Bedbug Control South Harrow

Why the Course Has More Than One Visit

The residual insecticide we put into seams, frames and skirtings does not reliably get through the shell of an egg. So the first visit deals with the bugs that are there, and the follow-up visit, about 10–14 days later, catches the ones that have hatched since. Sometimes a third visit is needed.

Missing the follow-up is the most expensive mistake you can make. It leaves the young ones to grow and lay eggs of their own, and you end up paying for the whole course again. The full picture of the treatment is on our chemical treatment page.

Preparing So Nothing Is Wasted

1. Strip and hot-wash all bedding from the affected rooms, then keep it sealed in bags until the visit is over.
2. Clear the floor. Shoes, boxes, bags and anything under the bed come up, so we can reach the skirtings and the bed legs.
3. Leave the furniture in place. We treat behind it; dragging it to the middle of the room shakes bugs loose.
4. Empty bedside drawers into sealed bags if they are near the bed, and wash the contents that can be washed.
5. Put away any shop-bought spray. Some of them make bedbugs scatter deeper into the room, which makes our job harder.

Between the Visits

This is where a South Harrow chemical course succeeds or fails. The residue has to stay where we put it, and the bugs have to come out and cross it. Most of what follows costs nothing but patience.

• Keep sleeping in the bed. You are what brings them out of hiding and onto the treated surfaces. See sleeping through treatment for how to cope.
• Do not wipe or mop the treated edges. Vacuum the middle of the floor if you need to, but leave skirtings and frame joints alone.
• Expect to see some bugs. Seeing a few in the first week or two does not mean it has failed. Keep a note of where and when.
• Do not buy a new mattress yet. It will be infested from the frame long before the course is over.

When Chemical Is Not the Lower-Cost Choice

If bedbugs are already in three or four rooms, or the household cannot keep the floors clear for two or three weeks, a chemical course can end up costing more than a single heat treatment. We tell you honestly on the phone if we think that is the case. Treatments start from £220, and heat costs more than chemical. If you are not sure how far it has spread, an inspection starts at £120. The Harrow page has wider advice for households.

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