugs, but I have not been there to see them.


    Keep checking before you move in luggage. I am getting more confident that seeing them is not rocket science. These were clear.


    I do think that hotels like Sam's Town where the mattresses are so wrapped up in layers of mattress covers that we can't actually get to the seams to see what is there might be more difficult to inspect. I'm more comfortable when I can just rip the bed apart and check the entire seam and see behind the headboard with my flashlight. The headboards at Imperial Palace were light and lifted off the wall easily. I liked that. No one is vacuuming behind the headboard, so if bugs are in the room, they will most likely be visible there. I always check with a little flashlight, but it is awkward.


    Oh, I also sprayed my clothing and shoes that went in the infested Four Queens room although nothing looked alive there. Just another precaution.


    The spray is easy to pack.


    Also, I think it is good to have a plan of action in case we miss them and sleep with them. When we get home, nothing should come in the house until it is bagged and then all clothing and shoes should be put in a dryer and all luggage at least cleaned and sprayed.


    In my case I have an extra chest freezer and I'd just bag my suitcase and put the whole thing in deep freeze for a few months.


    I read so many reports that say, "We hope we have not brought them home with us." and wonder why they have taken no precautions to make that a better bet.


    Oh, speaking of betting. To compensate me for my inconvenience and reward me for my attentive inspection, the Four Queens had the 10/7 Double Bonus Progressive ( the best DB in the world) deal me a $1045 Royal Flush in hearts in the first five cards on the very next day. Karma.


    I've been saying that encountering bedbugs is a lot like catching a Royal. It seems that is more than an analogy. We go along inspecting and inspecting and the bugs never seem to show up, just as we keep tossing hand after hand. Then suddenly the rare occurrence happens and our faith in ultimate possibilities is rewarded.


    As I spend my $1045 royal winnings, I'll remember my luck at having it dealt to me and my luck finding those little buggers before I slept with them.


    I like to think I apply a good strategy to both games. But to win at a bedbug inspection and not take them home with me, perhaps saves me ten times the royal winnings.
     
  2. zlanga

    zlanga High-Roller

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    It is reassuring to hear that they are taking the appropriate actions. The Queens is my favorite gaming hotel in Vegas also at this point, though I have only stayed there 3 times. I will be staying there this fall and will do the inspection you have mentioned some of your posts. Thanks for the very helpful information you provide to all of us Dewey!
    :peace:
     
    USBC Nationals
  3. gerry53

    gerry53 VIP Whale

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    that was very informative dewey,thanks for posting.

    I guess that is another reason why excessive hotel hopping is a bad idea.

    we take a portable shark steamer with us now and spend a half hour steaming the carpet,mattress and all areas where the little bastards can hide. hopefully it is enough to kill them.
    many people do not realize what a nightmare it is if you bring them home with you.
     
  4. Jimbucc

    Jimbucc VIP Whale

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    Thanks Dewey, now I'm feeling itchy all over. :poke:
    The way The Four Queens handled the situation is how all hotels should react.
     
  5. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Bed bug spray

    Dewey, I bought a bottle of "PRONTO", to kill bed bugs. The bottle says it kills bed bugs and mites.

    I went to visit my Mom the other day and I sat on a sofa that someone gave her and I got bitten by bed bugs. The bites hurt sooo much. I used a itch cream to kill the pain but the area turned into a large hot welt. I have been taking pain meds and putting ice on the welt.

    For people who don't know what the bites look like..... the bugs bite three times in the same location. But I got bitten 4 times in the same location.
    You don't feel the pain when they bite you right away. It takes hours or a day before you feel the pain.

    I also got bitten by a small garden spider on my leg that day. Those hurt too.
    I heard if I put soy sauce on a spider bite that it would take the pain away.
    I taped up the bite with soy sauce and it feels okay. I did the same for the bug bite area and it did help for awhile but the welts hurt too much.

    I will be spending my week-end at home with the bite pain. I got bitten on Thursday and today is Sat. I hope the pain goes away soon. "WHEW"....

    My old mom will not call an exterminator. I hardly ever visit her.
    I guess they don't bite her as bad as they did me.
    I am guessing the pain will last a few days. I am really allergic to the bites.
     
  6. gerry53

    gerry53 VIP Whale

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    that is a very strange story.
     
  7. JennJenn

    JennJenn Low-Roller

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    Thanks for the info Dewey. Bringing home bedbugs is one of my worst nightmares. With that said, it floors me when I see people carrying their pillows from home in the airport. It grosses me out and I wonder how many people bring home friends from hotel stays.....yuck!
     
  8. CIrvine

    CIrvine Low-Roller

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    Dewey, can you take pictures next time?
     
  9. jr7110

    jr7110 VIP Whale

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    It is dangerous to use Pronto in a hotel room - no one should EVER spray any bed bug spray directly on their clothing or linens/ mattresses without reading the label first. The label must say that is is safe for clothing and bedding (some do). If not, you are spraying a toxic insecticide that is not meant to be used that way and those sprays are harmful to humans and pets - most of these sprays are meant to be sprayed around the base of the walls and in crevices, not on mattresses and bedding that you will be lying and sleeping on. And the guests who stay in that room after you will be unknowingly sleeping with dangerous pesticides if you saturate the mattress with an unsafe product.

