Published on December 19, 2019, in the magazine Décisions HPA, in the section on indoor sanitation equipment.
The subject is taboo. But it’s incredibly relevant right now. Bed bugs are proliferating at an alarming rate in vacation accommodations across all sectors: hotels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds. They are reportedly swarming in a staggering percentage of Airbnb listings.
For tourism professionals, getting rid of them is a matter of urgency. Just like dealing with bad odors, for that matter. On these topics, customer comments on social media can quickly tarnish an establishment’s reputation. Here are some expert tips for dealing with this kind of crisis…
Jean-Louis BUSQUET
Whispers in the aisles at the latest Atlantica trade show in La Rochelle—discretion is the order of the day at this type of event. A campground manager let the information slip. He’s been fuming ever since a family filed a complaint against his establishment, allegedly due to a massive bedbug infestation that had overrun a mobile home. “The problem in cases like this is that the professionals aren’t to blame. It’s anything but their fault. They’re just dealing with the situation. Especially since these infestations—and this needs to be emphasized—have nothing to do with hygiene; it’s just bad luck. Even some luxury Parisian hotels aren’t immune,” says Sonia Rothurier, who has just launched a new company, Prophylax, which helps prevent and resolve this thorny bed bug problem in partnership with Digrain, a company whose expertise is well-established. In fact, people carry them without realizing it. Bed bugs travel very easily via luggage and suitcases. Changes in travel and migration play a major role in their global spread. Today, the entire world is affected, and global warming only amplifies the phenomenon.
A campground forced to demolish a mobile home
Let’s face it: there have never been so many bed bugs in France. The problem is getting worse. For several years now, reports of bed bugs have been on the rise in most major cities. Rural areas and coastal regions are not spared. The infestation is very much a reality.
As soon as bed bugs are first detected in a mobile home, it is urgent to take action immediately, as the situation can quickly turn into a nightmare. Over the course of her life, a female can lay between 250 and 500 eggs, depending on her environment. The insect lays between three and five eggs per day. This varies; sometimes it can be more, in “batches” of about ten eggs. Coming out only at night to feed, they hide near sources of blood: beds and sofas. During the day, they hide in the seams of mattresses, the slats of box springs, the legs of beds, baseboards, curtains, furniture, behind wallpaper, electrical outlets… Difficult to find—they measure between 5 and 8 mm—they are also resilient, as they can survive for several weeks between blood meals! “When they’re really swarming and a mobile home is infested in the baseboards and wood, even the strongest treatments become ineffective.”
In fact, through another tip gleaned from Atlantica, we were told that a campground was actually forced to destroy a mobile home to get rid of the pests, for fear they would contaminate the entire park. “Even within a campground, housekeeping staff can actually carry them from one mobile home to another, and this can have a snowball effect,” adds Sonia Rothurier. A problem that should therefore not be taken lightly!
Curative treatment in the first instance
Before it comes to that and you have to destroy the accommodation, there are other options available. In any case, once an infestation is confirmed, it is important to act quickly, because the earlier the problem is detected, the more effective the treatment will be. “As soon as the presence of bed bugs is confirmed, there is no choice but to first focus on treatment to eradicate them. To do this, Prophylax sends treatment solutions to the campground, including products to be diluted and sprayed, as well as equipment, notably a protective mask,” says Sonia Rothurier. These products are based on cypermethrin, an active ingredient in plant protection products that acts as an insecticide and belongs to the chemical family of synthetic pyrethroids.
The idea is to spray the floors, baseboards, and mattresses, and to repeat this process one month later to eliminate all the eggs. Bedding is obviously the main area to treat—and not just the mattress, since the insects also colonize the slats of the bed frames. After each treatment, it is advisable to ventilate the mobile home for at least 24 hours as a precaution. “Now, I’ll be honest. If the infestation is serious or even massive, I advise campground managers to urgently call in specialized companies, which have proliferated across the country in recent years. Some have even trained dogs to track down bed bugs and detect egg-laying sites in order to better target treatments… That’s how big the problem is,” the business owner adds. Here again, you need to be careful about the services offered by these companies, which often cost several hundred euros. The problem, especially if it’s severe, isn’t solved in a single visit. You need to plan for at least three visits, three or four weeks apart, to eradicate the eggs. A protocol that companies don’t always follow. One thing is certain: some treatments can last for months. A real nightmare!
