Bedbug Control Thames View

The First Hour

If you have the bug, keep it. Press it on to clear tape or drop it in a small jar with a lid. A bedbug is flat, oval, reddish-brown and about the size of an apple pip, rounder and darker after feeding. Having the actual insect saves a lot of guessing.

Then take a photo of where you found it and have a quick look at that spot with a torch: the mattress seam, the frame joint, the headboard. Do not start pulling the room apart. You are only noting what is there.

What to Do in the First Two Days

1. Strip the bed and put the bedding straight into a bag, carry it to the machine and hot-wash it.
2. Dry it on a hot setting if you can, then keep it bagged until the bed is treated.
3. Hoover around the bed, then empty or seal the hoover bag straight away and put it outside.
4. Clear clutter from the bedroom floor, bagging it rather than carrying armfuls around the house.
5. Keep sleeping in your own bed. It sounds wrong, but it keeps them where they are.
6. Ring us, describe what you found, and book either an inspection or a treatment.

If you are not sure it is a bedbug at all, an inspection from £120 will settle it. The early signs guide shows what to look for while you wait.

What Not to Do

• Do not move to another room or the sofa. Sleeping elsewhere usually spreads them to a second place, and then there are two rooms to treat.
• Do not throw out the mattress or bed unless we advise it. Carrying it out scatters bugs along the way, and a new mattress on the same frame gets reinfested.
• Do not use shop sprays or foggers. They rarely reach the eggs and often push the bugs into walls and neighbouring rooms.
• Do not start moving furniture around. Leave it where it is so it can be treated in place.
• Do not take bags from the bedroom to work or school without checking them first. Our guide on clothes, work and school covers what is sensible.

Choosing What Comes Next

Found early, a problem is usually in one room and centred on the bed. That is the situation where chemical treatment tends to work well: a residual insecticide in the seams, frame and skirtings, one to two hours a visit, and two or sometimes three visits about 10–14 days apart because the eggs need a second pass.

Heat is the alternative if you want it done in one visit or the room has to be back in use quickly. It kills eggs, takes most of a day, and costs more. Treatments start at £220 and the figure is agreed on the phone. The heat versus chemical guide helps if you are torn.

If the bites are bothering you, a pharmacist or GP can advise. Call 999 for signs of a severe allergic reaction.

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