Bed bugs are hitch-hikers, not a sign of a dirty home. If you have noticed bites after a trip, here is what to do before you throw anything away.
Bed bugs travel in luggage, clothing, bags and second-hand furniture. A hotel room, a hostel or a friend's sofa can be the starting point, and the first you know about it may be days or weeks after the trip. They are not a sign of dirt. A spotless house can have them, and so can a hotel with a good reputation.
They hide in mattress seams, bed frames, headboards and behind skirting boards, and come out at night to feed. Adults are about the size of an apple pip.
Sneinton is a district of Victorian terraces, with its market and windmill giving it a lived-in, busy character. Terraced houses are often divided into flats or let to several tenants, and a mattress or sofa passed from one household to the next is a classic route for bed bugs. A single room can be affected for weeks before the people sleeping elsewhere in the house notice.
Because terraces share walls and floors, bugs can also move between rooms and, in some cases, between neighbouring properties if the infestation grows.
Do not move bedding or furniture into other rooms, because that spreads the problem. Do not throw a mattress out before speaking to someone, as it may be carried through the house and leave bugs on the way.
If you plan to travel again, a few habits help. Keep luggage off the bed and away from the wall, check the mattress seams and headboard when you arrive, and wash everything on a hot cycle as soon as you get home. Leaving the case in a hallway or garage rather than the bedroom for the first day reduces the chance of carrying bugs further.
A technician will inspect the bed, furniture and surrounding rooms, confirm that it really is bed bugs and treat the affected areas. A second visit is common, as eggs can survive the first treatment. How long it takes depends on how many rooms are affected and how well the room can be prepared.
Our free advice with the treatment covers preparation, laundry and what to do when you travel next.
Call 0115 937 5117 to talk it through and we will arrange a visit, including same day where possible.
No. They travel on luggage, clothes and furniture and can settle in any home, however clean. The problem is usually how they arrived, not how the house is kept.
Not straight away. Moving it can spread bugs through the house. A treatment may deal with it, and a technician can advise whether replacement makes sense.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
