Bedbug Hotel Checklist

Here are some quick tips to make sure your room (hotel rooms,etc) isn’t infested with bedbugs! Most people who end up having their home infested with bedbugs could have prevented it by looking for the signs below.

When staying at a hotel, hang clothing in the closet that is farthest from your bed, place luggage on the folding rack usually found at hotels and always place your luggage in a plastic bag,Travel with a large heavy duty plastic bag.

• After you arrive at your hotel, the first thing you should do is to check the bed. Pull back the blanket and bed sheets and check the mattress, running your fingers along the  seams and try spreading them to see in the seams. Make sure to check the mattress tag and plastic clips around the edges as bed bugs often hide there.
• Check for tiny black spots on the mattress, behind the headboard or side tables for, translucent skins or actual bedbugs. Bed bug spots (fecal matter) are dark brown to black in color and stick to the surface. If it falls off, then it’s not a bed bug spot..
• Check the bedside table or any other furniture or fixtures near the bed. Bedbugs don’t like the light, so they’ll be hiding in areas that are usually dark or have very low light.
• Castings - as the bed bug develops, it sheds the skin which looks like the bug. Also look for tiny white eggs (like rice) along the edge of the mattress.
• During the early stages of infestation (if you or someone just brought one home), the bug bug(s) will usually hide out in the mattress.  If this is your home and you’re concerned you might have a few it would be wise to buy a bed bug proof mattress cover; this will seal in the bed bugs in and over time, they will die. See BugStop mattress covers .
• Utilize the luggage stand in the hotel room to keep your bags off of the floor where bedbugs can easily get into your things and end up hitching a ride home with you.
• If you see powder in the drawers or on the headboard, it is likely that the room has already been treated for bugs by an exterminator.
• If you do see a bedbug or signs of one, inform a manager immediately. Request another room immediatly but remember the bedbugs could easily be in other parts of the hotel as well.Do bed bug check in the new room.
• Other signs of bedbugs may include a foul smell. The odor has been described a number of ways, most say it resembles spoiled coconut, musty odor or a sweet odor such as fresh red raspberries.
• Just because the room or hotel is new or high end does not mean it’s free from bedbugs; bedbugs find rooms by riding on the cloths or luggage of others and may have been hitching a ride on the last occupant.
• When you’re ready to leave double check your luggage as well as individual items within your suitcase. This may seem cumbersome, but preventing a bedbug infestation is a lot easier than dealing with one!
• If you spot a bedbug within your luggage, wash the item in hot water and blow dry on high heat for 20-30 minutes or use a dry steam machine. Then place the item in a zip lock bag, which should keep any bedbugs out.

Areas bugs ike to hide

Bedbugs love gaps in just about everything, so check:

• behind baseboards
• around door and window casings
• around window sills and frames
• behind electrical and telephone switch plates
• between flooring and wall components
• where materials meet to form a gap
• around pipes (water, drain, electrical conduits
• seams, creases, tufts, and folds of the mattress and box spring
• bed frames and head board
• under night stands and drawers
• storage units
• items such as furniture that may have hollow legs
• between upholstered furniture
• between the folds of drapery or curtains
• in your alarm clock or TV

Hotel Room

This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it covers the basics and should help you sleep bedbug free.

THE ALLERGY GUY

Sinus Wash Tips.

If you have sinus problems, which could be from allergies, colds, nasal congestion, pollutants or just from having a snotty nose, then sinus irrigation is a great way to clear and clean your sinuses.. There’s some simple maintenance you can do that will nip a potential sinus infection in the bud: rinsing out your sinuses, also known as nasal or sinus irrigation or sinus lavage. This may seem a bit gross, but most people who try it find it extremely helpful. It clears out stagnant mucous and helps to moisturize your nasal passages.

Sinus irrigation is not as gross as it sounds and feels just like coming out from a swim in the ocean. Sinus washing will clear mucous, wet or dry, right out of your nose or sinuses. I have been using many different systems over the years and find the easiest way is to Nasopure in the shower. I have gone from having chronic severe sinus infections to not having one in a few years.. Once you get used to it and develop a routine it’s easy and you’ll feel great!

