One of the most common questions we get is, "How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs?" At ThermoPest, we’re here to provide the answer.
Looking to get rid of a bed bug problem?
A bed bug infestation can be stressful, causing itchy bedbug bites, sleepless nights, and endless frustration. These tiny, nocturnal pests feed on human blood and are experts at hiding in mattresses, bed frames, and small cracks around your home or business. These little pests might even be in unexpected places like loose wallpaper, stuffed animals, and other soft toys.
If you’re wondering how to get rid of bed bugs, the first step is knowing what to look for. Common signs include bite marks, blood spots on your sheets, and even spotting live bed bugs. If you’re unsure, our trained professionals can offer advice, or you can purchase bed bug monitors from our online shop to help confirm an infestation.
When it comes to eliminating bed bugs heat treatment is the most effective method, but here are some treatments and important bedbug information to get you started.
Being with a visual inspection. Carefully check your mattress, bedding, and furniture for reddish-brown stains, dark faecal spots, shed skins, or live bugs hiding in crevices. Our team is happy to answer any questions you might have.
Passive monitors and sticky traps placed near your bed can help track activity, gauge the severity of the infestation, and guide treatment decisions. (Check our our store for top-rated products).
Bed bugs are master hiders, squeezing into tiny cracks, light sockets, and loose wallpaper. That’s why professional inspections are often recommended.
These pesky critters are small, oval-shaped insects with flat, reddish-brown bodies. They are often mistaken for other pests, but certain signs can confirm their presence. Look for dark stains on sheets, skins, and tiny white bedbug eggs in crevices, particularly around mattresses, bed frames, and other furniture joints. Adult bedbugs leave behind shed skins, white eggs, and dark yellow stains on bedding and furniture. In more established infestations, bed bugs emit a musty odour, though this may not always be noticeable in smaller infestations.
Wear pyjamas with long sleeves and long pants to protect your skin from bedbug bites when inspecting infested areas. If you think you have bedbugs, you should contact your local council or pest control service.
While trapping bed bugs can help monitor an infestation, it won’t get rid of bedbugs completely. However, it can slow their spread while you arrange for professional treatment.
One of the most effective methods is sealing your mattress and box spring in a plastic bag, which traps all the bugs inside, preventing them from escaping or feeding. Over time, this can help reduce their numbers, but it won’t eliminate them entirely. If you’re planning to buy a new mattress, you’ll need to ensure the infestation has been fully eradicated first to prevent re-infestation.
Placing sticky traps and bed bug interceptors under bed legs, furniture, and affected areas can capture bed bugs as they move. These traps help monitor infestation levels and confirm their presence, but they won’t eliminate bedbugs completely. A professional exterminator is necessary to fully remove them.
While these methods can help reduce an infestation, they will not completely eliminate bed bugs. For full eradication, heat treatment or professional extermination is required.
Thorough cleaning can help get rid of bed bugs in your home and support other treatment methods. Wash clothes, bedding, and curtains with hot water to kill both bed bugs and their eggs. Tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes. Bag up clean clothes in airtight bags to prevent them from becoming the bedbug’s next victims. Alternatively, you can put affected items in a sealed bag and freeze them. This method, however, does take longer.
Vacuum all infested areas, focusing on cracks and crevices where bed bugs tend to hide. Once vacuuming is complete, empty the vacuum bag carefully and dispose of it outside to prevent the infestation from spreading further.
While bed bugs are not only found in dirty places, it’s important to vacuum regularly, including your mattress, carpet, curtains, and upholstered furniture. Regular cleaning is important because bed bugs are “travel experts,” according to the British Pest Control Association. In fact, their preferred mode of transportation is crawling into your luggage during hotel stays. When travelling, keep your luggage on a suitcase stand.
If furniture or belongings are heavily infested, disposal may be necessary. Simply throwing them away without precautions can worsen the infestation, as the insects may spread to other areas.
Inspect furniture seams, cracks, and crevices for signs of activity. If the item is beyond saving, securely bag and seal it in plastic before disposal. This prevents them from escaping and infesting other areas. Follow local waste management guidelines, and in some cases, you may need to label the item as “infested” before disposal. Even after discarding items, professional treatment is required to ensure the infestation is fully eradicated.
Put all your clothes that have been affected into a sealed plastic bag for safe disposal.
