How bed bugs get into London flats
In a dense, well-connected city like London, bed bugs don’t need to travel far to find a new flat. They hitchhike on luggage, clothing, furniture and delivery items, then settle into tiny crevices in beds, skirting, and furniture. This guide explains where they really come from, how they move through blocks and shared housing, and why targeted heat treatment is the most reliable way to end an infestation in flats.
If you need immediate support, our specialist teams carry out bed bug heat treatment in London that’s designed for apartments, HMOs and terraced homes.
What people believe vs the reality
Myth: Bed bugs arrive because a home is dirty. Reality: Hygiene isn’t the driver; they feed on blood, not crumbs. The cleanest flat in the block can be affected if a bug hitches a ride in luggage or comes through a party wall.
Myth: They jump or fly from neighbours. Reality: Bed bugs can’t jump or fly. They crawl locally and spread long distances by hitchhiking on people’s belongings, delivery parcels, or pre-owned furniture.
Myth: A quick spray or fogger clears them. Reality: Many London populations show resistance to common insecticides. Foggers scatter bugs, pushing them deeper into walls and neighbouring flats, while eggs often survive.
Science-backed facts about bed bug movement
London’s flats provide connected routes: service risers, pipe chases, cable trunking, under-door gaps, lift lobbies and communal corridors. Bed bugs often disperse after disruption (DIY sprays, building works, noisy moves), migrating along skirting voids and through light or socket back-boxes. In multi-occupancy blocks, regular travel on the Tube, buses or rideshares gives bugs ample opportunity to hitchhike on bags and coats. One journey is low risk; repeated journeys citywide raise the odds.
Life-stage resilience matters. Adults and nymphs die quickly at high temperatures, but eggs are insulated and need higher, sustained heat to be neutralised. For a deeper dive on thresholds, see what temperature kills bed bugs.
Where do they come from in London settings?
Travel and commuting: Suitcases, rucksacks, coats and prams moved through trains, buses, taxis and offices.
Second-hand and deliveries: Pre-owned beds, sofas, drawers and headboards; kerbside finds; furniture from storage or clearance; even contaminated packaging.
Shared building features: Party walls, floor voids, service risers, laundry rooms and shared hallways that link dwellings.
Hospitality and short lets: Hotels, hostels and serviced apartments act as hubs; visitors and residents can bring bugs back unknowingly.
Common mistakes that spread bed bugs between flats
Foggers and random sprays: These create ‘alarm’ responses and scatter bugs into adjacent rooms or flats. Eggs and hidden clusters often survive.
Moving items room-to-room: Dragging bedding, clothes or furniture through communal spaces spreads bugs and eggs.
Throwing mattresses away too soon: Carrying an infested mattress down communal stairs spreads bugs along the route; keep items isolated until treated.
Uninspected second-hand items: Even small bedside tables can harbour bugs in screw holes and joints; always inspect thoroughly.
Practical advice you can do safely at home
Inspect smartly: Focus on mattress seams, bed frames, slats, headboard fixings, skirting near the bed, bedside furniture and within 1–2 metres of sleeping areas. A torch and credit-card edge help you probe tight joins.
Laundry heat: Bag items in the room, then wash at 60°C and dry on high heat. Seal and re-bag clean items. Heat is your friend; avoid shuttling laundry around the building uncovered.
Reduce harbourages: Declutter near the bed; lift the bed off the wall; consider climb-up interceptors on bed legs to help detect activity.
Prepare, don’t panic: If you’re arranging professional treatment, read up on preparing your home for treatment so heat can flow into all the places bugs hide.
Why heat treatment is the superior solution for London flats
All life stages killed: Professional heat raises the whole room contents into the lethal range, so adults, nymphs and eggs are neutralised in the same visit.
Cold spots eliminated: Domestic spaces create cool pockets under mattresses, inside drawers and behind skirting. Professional systems move air continuously and agitate contents to remove cold spots.
