Bed bugs
Where Bed Bugs Start in a Big House
Bed bugs travel in suitcases, bags and clothing, and they settle close to where people sleep. On a Totteridge property that makes the rooms used by visitors the most likely starting point, rather than the family's own bedrooms. How bed bugs get into a home explains the routes.
Guest bedrooms after a stay
A guest room may be empty for weeks, then used by someone who has just flown in. If bed bugs arrive with them, they hide in the mattress seams, the headboard and the bedside tables. With nobody sleeping there afterwards, they can wait a long time, and the next guest is the one who gets bitten.
Annexes and staff accommodation
An annexe or staff flat is often furnished with older or second-hand pieces, and it may house a series of different people over a year. Each move brings luggage and belongings. Where the annexe is joined to the house, bugs can spread along a shared wall or through connecting rooms, and bed bugs in sofas and furniture explains why a chair or sofa near the bed matters too.
Signs to Check
- Small dark spots along mattress seams and the edges of the base
- Tiny pale shed skins or live bugs in the headboard or bed frame
- Rows of itchy bites reported by a guest or a member of staff
- Spots of blood on pillowcases or sheets
- Signs in the chair or sofa next to the bed, not only the bed itself
The first signs of bed bugs shows what each looks like. Bites alone are not proof, and bed bugs or fleas helps where there is a dog in the house; if it is fleas, see flea control in Totteridge. For itchy or inflamed bites, speak to a pharmacist or GP.
What to Do Now
- Stop using the affected room and keep its door shut
- Do not move the mattress, bedding or furniture into another room
- Wash bedding from that room on a hot wash and dry it on high heat
- Check the rooms either side and any room the guest or staff member also used
- Tell the person staying there, kindly and plainly, so they can check their own belongings
Booking and Preparing
When you book bed bug control, say which rooms have signs and which rooms were used by the person who stayed. If it is staff accommodation, let the person living there know about the visit in advance. How to prepare a room sets out what to do beforehand. You will be told what to expect afterwards, and why you may still see bed bugs after treatment explains when to get back in touch.
Guest suites and connected rooms
A guest suite often means a bedroom, a dressing room and a small sitting area. Tell us how the rooms are laid out, which have beds or upholstered furniture, and where the guest spent time, so the rooms that need treatment can be agreed before the visit. Where bed bugs hide during the day explains why a chair or luggage stand in the next room can matter.
Keeping Guest Rooms Clear
Check a guest room after each stay: lift the sheet and look along the mattress seams and the back of the headboard. Use a luggage rack rather than letting cases sit on the bed or carpet, and look over any second-hand furniture before it goes into an annexe. For the borough-wide picture, see Bed Bug Control Barnet. If you also have carpet beetles, their larvae can be mistaken for bed bugs at a glance.
