Bed bug treatment in Zoetermeer: recognising the signs
An adult bed bug is flat, reddish-brown and roughly the size of an apple pip. By day it hides; at night it is drawn to the warmth of your body. Because the bugs themselves are rarely seen, it is usually the traces that give them away:
- itchy bites on arms, neck or shoulders, often in a line
- black spots in the mattress seams and the bed frame
- tiny blood stains on pillowcases or sheets
- empty, pale brown skins shed by young bed bugs
Not everyone reacts to the bites, so it may be that only your partner is affected.
How bed bugs get into your home
Bed bugs have nothing to do with a dirty house. They hitch a ride in suitcases and bags after a hotel stay, in a second-hand bed, sofa or bedside table, or in moving boxes from someone who already had them. Frequent business travellers and anyone who has just bought used furniture online run a higher risk.
Once inside, they crawl into cracks in the bed, skirting boards, plug sockets and picture frames. In a block of flats they can move to the neighbours via pipe openings and gaps. The longer you wait, the more hiding places they find.
Our approach to bed bugs, in two stages
During the inspection we check not only the bed but also the sofa, skirting boards, curtains and adjoining rooms, so we know how far the infestation has spread. You then receive a checklist: what to wash, what to bag up or move, and what must stay exactly where it is.
Next we treat the rooms with heat. A high temperature kills bed bugs at every stage, the eggs too, right down into seams and cracks. Where necessary a certified pest controller adds a targeted treatment. A follow-up check shows whether the problem has really been solved.
What you can do – and what to avoid
Wash bedding and any clothes that were in the bedroom at 60 degrees or more, then tumble-dry them on a hot setting. Put washed items into sealed plastic bags so they stay clean. Vacuum the mattress seams and throw the vacuum bag away outside immediately.
Do not move to another room to sleep and do not drag the mattress through the house: you will take the bed bugs with you. Supermarket sprays mostly drive them deeper into cracks. If it is your cat or dog that keeps scratching and you see tiny jumping insects, fleas are more likely; read about flea treatment.
Preventing bed bugs after a trip or purchase
After a holiday or business trip, leave your suitcase on the tiles in the bathroom or in the hall and unpack it there rather than on the bed. Wash the clothes straight away. In a hotel room, check the mattress seams and the back of the headboard first. Inspect a second-hand sofa or bed with a torch, especially the seams and under the upholstery. If you are unsure whether something is infested, leave it outside.
For other pests in and around the home, our pest control in Zoetermeer can help too.
