How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Your Home

Why Bed Bugs Are Difficult to Deal With

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed exclusively on blood — usually yours, while you sleep. They are one of the most difficult household pests to eliminate without professional help.

Bed bugs do not fly or jump, but they are excellent hitchhikers. They spread via luggage, second-hand furniture, clothing, and even on public transport. A single pregnant female can start an entire infestation.

Unlike many pests, bed bugs are not attracted by dirt or poor hygiene. They are found in five-star hotels, student accommodation, and spotless family homes alike. What draws them is warmth, carbon dioxide, and a sleeping host.

How to Identify Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are visible to the naked eye — adults are roughly 5mm long, about the size of an apple seed. However, they hide in cracks and crevices during the day, making them easy to miss.

• Bites — clusters or lines of red, itchy welts on exposed skin, typically appearing overnight. Not everyone reacts to bites, so absence of bites does not mean absence of bugs.
• Blood spots — small reddish-brown stains on sheets or pillowcases from crushed bugs or digested blood.
• Dark spots — small black or dark brown marks (faecal deposits) on mattress seams, bed frames, headboards, and nearby furniture.
• Shed skins — translucent, pale casings shed as nymphs grow through five moult stages.
• Musty odour — a heavy infestation produces a distinctive sweet, musty smell from the bugs' scent glands.
• Live bugs — check mattress seams, bed frame joints, headboard fixings, behind bedside tables, and along skirting boards near the bed.

DIY Methods: What You Can Try

Bed bugs are extremely difficult to eliminate with DIY methods alone, but there are steps you can take to reduce numbers and slow the spread while waiting for professional treatment.

Wash all bedding, clothing, and soft furnishings at 60°C or higher. Tumble dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Heat kills bed bugs at all life stages.

Vacuum thoroughly along mattress seams, bed frame joints, skirting boards, and any cracks near the bed. Empty the vacuum into a sealed bag and dispose of it in an outdoor bin immediately.

Use mattress encasements — zippered, bed-bug-proof covers that trap any remaining bugs inside and prevent new ones from harbourage in the mattress.

We do not recommend over-the-counter bed bug sprays. Most are repellent-based, which means they scatter the bugs to other rooms rather than killing them, making the problem worse and harder to treat professionally.

When to Call a Professional

In almost all cases, professional treatment is necessary to fully eliminate a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs reproduce quickly, hide in places DIY methods cannot reach, and have developed resistance to many common insecticides.

If you are waking up with bites, finding blood spots on your sheets, or have seen live bugs, contact a professional bed bug treatment service as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more established the infestation becomes and the harder it is to treat.

How Professional Bed Bug Treatment Works

Professional bed bug treatment uses insecticides that are not available to the public, applied by trained technicians who know exactly where to target.

• Inspection — a thorough check of the bedroom and adjacent rooms to confirm the infestation and assess its extent.
• Treatment — application of residual insecticide to harbourage areas: mattress seams, bed frame joints, skirting boards, behind headboards, and furniture near the bed. A growth regulator may also be applied to prevent eggs and nymphs from developing.
• Follow-up — a second treatment is usually required 2–3 weeks later to catch any nymphs that have hatched since the first visit. This is essential because most insecticides do not kill eggs.
• Aftercare — the technician will advise on preparation before treatment and steps to take afterwards to maximise effectiveness.

Preventing Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are not entirely preventable — anyone can pick them up — but you can reduce the risk.

• Inspect second-hand furniture carefully before bringing it into your home, especially beds, sofas, and upholstered items.
• When travelling, check hotel mattress seams and headboards. Keep luggage on a hard surface, not on the bed or carpet.
• Wash and tumble dry clothing on high heat after returning from trips or stays in shared accommodation.
• Use mattress encasements as a preventative measure — they eliminate hiding spots and make inspections easier.
• If you live in a flat or shared building, act quickly if neighbours report bed bugs. They can travel between units through shared walls and pipework.

How Much Does Bed Bug Treatment Cost?

Bed bug treatment in London and Essex typically starts from around £150 for a single room, with most treatments requiring two visits. Costs increase for multi-room infestations or larger properties.

BuzzKill provides a free assessment with no call-out charge. View our full bed bug removal service or contact us for a quote.