Advice
Signs of Bed Bugs and What to Do Next
Bed bugs are small, flat insects that hide close to where people sleep, and knowing the early signs helps you act before they spread through a home.
Read the guide →Bed bugs are common travellers. They come in on holiday luggage, visitors' bags, second-hand beds and sofas. A clean, well-kept home gets them just as easily as any other, so please do not blame yourself.
What the treatment day looks like
We arrive, look at the bed and ask a few questions about where and when the bites started. Then we check seams, slats, headboard, skirting and nearby furniture, treating what we find. In a Crediton house with an older high street building or a converted flat, the layout may need extra checks along shared walls.
The work in a single bedroom usually takes a modest amount of time, though larger or busier properties take longer. We finish by explaining how long to keep out of the room, what to wash, when we will be back and what signs of success or trouble to look for.
Your part: bagging, washing, clearing
Strip the bed carefully and put bedding straight into a sealed bag. Wash hot, then tumble dry on a high heat if the label allows. Do the same for curtains and clothes kept near the bed. Move shoes, books and clutter out of reach so we can get to skirting and floor edges.
If you manage lets in Crediton, tell tenants what to expect before we visit, and ask them not to move furniture into other rooms. Moving a sofa or bed to a clean room just spreads the problem. Leave it where it is, and we will deal with it.
After we have gone
In the days following treatment in Crediton, you may still see a few bugs, and that is normal as eggs hatch. Please do not spray anything yourself. We will return to inspect and treat further if needed. We also cover Cullompton and Okehampton, so if a relative or tenant nearby has a problem, we can help them too.
Frequently asked questions
Why am I still seeing bed bugs a few days after treatment?
Eggs can survive and hatch after the first visit, so a few bugs appearing is not unusual. That is the reason for the follow-up visit. Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will check those spots.
Is it safe to have children sleep in the room afterwards?
We will tell you when the room can be used again, and that is normally after treated surfaces have dried. Put clean, hot-washed bedding on the bed, and follow the instructions we give you on the day.
Can bed bugs be in a sofa as well as the bed?
Yes, particularly if someone sleeps or rests on it often. Sofas, armchairs and sofa beds have seams and frames that suit them, so we inspect and treat upholstered furniture in the same room.