Many of you have heard of the Neti pots that are that are widely sold in health food and drug stores. The Nasopure and Sinupulse Elite that you can purchase at The Allergy Guy make sinus washing easy. There is no bending of your neck or tilting of your head during the rinsing, and flushing out of your sinuses is quick and easy.. It’s as easy as 1,2,3

Before

-the rinse open 1 packet of the salt mixture and pour it in the bottle,add luke warm water preferably distilled or purified then flush out your nose.Please make sure to go slowly so that you don’t put pressure in your ears.

After

- your rinse, hold a couple of tissues to your nose.

1. Bend at the waist, getting your head as low as you can. Somewhere around your knees is good. (Blow your nose slightly without pressure, and tilt your head to each side, letting water drain. If you blow too hard then you will feel pressure in your ears and will not enjoy the experience
2. Stand up straight.
3. Get a new tissue, handkerchief, or folded paper towel, and repeat A rush of water should come out of your nose during steps two and three.

Do this daily and you should feel better.I’m not a doctor but I do have expertise in having allergies and have figured out what woks and what doesn’t. Take it from an expert in the field of one who suffers.

The Allergy Guy

Lorne Chadnick

• Wash your sheets, blankets and any stuffed animals weekly in hot water, make sure the temperature is 52 degrees Celsius or higher. The high temperature is needed to kill the dust mites and other allergens.
• Change your pillow every two years and have them sanitized regularly
• Keep the humidity in your home low - between 30% to 50% - to minimize dust mite, mould and bacteria growth.
• Keep stuffed animals out of your children’s sleeping environment. Exposure to allergens in the early years of life can create lifelong allergies.
• Keep the clutter in your house down, especially in the bedroom to minimize areas where dust can settle If you can, remove carpeting and fabric draperies from your home – especially in the bedroom.
• Use a Hepa filtered vacuum on your mattress, floors and carpeting (if you have it) once per week.
• Sanitize your mattresses and other soft furnishings twice-a-year
• Dust with a damp cloth as it will capture the dust.
• Wash your pets often and keep them off of furniture where their dander and allergens they may have picked up outside (moulds, pollen, bacteria) can be transferred
• Use a mattress cover, do research and buy the best quality.
• If you have an air-duct heating/cooling system in your home, have the ducts professionally cleaned yearly.
• Use the best quality air filters for your furnace and investigate dust elimination systems that work within the furnace itself .
• Invest in high quality portable air cleaners to remove dust and other allergens from specific rooms in your home or your office.
• Avoid activities or locations where mould grows – damp basements, garages, fallen leaves or hiking in deep woods, vacuuming, dusting. If you do then use an allergen mask.
• During days with high pollen counts, keep your windows closed and use air conditioning if you can If you are outside on days with high pollen counts, wash yourself and put your clothing into the wash hamper as soon as you return indoors. This will help minimize transfer of and exposure to the pollen caught on your clothes and person.

Technorati Profile

* Daily practice improves both nasal and sinus health.
* Clears out sticky, thick mucus and helps reduce nasal congestion by thinning secretions.
* Allows the sinus cavities to drain freely so allergens, irritants, bacteria, viruses and contaminants can be eliminated.
* Helps prevent upper respiratory infections like the common cold.
* Reduces dependency on medications such as antibiotics, antihistamines, nasal steroids, decongestants and asthma medications.
* Relieves nasal dryness.
* Improves sense of smell.
* Improves sense of taste.
* Helps to treat sinusitis and rhinitis.
* Reduces allergic rhinitis.
* Reduces coughing and other symptoms of post-nasal drip.
* May reduce snoring.
* May reduce nose bleeds.
* Clears airways affected by nose woes associated with pregnancy and maturity.
* Helps alleviate breathing difficulties caused by medical conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis and many others.
* Cleanses the nasal tissues stressed by radiation therapy to the head and sinus area.
* Deeper, more relaxed breathing.

