Bed Bugs in Your Airbnb or Rental Property: What Hosts Need to Know
Earning extra income by hosting on Airbnb or renting out your property is rewarding — until you face an unexpected challenge: bed bugs.
Bed bugs can appear in even the cleanest, most well-maintained rental units, and their presence is usually the result of your visitors unknowingly bringing them in.
At 120 Pest, we help Airbnb hosts, vacation rental owners, and property managers throughout Atlanta and North Georgia identify and eliminate bed bug issues fast — protecting your income and reputation.
How Bed Bugs End Up in Your Airbnb?
It’s important to understand:
Bed bugs do not discriminate based on cleanliness or property condition. Hotels, resorts, apartments, cabins, and Airbnbs are all vulnerable because guests can unknowingly transport bed bugs from other locations.
Even a careful, respectful guest may bring bed bugs inside their luggage, clothing, or personal items — without ever knowing.
Bed Bugs and Airbnb Hosting: Why Fast Action Matters
Until a guest complains about your property you may have no idea bed bugs are there. If it is not attended to you could be delisted from Airbnb until you have resolved the problem. You should take any report of bed bugs seriously and be quick to react to protect the reputation and future bookings.
If you find you have bed bugs, you need to contact Airbnb.
You’ll need to quickly:
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Contact Airbnb to modify your calendar availability.
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Cancel upcoming reservations, if necessary, to avoid spreading the problem.
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Hire a licensed pest professional to eliminate the infestation.
Failure to act immediately could cost you thousands in lost bookings, expensive last-minute treatments, and permanent damage to your property’s reputation.
Important: Airbnb typically requires a certificate of clearance from a licensed pest control company before your listing can be reactivated if it is delisted.
Where to Check for Bed Bugs in a Rental Home
Early detection can save you major headaches. Focus your inspections on areas where bed bugs are most likely to hide:
🔍 Mattresses and Box Springs:
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Inspect along seams, piping, and tags. Pay close attention to the area where the guest’s head usually rests.
🔍 Bed Frames, Headboards, and Footboards:
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Bed bugs love tight cracks and crevices near sleeping areas.
🔍 Nearby Furniture:
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Check nightstands, chairs, and dressers within 2-3 feet of the bed.
🔍 Signs to Look For:
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Live bugs (small, reddish-brown insects)
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Rusty or reddish stains on sheets
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Dark spots (fecal matter) that smear when touched
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Shed skins and tiny white eggs
Tip:
If a guest reports a possible bed bug sighting, always call a professional for an inspection. Trained technicians can often detect early infestations that are easy for untrained eyes to miss.
Mattress Encasements: A Helpful Tool, But Not a Cure
Many online resources recommend using mattress encasements — and they are helpful.
High-quality encasements:
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Make inspections easier
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Prevent bed bugs from hiding inside the mattress or box spring
However, they won’t prevent an infestation if bed bugs are introduced. Bugs can still live on the outer surface of an encased mattress if brought in by new guests.
Act When You Find Bed Bugs:
Call a bed bug professional to come and deal with the situation. Most of the time a professional can have the problem treated within one day and confirm elimination in 2-4 weeks. Trying to DIY a bed bug infestation is going to take you hours of internet research and guesswork. After all of that, you may get rid of the problem and wasted money on unneeded products. There is a lot of misinformation about how to treat bed bugs on the internet. A professional understands bed bugs tendencies and has had real-world experience with different methods and products. A knowledgeable bed bug professional knows what products or techniques work when to use them, and how to quickly get rid of the bed bugs.
Need Bed Bug Help for Your Airbnb or Rental Property?
📞 Call 120 Pest today or 📩 Request an Estimate to learn more about our rental property bed bug services.
Protect your reputation, your income, and your peace of mind with Atlanta’s trusted experts in bed bug control!