    This is what the warning label on the back of Pronto states:

    KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. It is a violation of Federal Law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. USE RESTRICTIONS: In hospitals and nursing homes, remove patients before treatment. Ventilate room for two hours before returning patients. This product is not for use on humans. Do not use in commercial food/feed processing, preparation, food/feed storage, or serving areas. In the home, all food/feed processing surfaces and utensils should be covered during treatment, or thoroughly washed before use. Exposed food/feed should be covered or removed. Remove pets, birds and cover fish aquariums before spraying. PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS Harmful if absorbed through skin. Avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling and before eating, drinking, chewing gum, or using tobacco. Remove and wash contaminated clothing before reuse. PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL HAZARDS Contents under pressure. Do not use oar store near heat or open flame. Do not puncture or incinerate container. Exposure to temperatures above 130°F may cause bursting. Do not apply this product around electrical equipment due to the possibility of shock hazard. FIRST AID IF IN EYES: Hold eye open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15-20 minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present, after the first 5 minutes, then continue rinsing eye. Call a Poison Control Center or doctor for treatment advice. IF ON SKIN OR CLOTHING: Take off contaminated clothing. Rinse skin immediately with plenty of water for 15-20 minutes. Call a Poison Control Center or doctor for treatment advice. IF SWALLOWED: Immediately call a Poison Control Center or doctor. Do not induce vomiting unless told to do so by a Poison Control Center or a doctor. Do not give any liquid to the person. Do not give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Have the product container or label with you when calling a Poison Control Center or doctor, or going for treatment. For information regarding medical emergencies or pesticide incidents, call 1-888-542-3546..

    FYI - the least toxic and best killer of any bug with an exoskeleton (including ants, roaches and bedbugs) is food grade Diatomaceous Earth. There are different types of Diatomaceous Earth out there so you have to be sure to get the food grade version. It is a fine white dust that you can sprinkle around the base of the walls etc and it will kill any bug that crawls over it because the tiny particles shred the bug's exoskelton and kill it. It is 100% safe for humans and pets.

    Of course it would not be practical to bring diatomaceous earth on a trip to Vegas (and housekeeping would not appreciate fine white dust all over the place) but it is a good thing to know for home use to get rid of a variety of pests. The one thing is that the powder cannot get wet - once it is wet it becomes ineffective and must be reapplied.

    http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

    I stay at high end properties and always check the mattress when I check in because even the best hotel can get get hit by a bed bug infestation. It is not the hotel's fault - they have no way of knowing whether or not a guest is bringing bed bugs in their luggage, and that is how it happens. When the next guest checks in, they are the unlucky recipient of the bugs that the last guest left behind.

    Always check your mattresses before settling into a room, no matter how shiny and new the resort might seem.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2012
  10. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Bug spray

    Hi JR7110, Thank you so much for the info. I don't plan to take any kind of bug spray to Vegas or any other place.

    I did buy a natural type of bug spray killer that will not harm me. It doesn't have any type of poisons in it. I bought it recently.

    I don't have any bugs in my place. Lucy
     
  11. gerry53

    gerry53 VIP Whale

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  12. Dewey089

    Dewey089 VIP Whale

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    Great posts and great information.
    I use Avenger spray. It says it is organic and not a danger. I've only used it once, there at the Four Queens on my clothing just to be certain. It is made for luggage.

    AVENGER
     
  13. Jimbo338

    Jimbo338 VIP Whale

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    From what I had read, there were no real insecticides effective on the new stains of bedbugs and that was one of the reasons that this infestration was so difficult. The only true means was extreme temps. Has something new been developed or is this a new version of snake oil?

    Jimbo338
     
  14. jr7110

    jr7110 VIP Whale

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    You're welcome, Lucy. I was just concerned for you because you mentioned the product by name (Pronto) and said you had sprayed it in the hotel room. I never thought you had bugs - I got that is was a precaution when traveling so that you don't bring any back home with you. The natural spray is the way to go...
     
  15. jr7110

    jr7110 VIP Whale

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    Extreme temperature does work on bed bugs but so does Diatomaceous Earth - there is no way bed bugs can become resistant to it because it is deadly to them and many other types of bugs - the particles literally slice their outer shells to ribbons and they dehydrate and die, It would be like a person crawling through a massive tangle of barbed wire. As long as they crawl through the dust, they die. It is a known and proven method to fight bed bug infestation. It is not an insecticide - it is a natural product that is so safe it can be added to food - either human or pet.
     
  16. eloisegirl

    eloisegirl Low-Roller

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    My sibling works in public health and has taught me how to seek out bedbugs - YouTube also has some good videos on it. So far, never had a problem. Better safe than sorry!
     
  17. sammasseur

    sammasseur VIP Whale

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  18. gongoman

    gongoman MIA

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    Ya know any hotel like this article I read from sammasseur can have bedbugs so so true..Have I ever encountered them no...It's like my Mother years and years ago ...She told one of our neighbors that she caught a mouse in a trap that neighbor said oh my Rose you have mice...Long story short my Mothers response was even The Kennedy's have mice..:haha::haha:

    But Dewey thanks for your thread I wasn't mocking you pal...:beer:
     
  19. keno60

    keno60 VIP Whale

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  20. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Bedbugs at my Mom's place

    My Mom had an exterminator go to her place to get rid of the bed-bugs.
    She said they took some large machines. I suspect they were heaters to
    kill the insects with high heat.
    My Mom had to pack all of her things including everything in the kitchen.
    She had relatives go help her pack her things.

    They threw away her sofa and throw rugs. I had to buy her some new rugs and a relative bought her a new sofa.
    It has been a few months now and so far she hasn't had a bug problem.

    I saw on t.v. a show on bed bugs where the kids had a teddy bear that had
    bed bugs and he would take the bear up and down the stairs. It contaminated the whole house. Yikes!
     
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