Prevention solutions
To prevent this from happening, Prophylax also offers preventive treatments to protect mobile homes from the scourge of bed bugs, particularly using products that are completely harmless. “I offer campsites a natural mineral powder to sprinkle around and at the foot of beds so that the insects don’t climb into the mattresses. This powder consists of tiny grains that act like mini-razors, prying open the bedbugs’ exoskeletons and eventually killing them. “It’s quite effective as a preventive measure,” acknowledges Sonia Rothurier. She also suggests supplementing the prevention protocol with a special mattress cover featuring a unique weave and a completely airtight closure. It’s specifically designed for this purpose and prevents the need to throw away the mattress should bed bugs proliferate and infest it.
This double-sized cover is washable at 40°C and reusable. A useful investment that perfectly complements diatomaceous earth! Other simple steps can help with bed bug treatment. Wash sheets at 60°C (or even 90°C) and vacuum mobile homes as often as possible, reaching into every nook and cranny. Ideally, use a steam cleaner. Another heat-based solution is the freezer, where all linens and items must be stored for 72 hours at -20°C to achieve 100% mortality after placing them in trash bags. These are small tips, but they can be quite tedious!
As we can see, the fight against bed bugs is a “war”—a war that must be won to avoid tarnishing the reputation of your campground, especially given the powerful amplifying effect of social media.
Eliminating Odors: Activated Carbon and Active Oxygen
Another nuisance—admittedly less of a problem than bed bugs—can still ruin stays and spark a flood of negative reviews online: unpleasant odors.
Pipes, humidity, bathrooms, pets, cigarettes, kitchens, fried foods—unpleasant odors can stem from a variety of sources and aren’t always easy to eliminate in mobile homes. Natéo Santé, a company specializing in health-focused solutions to combat microbes and bacteria, has leveraged its expertise to innovate in the “battle” against bad odors. “ We have launched an ergonomic cubic module (23 x 23 x 23 cm) called Hygeolis, equipped with a particle pre-filter to trap dust and pollen, followed by a carbon filter capable of capturing odors at the source and neutralizing them. A fan draws in air and purifies it 24 hours a day through filtration. “It’s the ideal equipment for rooms or mobile homes ranging from 30 to 45 m²,” explains Xavier Blanc, Head of Distribution for France and Export at Natéo Santé. The Hygeolis air purifier, which eliminates odors, eliminates the need to mask odors with traditional air fresheners—a practice that sends a very negative signal to customers.
Customers don’t want that anymore. In addition to filtration, Hygeolis also features an active oxygen treatment option—a natural cleanser that is released periodically from the unit to seek out and capture even the most stubborn odors. The active oxygen flow rate is adjustable based on the room’s volume. “It’s very effective,” continues Xavier Blanc.
Hygeolis available for rent for people with allergies
For a campground, Hygeolis could quickly become an indispensable cleaning product. It can purify the air in mobile homes in just thirty minutes between rentals thanks to a powerful active oxygen treatment performed in a closed mobile home with no people present. Cleaning staff can thus run it from one unit to the next on arrival and departure days. “If a mobile home has persistent unpleasant odors, Hygeolis can be left running 24 hours a day.
This can save that mobile home for the week without fear of complaints,” adds Xavier Blanc. The same applies to new mobile homes, where the air is sometimes saturated with formaldehyde.
Another option: offering Hygeolis for rent at a few dozen euros a week to people concerned about indoor air quality. “Especially to ensure a good night’s sleep for people or children allergic to pollen who might suffer from asthma, thanks to the filter’s acaricidal, bactericidal, and virucidal properties. “This is the kind of service that customers might appreciate,” concludes Xavier Blanc, who envisions campgrounds with 200 mobile homes equipping themselves with three or four Hygeolis units for all these services, at a price of 21 euros per month for 36 months per module.
For guests, the well-being inside the rental accommodations is well worth it and is priceless…