“Using the Nasopure system daily will help you rely less on medications. I have used other nasal irrigation products over the years and have benifited the most from Nasopure. It is so easy to use, and the solution is a pure, natural, buffered salt mixture in high pharmaceutical grade granules.Use it daily in the shower it’s that easy, and it feels great!” ~ Lorne Chadnick, The Allergy Guy

What is Allergy Bedding?
Allergy bedding is specifically designed to prevent dust mites and other allergens from infesting your mattress, pillow or duvet.

The average mattress has about two million dust mites. Dust mites love the warm, moist environment provided by your bed, and they feed off your dead skin flakes. We are actually not allergic to dust mites but to their waste particles and decomposed body parts, and this is what causes allergy symptoms. The only way to eliminate dust mites is to cut off their source of food by setting up a barrier between yourself and the dust mites. Allergy relief bedding provides that necessary barrier.

How does Allergy Bedding Work?
Dust mites and other common household allergens are so tiny that they can easily slip through the pores between the thread of normal bedding fabrics. Allergy bedding, on the other hand, is woven so tightly that the pores are too small for dust mites to penetrate-and once their food supply is cut off, the dust mites will soon die. Best of all, you can continue to use all your favorite sheets and pillow cases; simply wash them weekly in hot water to keep them free of dust mites.

Why do I need Allergy Relief Bedding?
You are allergic to dust mites, animal dander, or down.
You wake up in the morning with a stuffy nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, or other allergy symptoms.
You are tired of waking up with congestion and suffering from nighttime allergy or asthma attacks.
You would like to allergy-proof your bedroom.
You want a healthier and cleaner environment.
You want to sleep allergy-free.
What are the advantages of Allergy Relief Bedding?

The main advantage of allergy relief bedding is that it encases your entire bed, creating an impenetrable barrier that prevents dust mites and other allergens from infesting your bed.
If you decrease your exposure to these allergens, then you will breathe easier, sleep better,and feel rested.
Allergy relief bedding will also protect your mattress and add years to its lifespan and help save the environment.

What to look for in Allergy Bedding?
Pore Size: The pore size tells us how much open air space between the threads in the bedding fabric. Pore size is the most important factor in determining how allergens are blocked. Dust mite fecal particles average around 10 microns in diameter and dust mites are around 300 microns. In order to effectively block dust mite allergens, the pore size of allergy relief bedding must be smaller than 10 microns. Research recommends encasings with an average pore size of less than 10.
Fabric Type:
Membrane fabrics - Could be a variety of fabrics where the inner membrane is laminated urethane, which makes the fabric noisy and too warm for some people
Membrane-free fabrics - Is a vast improvement in the technology of allergy relief bedding. Membrane-free fabrics, as the name suggests, does not have an inner urethane membrane, and therefore they are much cooler and quieter than membrane fabrics.
Care: Caring for allergy relief mattress and pillow covers is simple. Most encasings can be machine washed on warm or hot and gently tumble dried. Others can be wiped with a wet wash cloth. Do not use bleach. Pillow covers can be washed every couple of weeks. Mattress covers need to be washed only 3 or 4 times per year. Other bedding should be washed in hot water every one to two weeks.

Investing in allergy-friendly sheets, duvets, pillows, mattress covers, pillow covers and other bedding can significantly improve overall allergy symptoms and will also help to ensure a good night’s sleep.

The Allergy Guy carries a full line of allergy bedding. We have mattress covers in various fabrics, check out all our fabrics.
-Pristine 2.9 Micro Fiber for comfort and pore size
-100% Cotton for comfort.
-Organic 100% Cotton
-Poly Cotton with membrane for those who require waterproof
-Alpaca duvets,mattress pads and pillows for the ultimate sleep.

Our complete line of allergy friendly bedding will allow you to sleep well and wake up feeling great!

These tiny microscopic bugs belong to the spider and tick family of eight-legged creatures called arachnids. Dust mites are hardy creatures that multiply easily in warm humid places.

Although dust mites are in every room in your house, they are particularly fond of the bedroom, especially mattresses and pillows where they live off the dust in your house. And dust is composed of, what? Yes, you guessed it, the dead skin cells we shed every day just going through the course of our daily lives.

