Signs of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs will hide in very small cracks and crevices and will usually visit their hosts a few hours before dusk to feed on their blood. Signs of bed bugs are very easy for pest control professionals to spot, but for the untrained person, it can be more difficult.

Here are some common signs of bed bugs.

Where Will I Find Bed Bugs?

• On the bed frame and mattress: Bed bugs tend to breed in all areas of the bed, mainly on the bedpan, mattress and mattress seams. You can check the cracks in the bed frame and headboard, the seams around the edges of the mattress and inside the headboard, and the bottom of the mattress itself. In addition, the seams of mattresses and pillows can be a hotbed for bed bugs.
• Around the floor: Bed bugs can breed on carpets or mats, in wood floors, and even in skirting.
• On walls: inside cracks in damaged walls, behind peeling wallpaper, or behind wooden decorative frames.
• Inside closets and cabinets: inside drawers and cabinets and inside closets. The main thing you need to pay attention to is the location of the gap.
• Inside electrical outlets or their accessories
• Furniture joints: including gaps between cabinets and between walls and floors.
• Sofa: Bed bugs can be found on sofa seams, back of sofa covers and zippers.

Checklist for Finding Bed Bugs

• Bed frames and headboard crevices
• Mattress seams
• Carpets and underlay
• Skirting boards
• Between timber floorboards
• In cracked or broken plaster, behind peeling wallpaper
• Inside electrical sockets and fittings
• Drawers and cupboards
• Wardrobes
• Bedside cabinets

What Should I do After Finding Bed Bugs?

If you're not sure how to deal with bed bug-infested furniture in your home, you'll need to clean thoroughly and keep these areas sanitary and ventilated if you want to get rid of bed bugs quickly.

• Washing - Taking out the cushion coverings of any other removable components from the bed, chair, sofa, couch, etc. and putting them in the washing machine, disinfect bedding at 60°C for 90 minutes.
• Heating – Put bedding and cushions in a dryer. Run them on high heat for at least 30 minutes to completely eradicate bed bugs in all life stages.
• Vacuum - Vacuum beds, mattresses, and other areas where bed bugs may be found. Use a vacuum hose to clean the walls and edges. Then, go outside of the house and empty the vacuum cleaner dust bin.

Have You Noticed These Signs?

An inspection by Rentokil will help to confirm a problem and enable our Service Technicians to offer the best solution.

As part of our bed bug pest control control services, Rentokil also passes on our expertise in the form of training for your staff on bed bug early warning signs. Contact our team to find out more.