Bed Bugs in Brent Homes
Bed bugs are small, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed on blood at night and hide during the day, usually within a couple of metres of where someone sleeps. Most people only find them once the bites have been going on for a while.
Where to look
- Seams, piping and labels of the mattress
- Joints and screw holes of the bed frame and headboard
- The edges of carpet nearest the bed
- Behind loose wallpaper, skirting boards and plug sockets
- Sofas and chairs used for sleeping
Signs besides bites
Look for small dark spots on sheets and mattress seams, tiny pale shed skins, and in heavier infestations a sweet, musty smell. Bites alone are not proof — different people react very differently, and some do not react at all.
Shared houses and flats
In HMOs and blocks, bed bugs travel along pipework, through gaps around sockets and on belongings moved between rooms. Treating one bedroom while the room next door is also affected rarely works, which is why we ask how many rooms are involved and why landlords and managing agents should be told early.
What not to do before treatment
Do not start sleeping in another room — the bugs follow and the problem spreads. Avoid shop-bought foggers, which tend to scatter them deeper into the walls. And do not throw out the mattress without checking with us first; it often is not necessary.