The simple act of touching skin sloughs off tiny microscopic particles of skin, and this is the kind of thing dust mites like. Humans shed about 1/5 ounce of dead skin each week. About 80 percent of the material seen floating in a sunbeam is actually skin flakes.

People who are allergic to dust mites react to proteins in the bodies and feces of the mites. These fecal particles are found in the highest concentrations in pillows, mattresses, carpeting, and upholstered furniture. They float into the air when anyone vacuums, walks on a carpet or disturbs bedding, but settle out of the air once the disturbance is over.

There may be many as 20,000 dust mites in one gram of dust, but usually between 100 to 500 mites live in each gram. (A gram is about the weight of a paper clip.) Each mite produces about 10-20 waste particles per day and lives for 30 days. Egg-laying females can add 25-30 new mites to the population during their lifetime.

A typical mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside. Ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings. The weight of your bed increases by at least a pound a year from the weight of dead skin, mites and their feces and other pathogens.

ARE THEY HARMFUL?

Dust mites don’t bite or spread diseases and usually do not live on people. But they are harmful to the people who become allergic to them, and an exposure to the mites in the first, crucial years of life can trigger a lifelong allergy.

Studies have shown that the most potent house dust allergens can be extracted from the feces produced by dust mites; and that the digestive juices from the mite gut are very potent in creating wheezing-related symptoms.

Dust mite exposure may be a factor for up to 80 percent of asthmatics, as well as in countless cases of eczema, hay fever and other allergic ailments, including headaches, fatigue and depression. Even if you don’t have a diagnosed allergy, if you wake up with recurring symptoms such as these, you are being affected by dust mites and other allergens that are living in your bed and pillows.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to eliminate dust mites completely. However, you can do your part to greatly minimize them. There is no cure, only prevention.

WHAT ELSE IS IN MY BED?

On top of the dust mite population and their droppings, within six months of purchase, most soft furnishings contain dirt, dead skin, hair, bacteria, moulds, pollens and possibly viruses - which are harmful.

Sanitizing is a safe, revolutionary service helping to reduce harmful pollutants and irritants found in your mattress and other materials and provides a healthier indoor living environment.

Today, we would never think of regularly taking our mattresses outside to air in the sunshine and give them a good beating to shake out the bugs. But that used to be the standard practice. It would be interesting to know if people suffered less from allergies then than now.

Today, most people with asthma or hay fever or other outdoor allergies think of their home as a haven where they can escape their allergies. Unfortunately, houses and apartment buildings have their own allergens (agents that cause allergy symptoms). The inside of our home actually traps allergens, making them impossible to avoid.

Unlike seasonal allergies, indoor allergies may last all year long and can provoke or worsen asthma and other symptoms, depending on a person’s unique sensitivities. Although many allergens in your home can trigger allergic symptoms, house dust is usually the main culprit.

Some dust is present in every home, regardless of how often or thoroughly the house is cleaned. House dust is an airborne mixture that might contain fine particles of soil and plant material from indoors or outdoors, particles of human and animal skin (dander) and hair, fabric fibers, mold spores, dust mites and their waste, fragments of insects that have died and their waste, food particles, and other debris.

Symptoms of indoor allergies include shortness of breath, wheezing, itchy eyes, nose, watery eyes, eczema, headaches, recurring fatigue and depression. If you are sensitive to indoor allergens, you will continue to have symptoms as long as you are exposed to them.

Sensitivity to indoor allergens is, unfortunately, common now and can occur at any age. Click here for some tips that can help alleviate your symptoms.

Allergy and asthma sufferers.
Our fabrics have a weave so tight creating a comfortable yet effective barrier between you and the allergens that occur naturally in your bedding.

People concerned about bed bugs, dust mites or similar issues.
Our covers protect the entire mattress and pillow, zipping and blocking dust mites, bed bugs and other invaders from reaching the bedding.

People interested in keeping a clean & healthy home.
Our fabrics are designed to breathe and protect you from allergens giving you a healthier and comfortable sleep.

Shop for :
Cotton Mattress, Pillow & Duvet Covers
Organic Mattress & Pillow Covers