Bed bug treatment clears an infestation of Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug, using chemical spray over a few visits, or heat treatment that clears a room in one. Most Londoners first notice the signs of bed bug bites rather than seeing a bug, so if you're being bitten at night, finding small blood or dark faecal spots on your bedding, or have brought luggage home from travel, it's worth getting the room checked rather than waiting. If the bites themselves are what's bothering you most right now, see how to treat bed bug bites while you sort out the room. This page covers what's involved, what it costs, and how to get quotes from local specialists who cover London.
Are there bedbugs in England?
Yes. Bed bugs are present across England, including London, and they're one of the more common household pests, not an unusual insect to come across. They're not linked to how clean a home is: bed bugs feed on blood and will infest a tidy flat as readily as a cluttered one, they just spread by hitching a ride in luggage, clothing and furniture.
Is there any treatment for bed bugs?
Yes, and most infestations do clear up with the right treatment. The two main professional methods are chemical spray, usually over two to three visits a couple of weeks apart, and heat treatment, which raises a whole room to a temperature bed bugs and their eggs can't survive in a single visit.
Washing, freezing and vacuuming help reduce numbers yourself, but a genuine infestation usually needs one of these professional methods to clear fully. See our guide to getting rid of bed bugs for the detail.
Can bed bugs live in pillows?
Yes, bed bugs can hide in and around pillows, along with mattress seams, bed frames, headboards and nearby furniture. They don't live inside your pillow filling the way dust mites do; they hide in seams and folds close to where you sleep, then come out to feed at night.
What time of year is worst for bed bugs?
There isn't a quiet season. Bed bugs are active year-round indoors because homes stay warm regardless of the weather, though reports often rise after periods of more travel, since bed bugs are commonly picked up from hotels or other accommodation and carried home in luggage.
Questions people ask
What kills 100% of bed bugs?
No single method guarantees 100%, but professional heat treatment, which holds a whole room at a high enough temperature for long enough, and repeated chemical treatment both have a strong track record against established infestations when done thoroughly and followed up. Missing a hiding spot is the main reason any method falls short.
Are there bed bugs in Indonesia?
Bed bugs are found worldwide, including in Indonesia, since they travel wherever people and luggage do rather than being limited to one climate or region. This site covers bed bug treatment in London specifically; if you're dealing with bed bugs elsewhere, local pest control advice for that country is the better source.
What attracts bed bugs to a home?
Bed bugs aren't drawn in by mess or food the way some pests are. They're attracted to the carbon dioxide and warmth of a sleeping person, and they spread by hitching rides in luggage, secondhand furniture, and clothing rather than by anything a household is doing wrong.
How do you kill bed bugs fast?
Washing bedding and clothing at 60°C and tumble drying for at least 30 minutes kills bed bugs and eggs in anything that fits a machine, and it's one of the quickest steps you can take yourself. For the room itself, professional heat treatment can clear it in a single visit, since it's built to hold the right temperature long enough throughout the whole space.
Can bed bugs live in your hair on your head?
Bed bugs don't live in human hair the way lice do, since they're built to feed and then retreat to a hiding place rather than stay on the body. If you're finding bites around your head or neck, it's more likely they're hiding nearby, in the headboard, pillow seams or bed frame, and feeding on exposed skin while you sleep.
Bed bug treatment in London
- Bed bug treatment
What actually gets rid of bed bugs for good, what you can do yourself, and when it's time to call a local specialist in London.
- Bed bug bites
What bed bug bites in London involves, what affects the price, and how to get quotes from local businesses.
- Heat treatment
How bed bug thermal (heat) treatment works, the temperatures it needs to reach, and how to get quotes from local specialists in London.
- Costs
Typical bed bug treatment prices in London, the things that make a job cost more or less, and how to compare quotes fairly.
- Bed bug bites
How to ease bed bug bites at home, when to see a pharmacist or GP, and how to deal with the infestation that's causing them.
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