Bed bugs
Beds and Furniture That Have Been in Storage
Many Edgware homes keep a spare bed somewhere: a mattress on its side in the garage, a folded guest bed in the loft, a divan base waiting for the next visitor. Garages and lofts are covered as a whole on Pest Control Edgware; the point here is narrower. Bed bugs that were already in a mattress or frame when it went into storage do not simply die off. Adults can go a long time without feeding, particularly somewhere cool, and they become active again once the bed is back in a warm bedroom with someone sleeping in it.
Second-hand beds and sofas
A bed frame from an online listing, a sofa from a house clearance or a headboard collected from a neighbour is the other common route. The bugs hide in joints, screw holes, seams and under fabric, not in plain sight, so a quick look on the drive is easy to get wrong. Bed bugs in sofas and furniture shows where they sit.
Guests, holidays and moving home
Suitcases after a trip, a guest's bag left on the spare bed, and boxes carried from a previous address can all bring bed bugs with them. If you are not sure how yours arrived, how bed bugs get into a home goes through the usual routes. Knowing the source seldom changes what happens next, so do not hold off calling while you work it out.
Checking a Bed That Has Come Out of Storage
- Stand the mattress up in daylight and run a torch along every seam, the piping and any labels
- Look into the corners and joints of the frame, the screw holes and the underside of the divan base
- Check the back of the headboard where it meets the wall
- Look for dark spotting, pale shed skins, tiny white eggs and live bugs
The first signs of bed bugs shows each of these. Bites alone do not confirm anything: itchy bumps around the ankles in a home with a dog or cat may be fleas in Edgware, and an itchy rash with no bites can come from carpet beetle larvae in stored textiles.
What Not to Do
- Do not put the affected mattress back in the garage or loft, as that simply stores the problem for later
- Do not move bedding, cushions or clothes from that room to another bedroom
- Do not buy another second-hand bed until the problem has been dealt with
- Do not throw furniture away before speaking to us; a mattress does not always have to go
Booking a Bed Bug Visit in Edgware
Counting the rooms
When you book, say which rooms have signs or bites, and whether any affected furniture has been moved between rooms or in and out of storage. Each affected room is counted, such as a bedroom or a front room with a sofa bed; halls, landings and stairs are not. If a stored bed has already been in the garage with bugs in it, mention that too.
Preparing and afterwards
You will be told how to get the rooms ready; preparing a room for treatment gives an idea of what is involved. Keep sleeping in your own bed unless told otherwise. How quickly things settle depends on the rooms and how established the bugs were, and why bed bugs can still appear after treatment explains what to watch for. If you are still being bitten after the time we give you, get back in touch.
Stopping It Happening Again
- Inspect any second-hand bed or sofa before it comes past the front door, paying attention to joints and seams
- Before a spare mattress goes into storage, check it, then keep it in a sealed mattress bag
- Unpack suitcases on a hard floor, not on the bed, and wash clothes on a hot cycle where the fabric allows
- Strip and check the guest bed after visitors who mention bites
Moving into a flat with second-hand furniture is a bigger risk in the new blocks of neighbouring Colindale. For the borough-wide page, see Bed Bug Control Barnet, or read the Barnet bed bug advice.
