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Last year the news was rife with stories about a bedbug infestation in Paris.
Bedbugs were spotted on mass on public transport and in hotel rooms.
While we deal with these pests all year round, we do see a peak in the summer when more people are travelling.
If bedbugs find their way into your home, it can be extremely unpleasant and worrying.
Read on, to learn more about how to prevent bedbugs and what to do if you suspect you have them in your property.
Firstly, if you think you might have bedbugs, please contact us straightaway before the problem increases. We do not recommend you try to get rid of bed bugs yourself. One of our trained pest control experts will be able to assess the problem and recommend the correct treatment. We use the most effective solutions available to the pest control trade.
The most common ways for bedbugs to get into your home, is in clothing, luggage, or furniture. Often, it is the eggs that become attached to these materials, which then transfer onto the soft furnishings in your home.
If you are concerned, carefully check your bed frame, headboards and mattress, as well as in the crevices of sofas, chairs and carpets.
The signs to look out for include:
Bedbugs are often confused with fleas, so it is important to identify them correctly as the treatment for each is different.
Preventing bedbugs from getting into your home, isn’t easy. It is usually the eggs that will transfer onto your clothing, and they are too small to detect with the naked eye.
However, you can be on the lookout for obvious signs in places where there is a high footfall such as public transport.
While most hotels will be bedbug free, there is no harm inspecting the bed for any tell-tale signs. You can also thoroughly check your clothes before you return. Once home, wash your clothes in a hot wash.
If you are buying second-hand furniture, always examine it thoroughly for bedbugs, or any other pests such as fleas.
Regularly vacuum your soft furnishings and tidy away clothes to reduce the number of hiding places.
If you have been exposed to bedbugs, try to remove clothing and baggage before going inside. Enclose the items in a zip lock bag and transfer into the washing machine to wash on a high temperature.
Quarantining the items can also work, but bear in mind bedbugs can live for a long time as they can become dormant and survive up to a year without feeding.
Regularly check your property for any telltale signs highlighted above.
While it can be difficult to eliminate bed bugs from your property and your furnishings, it is possible.
When you contact us, we will arrange a time slot for one of our Protex Pest Control experts to visit you. They will thoroughly assess your premises and provide you with a personalised bedbug treatment plan. The plan will include the use of professional insecticides and instructions for you to ensure they can take effect over the course of the treatment.
