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.
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. Professionals can usually identify droppings on bedding, uncover the places where they hide and even smell the strong, sweet odours of a mature infestation. What are the signs that I have bed bugs?
Bedbug bites often appear in clusters or straight lines, leading to itching, redness, and irritation. On white skin, the bites tend to look red and inflamed, while on black or brown skin, they may appear purple or darker in tone.
Bedbug bites can cause painful swelling for some people, and in cases of allergic reactions, they may become more inflamed and even lead to serious health problems. However, they usually clear up in about a week. To help soothe the irritation, gently wipe the affected area clean with a damp cloth and apply a mild steroid cream to reduce itching and swelling. What do bedbug bites look like?
Bed bugs are found in virtually any place people tend to gather, including residences, hotels, schools, offices, retail stores and even public transportation. Bed bugs will remain as close to their host as possible and feed during the night, which is why you will usually get bitten whilst sleeping. If you need a bed bug exterminator near you, get in contact with one of our team today. Where do bed bugs come from?
Yes, bed bugs are small but definitely visible—though they’re experts at flattening themselves into nooks and carnies and hiding in mattresses, bed frames, and furniture crevices. A fully grown critter measuring about 4–5mm, roughly the size of an apple seed. If you’re spotting live bed bugs, it’s a strong sign of an infestation that needs urgent attention. Can you see bed bugs?
Bed bugs don’t appear because of dirt or neglect—they are excellent hitchhikers and spread through second-hand furniture, clothing, luggage, and public spaces. They are commonly found in homes, hotels, offices, schools, and public transport, anywhere people gather. Once inside, they settle into hiding places such as mattresses, carpets, and cracks in furniture, making them difficult to detect. What causes bed bugs?
In the early stages, bed bugs can be tricky to spot. The first signs are usually bedbug bites, which appear in clusters or lines and can cause painful swelling, redness, and itching. Pest control companies can help identify skins, tiny white eggs, and faecal stains that live in all sorts of cracks and items. In more advanced infestations, a strong, musty odour may also be present. If you suspect bed bugs, it’s crucial to act fast before the problem spreads. What are the signs that I have bed bugs?
To prevent bed bugs, regularly vacuum your mattress, carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture, especially in hiding places like behind picture frames and small cracks. Seal cracks in walls and floors to block their entry points. Put everything in a hot wash, followed by a hot dryer cycle, to kill any bugs that may have hitched a ride. After treatment, using a plastic bag or mattress encasement can help protect against future infestations. If you suspect bed bugs are still present, a professional can assess the situation and recommend additional pest control methods. How to prevent bed bugs
Bed bugs feed on exposed skin, typically biting the arms, neck, shoulders, face, and legs while you sleep. Unlike mosquitoes, bedbug bites often appear in clusters or straight lines, leading to itching, redness, and irritation. Some people may experience an allergic reaction to the bites, causing painful swelling. Since bed bugs hide in and around mattresses, box springs, and used furniture, it’s crucial to check for signs of an infestation if you wake up with unexplained bites. Where do bed bugs bite?
The most effective way to kill bed bugs is heat treatment, which kills all bugs, eggs, and nymphs in a single session. Unlike sprays, which may only kill adult bedbugs on contact, heat reaches deep into tiny spaces, ensuring complete eradication. By raising the temperature in an infested area to lethal levels, bed bugs cannot survive and are permanently eliminated. Bug bombs and bed bugs sprays are also great alternatives for smaller infestations. How to get rid of bed bugs?
Talk to us about Bed Bug Pest Control
Call us on 0808 189 2310 - or complete our quote form below.
Learn about our Bed Bug Pest Control Services
Get A Quote
Speak to a bed bug expert today!
Fast Quote
Speak to a bed bug expert today!
