0800 234 3140Call 24h - Nationwide Pest Control
  • Nationwide Service
  • Qualified Technicians
  • Commercial & Domestic
  • Rapid Call Out
  • Preventative Visits
  • Free Quotes & Advice

Bed Bugs

The UK's #1 Bed Bugs Exterminator

A Picture Of Bedbug Isolated On White Background

Bed bugs are a terrible nuisance for many. If you have bed bugs, your quality of life can suffer.

It can be difficult to sleep if you know that there are bed bugs in your home. If you are bitten by them, you may experience uncomfortable itching and soreness on your skin.

If you suspect that there are bed bugs in your home, you should attempt to exterminate them as soon as possible.

Leaving a bed bug infestation can cause further issues as the pests will multiply quickly. This guide will tell you how to identify bed bugs, so you can be sure if you have them in your home, and what to do to get rid of them. Additionally, you will also find advice on how to avoid bed bugs in your home again.

What do bed bugs look like?

As bed bugs feed on the flood of humans and animals, the first sign is often itchy red spots around your legs, ankles or other areas of skin that you have exposed at night.

Identifying bed bugs is the first step in eliminating them for good. The appearance of bed bugs can differ depending on whether they recently have fed. An adult bed bug before feeding will be brown or yellow and have a flat body that is similar in size to an apple seed.

Common Bedbug - Vector IllustratiionAfter feeding, an adult bed bug’s body will swell up and change to a more reddish colour. An immature bed bug will need to feed around five times before reaching full size and sheds its skin each time it does this.

Bed bugs are not flying insects. They are characterised by their ability to quickly move across floors, ceilings, walls and other flat surfaces. However, they’ll usually hide inside headboards mattresses and bed frames in groups when they are not seeking blood to feed on.

How do you get bed bugs?

Many people associate bed bugs with the cleanliness of their home. However, an unclean environment isn’t the main contributor to a bed bug infestation. Instead, it is thought that travel is the most common cause of bed bugs in your home.

Bed bugs usually enter the home via items that have travelled into the home from elsewhere. This means they can attach to bags and clothing in other properties and be brought into your home via you or someone else.

A big cause of bed bug infestations can be second-hand furniture such as beds and sofas. Bed bugs are incredibly good at going unnoticed. This is due to their flat bodies that can fit in small hiding spots inside upholstery or wood.

If you’re concerned about bringing bed bugs into your home, you should avoid buying second-hand furniture (particularly bedroom furniture) or renting goods. It can also be helpful to vacuum regularly to be sure that you hoover up any bugs that have hitched their way into your home.

How to tell if you have bed bugs

The easiest way to tell that you have bed bugs is to check your bed regularly for signs. You may not always see bed bugs straight away as they spend most of their time hiding. Look carefully on your bed for black smears that can resemble stains that would be left by a permanent marker. These can be faecal trails left behind by bed bugs.

Examine your bed carefully for specks of blood. This can be a sign that bed bugs have been feeding in your bed.

You should also inspect areas of your skin that are commonly uncovered when you are in bed. This may include your face, legs, feet, ankles, hands or neck. Sometimes you may not notice that you have been bitten but may have red spots from bites. Spots are usually in clusters or lines and may be itchy. There may also be swelling around the area of the bites.

Look around areas such as door and window frames and joints of drawers that are in the room. These are common hiding places for bed bugs, as are mattress and cushion seams.

How to get rid of bed bugs

Getting rid of bed bugs isn’t an easy task for a non-professional. However, there are some things you can do to try and eliminate bed bugs yourself. These include washing your bedding, curtains and other linen and clothing that has been stored in the room on the hottest wash and using a tumble dryer on a hot setting to dry them.

You can also use a brush on your bed to brush off any eggs that may be on the mattress or surfaces before hoovering your mattress and the surrounding area. Removing clutter from around the room can also be a good way to get rid of potential hiding spots for bed bugs.

There are many chemical-based products on the market that claim to get rid of bed bugs but using these isn’t recommended unless you are a trained professional. It is important to remember that you spend a long time sleeping in your bedroom and being exposed to harmful chemicals for an extended period can cause health issues.

The main methods to get rid of bed bugs yourself usually involve deep cleaning, removing clutter and repairing cracks in walls, ceilings or wooden surfaces to reduce the number of hiding places that may be attractive to bed bugs. The most effective method, however, is to contact a professional bed bug exterminator.

Frequently Asked Questions

When to Call in the Bed Bug Exterminator…

Bed bugs are great at hiding in your home but can cause it to be very unpleasant. Being bitten by bed bugs can be very itchy and may lead to further health complications. You should try to identify and eliminate bed bugs as soon as possible to avoid the infestation getting worse.

Generally, the best solution to quickly identify and exterminate bed bugs is to use professional pest control services.

Using professional like us to deal with the problem can give you peace of mind that the infestation will be quickly and efficiently removed.

Talk to us about Pest Control

Call us on 0800 234 3140 - or complete our Free Quote Form below.

Learn about our Pest Control Services

Free Quote

Free Quote for all Pest Control Services Nationwide

  • Commercial or Domestic
  • Lines open 24 hours a day 7 days a week
  • Nationwide Pest Control
  • Technicians work 24 hours a day
  • Help & Advice on 0800 234 3140