Sustained lethal temperature: It’s not just hitting a peak; it’s holding it. Technicians maintain the kill-zone for long enough that eggs can’t survive.
Sensors and monitoring: Multiple probes and data logging verify temperatures at the mattress core, furniture joints and room extremities. See our bed bug heat treatment process for how we position sensors and manage airflow.
Minimal chemical reliance: Heat bypasses insecticide resistance and avoids driving bugs into neighbouring flats. Where needed, precise follow-up measures target residual risk without blanket spraying.
After the job, it’s essential to monitor your property after treatment to confirm success and catch any re-introductions early.
ThermoPest expertise in London homes and businesses
ThermoPest’s heat teams work across London’s flats, terrace conversions, HMOs and new-build blocks, tailoring equipment to access top floors and tight stairwells. We coordinate with managing agents and neighbours where adjoining units are at risk, and we schedule discreetly to minimise disruption. For organisations, our commercial heat treatment for hotels and landlords delivers building-wide plans, isolation protocols and documented temperature records.
If you’re ready to act, our planners can talk you through bed bug heat treatment in London and the steps to make your flat heat-ready. Ahead of treatment, review preparing your home for treatment, and for the science on kill thresholds, see what temperature kills bed bugs.
FAQ’S
Question: How do bed bugs spread between flats in the same building?
Answer: They usually move with people’s belongings, but inside blocks they can also track along service risers, pipe chases, cable trunking and under-door gaps. Disturbance from DIY sprays or building works can push bugs outward into neighbouring units. DIY often fails because it misses eggs and creates cold spots where insects survive. A simple step is to seal obvious gaps around pipes and sockets and coordinate inspections on both sides of party walls; in professional practice we also heat-treat at-risk adjacent units to prevent bounce-back.
Question: Can I pick up bed bugs on the Tube, buses or in taxis?
Answer: It’s possible, but the risk per journey is low; bed bugs don’t live on people, they hitchhike on items placed on upholstered seats or in close contact with infested bags. In a city with heavy commuting the cumulative exposure adds up, so vigilance matters. DIY sprays on your coat or bag won’t help and can be unsafe. A sensible tip is to keep bags zipped and off soft seating when you can and inspect luggage seams after trips; in professional practice we focus on intercepting introductions rather than attempting to treat public transport exposures.
Question: Do bed bugs mean my flat isn’t clean?
Answer: No. Bed bugs are not linked to poor hygiene; they feed on blood and will infest spotless and cluttered homes alike. Clutter simply gives them more harbourages and makes control harder. Home remedies like essential oils or foggers rarely work and can scatter bugs. Keep the sleeping area tidy, reduce hiding places near the bed and monitor regularly; in professional practice we see excellent results when good housekeeping is paired with targeted heat.
Question: Why do bed bugs seem to return after treatment?
Answer: Two reasons are common: survivors in untreated cold spots or eggs that weren’t exposed long enough, and re-introduction from travel or neighbouring flats. Many chemicals struggle with resistant populations and don’t reach hidden eggs. Heat with proper sensor verification solves the survival issue, while monitoring helps catch reintroductions early. Use bed leg interceptors for a few weeks after treatment and minimise new items entering the room; in professional practice we combine verified heat with follow-up checks to distinguish re-infestation from re-introduction.
Question: What temperature and time actually kill bed bugs and eggs?
Answer: Adults and nymphs die quickly once the whole item reaches the lethal range, while eggs are tougher and need a higher, sustained temperature. In practice, professionals hold room contents in the mid-50s °C for long enough to ensure the core of mattresses, furniture and cracks achieve kill conditions. DIY tools struggle to heat evenly, leaving cold spots where eggs persist. A safe home tip is using a tumble dryer on high for at least 30 minutes on bagged clothing and linens; in professional practice, we use multiple sensors to confirm every cold spot has been eliminated.
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