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 not a sign of a dirty house. They arrive on luggage, coats and second-hand furniture, so a tidy home can get them as easily as a cluttered one. Totnes has plenty of visitors and older buildings, and we treat each job on what we find in the room.
What happens on the day
We begin by confirming the problem. We look along the mattress piping, under the headboard, inside the bed frame joints and behind loose skirting for live bugs, shed skins and dark spotting. Once we know where they are living, we explain the plan before any treatment starts, so nothing in your home is a surprise.
The treatment itself is targeted. We work on the bed frame, mattress seams, bedside furniture, cracks at the skirting and any other spots the bugs have settled into. Older Totnes properties often have timber, gaps and layers of old decoration that give bed bugs plenty of hiding places, so we take our time with the edges of the room.
Getting the room ready
Preparation makes the treatment work better. Strip the bedding and bag it, then wash it as hot as the fabric allows and dry it on a hot setting. Keep clothing and linen sealed in bags until we have finished, and clear the floor around the bed and under it so we can reach the edges.
Please do not move things into other rooms in a rush, because that can carry bed bugs with it. Leave the bagged items where they are and tell us if you have already moved anything. If you rent in Totnes or let rooms, we can talk through who needs to be told and which rooms to check next.
The follow-up visit and keeping them away
Bed bug eggs and hidden stragglers mean one visit is rarely the whole story, so we return to check the room and treat again if we see signs of activity. Totnes homes are no different: we cannot promise one treatment clears every bug, but the follow-up is how we make sure. We also cover nearby places such as Dartmouth and Longcombe, TQ9 and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know it is bed bugs and not just mosquito bites?
Bed bug bites often appear in lines or small clusters on exposed skin, and you may see blood spots, dark specks or shed skins on the bedding and mattress seams. If you are unsure, we can look at the room and confirm what is there before treating anything.
Do I have to throw my mattress away in Totnes?
Usually not. Mattresses can often be treated along the seams and frame, and a protective cover helps afterwards. We will tell you honestly if a particular item is too badly affected, but throwing things out is rarely the first step.
Can I sleep in the room after the treatment?
We will tell you when the room is safe to use again once the work is done, and what to leave alone while it settles. Keep the bed made with freshly washed linen and mention any new bites to us before the follow-up visit.