Heat treatment is the most effective way to kill bed bugs, as high temperatures get rid of bedbugs at all stages of life. Bed bugs and their eggs cannot survive when exposed to high heat, making this method a guaranteed solution.
Specialist equipment is used to raise the temperature in infested areas, allowing heat to penetrate deep into cracks, crevices, and tiny hiding spots where sprays and DIY treatments often fail. Unlike chemical treatments, this method doesn’t rely on pesticides, making it a safer option for homes and businesses. It’s also fast and efficient, usually completed in a single day with minimal disruption.
For the best results, heat treatment should always be carried out by trained professionals to ensure safe and thorough eradication.
Chemical treatments can help control bed bug infestations, but they are less effective than heat treatment since they only kill bugs on contact and don’t reach deep cracks and crevices where eggs and hidden bed bugs remain.
There are different types of pesticides and insecticides, including aerosols, dust, and residual sprays, which may require multiple applications for lasting results. When using bed bug spray, always follow Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines to ensure safe use.
Sprinkling food-grade diatomaceous earth around hiding places can also help by dehydrating and killing bed bugs, but it should be used carefully.
If you suspect a bedbug infestation, act fast—bed bugs can live up to 12 months and lay over 500 eggs, allowing them to multiply quickly. Professional bed bug treatment is the best way to ensure complete eradication, and our expert team is here to help.
Yes, bed bugs are small but visible—though they are very good at flattening themselves and hiding. Once fully grown, the bugs are red/brown and measure around 4-5mm. Can you see bed bugs?
Bed bugs can be found anywhere that humans live because they feed on human blood. This attracts them to any environment where they can hide out—with mattresses and upholstery the prime targets. What causes bed bugs?
Bed bugs are difficult to identify in the early stages of their life cycles. Most infestations are discovered due to bite marks and itching from residents. Pest control professionals can usually identify droppings on bedding, uncover the places where the bugs hide and even smell the strong, sweet odours of a mature infestation. What are the signs that I have bed bugs?
Getting rid of bed bugs is not an easy task. Predominately, this is due to the nocturnal nature and ability for bed bugs to hide in small cracks and crevices. Sightings of bed bugs, it normally indicates that there is a serious bed bug infestation and requires a professional bed bug treatment. How do I kill bed bugs?
We are often asked what do bed bug bites look like? The problem is that bed bug bites can be easily confused with other insect bites. Each person bitten by bed bugs reacts differently, but there are some typical indicators. What do bed bug bites look like?
They get their name because they hide in areas that are related to the bed, such as a mattress, pillows, box springs, bed frames, and other furniture. They usually remain close to the host and usually bite at night when we are sleeping. Where do bed bugs bite?
Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have existed for thousands of years and gradually adapted to feed on humans. They’re not caused by poor hygiene – but common in places with high human turnover like hotels, dorms, public transport, and shared housing. They hide in beds, furniture, or cracks in walls and reproduce quickly.Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have existed for thousands of years and gradually adapted to feed on humans. They’re not caused by poor hygiene – but common in places with high human turnover like hotels, dorms, public transport, and shared housing. They hide in beds, furniture, or cracks in walls and reproduce quickly. If you need a bed bug exterminator near you, get in contact with one of our team today. Where do bed bugs come from?
Bed bug heat treatment is a method used to eliminate bedbugs by subjecting them to high temperatures. This approach relies on the sensitivity of bedbugs to heat, as they cannot survive when exposed to temperatures above a certain threshold. How to get rid of bed bugs?
One of the most common questions we get is, “How to check for bed bugs?” You Check for bed bugs by inspecting mattress seams, bed frames, and furniture for small reddish-brown bugs, tiny black fecal spots, or shed skins.
Yes we do emergency pest control in homes or commercial premises to minimise disruption and risk to health. We can advise you about the most effective insect control solutions for your particular problem.
During the initial treatment on first visit a pest controller will assess entry points, recommend various methods based on the infestation and place bed bug monitors if required.
We treat a wide range including bed bugs, carpet beetles, clothes moths and more. Whether you need moth control or insect control we will tailor our approach to the species and environment.
Yes. All our expert pest control services comply with strict health and safety regulations to protect people, pets and property so you will have a safe and pest free environment after treatment.
Yes, our local pest control teams can help with any pest control needs quickly and effectively.
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